The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-14
COLOR LINE DRAWN.
Mrs Ida 3. Wells Barnett Afronted
at Palmer House.

Chicago, Jan 14-Mrs. Ida b Wells
Barnett representing the Ida B. Wells
club of colored women. as delegate to
the Cook County League Of Woman s
clubs was refused admittance to the
elevator of the Palmer House yeSrer-
day morning while on her way TO attend
q meeting of the league. She was COM
PEELED to climb the stairs to the parlors
OF the hotel The league appointed a
committee to investigate the affrOnt to
one Of its mem bers, and the committee
professed itself satisfied with the ex-
plantations and apologies or the man
agement.
Mrs Barnett returned to the hotel in
the afternoon TO attend a meeting Of the
Law Enforcement league, and again,
when about to enter the elevator, was
told TO take the rear elevator. She paid
no attention to the command this time,
but entered the car and was carried up
The members of the Law Enforcement
league were as indignant over the oc-
currence as the club women had been,
and after it had been denounced by the
Rev. J. O. a Henry and Miss Elizabeth
Burdfck as an outrage, q. committee
consisting OF Miss Burdick and the Rev.
J. W. Fifield was appointed to investi-
gate the matter. A second apology and
explanation followed.
Mrs. Barnett later stated that she had
never bseE subjected to such indigni-
ties before and declared that she was
seriously considering the adVisa hiIity OF
bringing legal action against the hotel
management. In the morning when she
was about to enter the car and the eIe-
vator boy informed her that she would
have 20 take the rear elevator. she told
him that she was member of the Cook
County league, which was meeting in
the parlOrs. but was told, she asserts,
that she would have to get an order
from the Office before she could go up.
Mrs Barnett solved the problem by
climbing the stairs.
Two other coIoref delegates to the
IA Fr-
A Jackson. entered the elevator with a
number OF the club women and the ell
evator boy carried them up without
protest. Mrs. Barnett stated her case
TO the league, which appointed a COM
mittee consisting of NrS.I. Brace Shat
tuck OF the South Side club and Mrs. L
s. BlackweIder of the Chicago Woman's
club to investigate The committee
sought superintendent Willis Howe IN
his office. Mr.. Howe stated that the ell
evator boy had acted upon his own re-
epons1b1IIty, as there was no rule Of tha
motel concerning cOlored women He
was extremely sorry, and would will
Hngly apologize to Mrs Barnett
1t was evidently a misunderstanding
on the part of the elevator boy said
Mrs Shattuck. after the conference
with superintendent Howe. He did not
understand that Mrs Barnett was a
ored women who entered the elevator
with the members of the league were
carried up without protest"
Mr.. Howe said later that explanations
mad been satisfactory and that the club
women had engaged the psrIor for the
next meeting of the league
the Cook County League Of Wor1-
ems clubs. Of which Mrs. James Flower
Is PRESIDENT represents the most promi-
nent OF the women's clubs of Chicago
and Cook county, and numbers among
ats active workers Mrs Charles Hem
rotin' MIS- Lynden Evans, Mrs c. W.