The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-28
SECRET MEETING HELD.
CoIored Men Gather in n Cellar ON In
diana Avenue.

Unusual secrecy was maintained concern
ing the nature of a meeting of colored men
in the cellar under Vaughan's saloon, at
527 Indiana avenue. last night. A Journal
reporter. who heard there was to be a
meeting in that locality, experienced con-
siderable difficulty in finding the exact
place, but was finally directed to the sa-
loon named. When he asked the man be-
hind the bar for information concerning the
meeting, he was informed that nothing was
known about it. Those fellows just came
in here and went down stairs the bar
keeper said. ''They did not stop at the
bar. and don't know anything about them.
You can go down there if you want to-
When the reporter made the descent into
the cellar he found gathered there, in a
poorly lighted room, about a dozen colored
men. One, who seemed to be spokesman
for the party, announced that the meeting
was private and reporters would not be
tolerated. Accordingly the reporter went
back to the street above. When two young
colored men, who were standing in the
front door of the saloon, were asked for
the name of the organization meeting down
stairs, one of them replied: amt al
lowed to tell nothin' about them fellers."
The other said: I'VE don't know nothin'
about them, anyway. That's a fact.
what do they call themselves" persisted
the reporter. We'll, L would call them
Bryan people," replied one of the men,
"but L guess they don't want it known that
they are for Bryan. Now, us fellers is out
and-out Bryan Democrats. l say d--p
such fellers as them down stairs that is
afraid to have. their sentiments known"
A prominent member of the Iron League
"a colored Republican organization with
headquarters near ~Vaughan's saloon-in-
formed the reporter that he believed the
underground meeting was a part of Mayor
Taggart'S scheme to attempt to swing the
Afro-American Council for Mr.. Bryan.
."They won't succeed, however" he said,
flor we will have something to say about
that. Our club has appointed two delegates
to the council, and they have been in
structed to look out for and head off any
such move"
Several, members of the Iron League ex-
pressed considerable surprise at the large
number of saloons which have suddenly
sprung up on Indiana avenue in the colored
district. There is something mighty Pc
culiar about this business" said one of
the members. 1T looks to me much like
Hey Tom is arranging TO capture the col
ored vote. / have heard of one of his slick
schemes for carrying Marion county and
the State of Indiana. 1t consists in the
liberal use of money for the purpose of
| p~ersuading colored voters to vote for Nc
kinley, if they insist, but not to vote the
State and county tickets at all. OF course,
all unstamped ballots will be thrown out,
and no one will be able to say to whom
they belonged. He may possibly accom-
plish his object, but the better class of
colored men are going to do all they can to
checkmate him."
The reporter was informed by a member
| of the league that the colored men in the
cellar of Vaughan's saloon style them
selves independent Voters" and that they
are under the leadership of w. W.. Christie.
a laundryman. and an ardent Taggart