The Seattle Republican., 1901-04-05
Condemning the High-Handed Outrage of the Seattle
Police On Citizen
CHIEF MEREDITH IS HANDLED HARD
With But Two Insignificant Exceptions Throughout the Entire
County Press" Is He Scored and Pronounced Momenay
crat-HS Actions Disgrace Civilized
Communty-Should Removed

Below the country press is quoted
at length on the treatment accorded
the editor of this paper at the hands
of the chief of the police. 1t is rather
notable that outside of the city of Sc
attic but two weekly papers approve
of the actions of Chief MeredIun-,A
Democrat-Sun, Tacoma, and the Island
County Times, COupeville. In this
city no paper save the Argus took up
Meredith's defense. 1t is always a
pleasure to any decent man to know
that the Argus is against him. But
hear the voice of the press:
Though the press brings us records
of brutal lynch1ng of colored men and
women in many states of our union
for improved charges, varying in helm
BUSINESS from brutal assaults to using
the money found in lost pocketboOk,
we believe that none of these lawless
murders of colored citizens outrages
the public sense of justice and cOnsti-
tutional liberty more than the dis
graceful arrest and Imprisonment OF
the editor of The Seattle Republican
on last Saturday night in Seattle.
Mr.. Cayton, the able editor of The
Seattle Republican, is a cOlored man,
who, though belonging to race which
has suffered and still suffers much in
this land of equal rights, has con-
science and courage enough to speak
against corruption, consequently had
criticised the ponce and their manage
ment of affairs in Seattle
For this grave offense the chief of
police, Meredith, late Saturday night
sWearS out a warrant to arrest Cayton
for libel, charging that on the 22nd of
March the following had appeared in
The Seattle Republican: Chief of
Police Meredith proposes to run quack
doctors out of business, which perhaps
is not bad idea, but we suggest that
while he is running quack doctors out
of business, that he likewise run
grating policemen out of business;
then perhaps the city of Seattle would
be rid of Meredith himself"
Having sworn out his complaint and
secured his warrant Saturday night,
Meredith deputized Detectives Crane
and Barbee to execute the warrant
They came to Cayton's house at about
$50 p. m. Cayton was then alone
with his children, his wife having gone
up town with a friend. He pleaded
with the policemen to wait until his
wife returned, which they refused to
do, consequently Cayton was forced to
call in a neighbOr to take care of his
children until his wife returned. He
was taken to the city Jail and locked
up in dark cell with a tramp and
was refused communication with his
legal advisor and friends
The course taken and the spirit
shown by the Seattle chief Of police
and his sUbordinates in Cayton's un-
reasonable arrest, unseemly treatment,
unreasonable bail and refusal of COM
munication with business friends or
legal advisors, all indicate malice and
a spirit of persecution.
Something is rotten in Denmark"
when the city police foster crime and
appropriate legal action to intimidate
and stifie criticism. This has caused a
storm of indignation. CaytOn, though
black" man, has many friends in
business circles. The churches and
public are aroused.
This awakening of public opinion by
the high-handed course of the Seattle
police may not bring about results
pleasing to Meredith and his followers.
-Cowlitz Advocate.
Seattle wears the palm as the widest
open town in the state. There is pub
lished in Seattle a newspaper by a
colored man and in the interests of the
colored race H. R. Cayton, the editor
is fearless critic of what he deems to
be wrong, and has made some scathing
remarks editorially on the conduct OF
the city government He intimated
last week that if Chief Meredith of the
police force would run grating police
men out Of business perhaps the city
would be rid of Chief Meredith him
self. The august chief felt that he was
slandered by such aspersions anC
swore out a complaint and procured {
warrant for the arrest of CaytOn, as
he had a perfect right to do. How
ever. instead of serving it at once, he
waited until late Saturday night Wher
banks were closed and business mer
had retired. Then, in the most bruta
manner possible. Cayton was carried
off to the city Jail and flung into dun
geon scarcely fit for a dog to occupy
Then, when friends of CaytOn Offered
to furnish bail in $780, the sum fiXeC
by the justice, the police arbitrarily
demanded cash bail, though bankers
and others offered to deposit theil
checks in any amount. The banks al
being closed there was poor prOspec
of raising the money before Monday
which would require the incarceration
of their victim, as the police designed