The age-herald., 1899-03-25
FOUND A HAVEN
 IN NEW JERSEY The Stranded Negro EmlsrantS Given
 Employment. LIBERIA TRIP DEFERRED
Mill York for CliifWOOd Brick Yard
 at MattaWan.
OFFICERS OF MIGRATION SOCIETY
Personally Warned the Negroes Not to Start on the Long Journey Score tary Cottingham Gave an Age
 Herald Reporter Account.

New York, March 24-(Special.) )-The got stuck in Jersey City while on their way to Liberia, were offered work yesterday af- ternoon in the Clifford brick yards at Mat tawan' N. J.. and are now on the move. Heads of families were hurrying around the freight yards this morning sorting out their household effects, which have been Jumped together ever since the crowd left Guthrie, Okla, a fortnight ago.
 Practically, all the negroes accepted the proffered opening at Mattawan, and moved their families this afternoon. Liberia or Mattawan, 1t Is all one to them. Sev- eral asked how far away it was and looked inoreduous when told. Enthusiasm for foreign travel has trickled away.
 How It Happened
 An Age-Herald reporter called at the of flee of the International Migration society yesterday afternoon and was given full in- formation concerning the negroes mentioned in the above dispatch who hold the society responsible for their plight
 According to the plan outlined by the officers of the society, application is made for membership, which entities the holder to passage to Liberia for $32 from the sea board, when as many as 1,500 colonists have been secured which Is stipulated in the contract. If the party is not made up within stipulated time all moneys paid in are subject to demand. The society does not adhere strictly to the terms of the contract, as far as numbers is concerned, but handles colonies of 800 or more
 Ample time is piVen avarv r,arnbar to ,ra pare for the journey and notice of the date of sailing is sent to each person who has become a member. It is especially stipu- lated that no responsibility will be assumed for any person who disregards the terms of the contract
 Were Warned Not to Move
 In speaking of the negroes who went to New York, MT Cottingham, the secretary of the company said:
 We had agents working in Oklahoma and had secured quite a number of mem- bers many of whom had not paid their passage, which can either be paid in cash or by installments. About one month ago we received letter from Rev. w. G. Howes, our agent, stating that the negroes wanted to leave for Siberia and were mak- ing arrangements to start for the seaboard 1 wrote him to warn the negroes against such action and to tell them to be patient until our next colony was completed, when we would charter a ship and notify them of the date of sailing
 'On the 9th inst. we received a telegram from Howes stating that the negroes would wait no longer, but were ready and would leave the following day for New York, and l,tl1
 l wired him to prevent the negroes from stating, and again cautioned him to warn them of the consequences. The telegram was returned to us undelivered, the party having left before its receipt l then wrote to Howes at St. Louis and wired him 10 call for the letter, in which I cautioned them to turn back The next we knew the negroes were in Jersey City stranded, as we had told them they would be if they insist ed on going.
 Have Shipped Three Colonies
 ''It can readily be seen that it would not pay us to move small colonies at the rate which we contract. We have sent over three colonies which are prospering and ex- pect soon to have another ready to sail The North Carolina and kindred troubles acted as an impetus to our business and we are receivinb many inquiries from ne- groes who are axious to migrate. Many of the ignorant negroes imagine that as soon as they become members if they can only get to the seaboard a ship will be in wait ing to take them to Africa.
 we do not know who compose the party that went to New York, but if they hold membership in the society and have paid their passage we will take them in our next colony Their present plight was brought on by themselves and against our repeated warning"