Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-27

&iAcQ AOf Couk1QX OGI0T6 luk c0luWll1ct. thtrty-hye years after the war to ask for equal rights for citizens irrespec- tive of color. He had been refused a cup of coffee in Childs's restaurant in New Haven unless he sat in dark part of the restaurant. Being q res taurant keeper myself. I preferred to drink my coffee in the light, but was not permitted to-
 Mrs Hugo Hickmott, bright young woman representing the Colored Twen- tieth Century club of New Haven, told the story of the Jubilee Singers in New Haven and appealed to the committee to give colored women the rights their white sisters enjoyed.
 Representative ,Housel of New Ha- ven appealed for the colored people.
 who, he said, were probably opposed to him politically.
 House Chairman King of the con-
 mlttee pointed out that the aggrieved people had a remedy under the present
 statutes, except that the maximum penalty, $500, and minimum penalty, SlOO, was not provided.
 MT Reed of the committee inquired Why the prosecuting officers in New Haven had not enforced the present law. but MT Housel did not know the motive which had actuated them. If
 the present law was sufficient, Mfr AAouStl tuoTe WOulu De ESSC
 of additional legislation.
 Mir Freeman of the committee said that he had known of colored peoples being overcharged to keep them out of public places. There was no remedy. W. Il. Hickmott of New Haven l spoke of the operation of similar law Ill Massachusetts where a hotel keeper
 was fined S2o0 and the license was re- l Voked because of refusal to entertain colored people.
 Mr King of the committee said that under existing law q prosecution could obtain If the colored men would get
 together and make test case. l Mir Miller was willing 70 have the
 clause stricken out which provides q penalty. if the committee thought best
 Ii the prosecuting officers do not do their duty, then the colored people
 must come to the general assembly for l protection. He knew of colore1 vc-
 men who had been refused hotel ac- commodat ill Hartford. Section l 1.4ls of the general statutes was obso- 1 lete.
 James G. Brown of New Haven | spoke in favor of the proposed law as
 a measure of justice and said that 1 Lawyer Goodhardt of New Haven hau
 told him that only q criminal prosecu-
 ton would hold under the present law
 G. Grant Williams of Hartford spoke
 Of his and another mans being refused
 the privilege of playing billiards and | pool in Hartford and Francis II. Par 1 kerS and Judge Eggleston's saving that there could be no relief under. the 1 law. Speaking of prejudice against
 nationality and color, Mir Williams
 Sald that he didn't know why there
 should be any prejudice against q col
 ored man or an 1rishman. Why. even
 in Hartford they are getting a preju.
 dlce against Dutchmen. I know of
 there being feeling against a man for l building inspector or something of the
 kind because he is a Dutchman.' '' 1 uaughter) The colored men did not
 court the society of white people
 People who had prejudice against colored men and women had their food
 prepared by them.
 Rev Walter Gay. pastor of the Union
 Baptist church of Hartford. told of the
 case of colored clergyman, a stranger
 in Hartford, who was recently refused
 motel accommodations and put up with
 him. The colored people, he said. did
 not desire to associate with white peo. l pie. He knew where they had de. 1 cllned overtures of that kind. They 1 only desired equal rights and nriv. | ileges. He had known of their being gwen rear seats at places of public en- l tertalnment where they were willing
 To pay for good seats.