The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-12
COLOR LINE AT ANDERSON
BOOKER t. WASHINGTON BARRED
FROM PROMINENT HOTEL.
Guest Os the Indiana Republican
League-Other Quarters Provided
for the Distinguished Negro.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
ANDERSON, Ind, Feb. ia storm of
indignation and vigorous protest has been
raised In Anderson among Republicans and
hundreds Of citizens, irrespective of party
affiliations, on account of the action of j.
p. Jack, proprietor of the Doxey Hotel, in
this city, who rejected Booker T. Wash
ingtons application for rooms in the Doxey
Hotel, made through the local committee
of arrangements The great colored orator
and educator is to be the guest of the In
diana State League of Republican Clubs
during its annual convention. A number OF
the leading citizens. including w. 7. Dur
bin and ]. w. Scott, requested the honor of
entertaining the distinguished citizen, but
Mr.. Washington's preference to be
assigned to hotel. as he will be compelled
to leave on an early train Tuesday morn
ing. Rooms had been engaged at the hotel
by the committee. but when the proprietor
learned for whom they had been secured
he decided to change his mind and refused
to entertain him because he thought it a
bad precedent to establish. AS soon as this
became public there was rush of appli-
cations to entertain the colored orator, and
the proprietor of the Anderson Hotel, Mr..
Hennings, shifted his assignments and
placed at the disposal Of the committee the
best room in his fine hotel, which is the
headquarters of the State officers and
number of gubernatorial candidates
c. F. Heritage, Republican county chair
man, In explaining the matter to the Jour-
nal correspondent. said the facts I'm the
case were that the Lincoln League commit
tee made arrangements for Mr.. Washing
ton to go to the Doxey as far back as the
middle of last week, and had secured the
best room in the house for his use. The
matter was thought to be settled until
Saturday morning, when ]. p. Jack. pro-
prietor of the house, announced that Mr..
Washington would not be received in his
house.
The general opinion here is that Mr. Jack
did not know at the time the room was en-
gagged that Mr.. Washington was a colored
man. z. I. Lewis chief clerk at the Doxey,
stated tonight that all business relating
to Mr.. Washington's entertainment had
been carried on by him and not by Mr..
Jack. who had no knowledge of the situa-
tion until after the publication i'm local
papers of the story that the Doxey had
refused to entertain Mr.. Washington.
THE truth is,'' said he, that the COM
mIttee wanted to have the best room in
the house reserved for Washington. and
said that no other would be acceptable.
told them when they picked out the room
that II had already been engaged and that
ended the matter"
who engaged the room?" Mr.. Lewis was
asked.
I'VE are not bound to answer that" he
replied
lad all the rooms been engaged so that
you could not accommodate him?'
THAT is something we are not telling
any one.'
Very few of the prominent figures in the
league meeting are here tonight Senator
Newton w. Gilbert has arrived, along with
j. A. Perfect and f. w. Carver, of Angola.