Evening star., 1900-07-07
IMAGINATION DRAWN uroN.
Correspondent Whose Production is
Criticized by Csiored Man.


The colored people Of Washington are
deeply concerned over a communication
which 1t is said appeared in the Paterson,
N. J., Daily Press in regard to the Smell
hanging in this city. Smell was referred
to as an ignorant colored man, and the
details of a great alleged demonstration
were related. The communication was
dated June 10. signed by James E. Swim
burn. and reads:
/ There was hanging in the city today
out at the District prison. The victim was
a colored man. Benjamin H. Smell. The
rest of the colored population were not in
good humor and many of them refused to
work. They dressed up in their best clothes
and walked up and down the avenue with
no seeming desire to even notice the white
inhabitants of this big city. Many of them
hung about the Jail early In the morning.
buc with their usual superstition, got away
from the neighborhood before the time for
the drop to fall. Smell. the murderer vino
was hanged, was well known in the north
east part of the city, and years ago held
a clerkShp in the pension office. With his
little education he was a leader among a
certain element of the colored people. and
a giant in size. weighing when out and
around nearly 300 pounds. He was only
equal to Joe, the big colored porter at Will
lards Hotel, who tits the beam at SI5, and
who is known to the statesmen. far and
wide.
-''But the colored folks yesterday forgot
all about the hanging and as evening came
on were out in a jolly mood. Funerals, as
rule, seem to furnish enjoyment for many
of them, and it is a sight on Pennsylvania,
avenue on Sunday when there Is col
ored society man OF any prominence to be
buried We have colored band here with
bright green uniforms. trimmed with gold.
Talk about Robinson's Band in Paterson.
that all the Jersey men here blow about
because it made such a hit at the Mckin-
lev inaugnrat tioO. WHY. it is not in the
class. for looks. at least, to say nothing
about the music. When l talk of our col
ored band, with their dazzling uniforms,
they go down the avenue al the head of a
fureral procession. The only way the
housewives can keep their colored help at
work during these music funerals is to
chain them. They go out with their red,
white and blue togs, and while the men are
blowing on their instruments these ga1ly
attired girls are doing all sorts OF cake
walk stunts up around the hearse:
The article was headed Washington S
Dark DeniZenS. Hangings and Funerals Are
Just in Their Line
Aaron b. Wesley of 1904 Wylie street
northeast has addressed an answer to the
editor of the Press. calling attention to the
misstatements and to the fact that Smell
was a white man.
The whole article was base fabr!ca-
tion,' says the answer. The colored peo-
pie, like the Germans. are a musical peo-
pie. and to them it has it's charms, but
there is not an iota of truth in the asser-
ton that they adorn themselves in red.
white and blue togs and dance around the
hearse bearing the morta! remains of one
of their number. On the contrary, the col
ored people are generally good, law-abiding
citizens, and perpetuate splendid organiza-
tions to care for their sick and bury their
dead. and few of them are ever permitted
to be buried in the potter's field"
The answer next sets forth some facts
regarding the substantial condition of the
race in Washington and the evidences OF
refinement to be found In many of the
homes. The fact that the colored people are
largely represented in legal, medical. edu-
cational and scientific circles is also brought
forward, and retract:on asked.