The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-26

courts and S10S was subscribed towart
 a fund of 5000, which the negroes pro
 pose to raise to employ legal talent whicf
 1t was announced had already been con
 suited.
 The resolutions adopted by the meet
 ing also endorsed the Crumpacker force
 bill now pending in Congress, and the res
 olutions are to be forwarded to the In
 diana Congressman today
 The meeting was called by J. w. Giles
 janitor at the Federal. Building: N. P
 Hatcher, J. s. Julian, mail carriers. ant
 J. L. Jeter, another janitor at the Fed
 eral building. At no time was there more than thirty negroes in the hall. Most
 of them were employees of the Govern
 ment and the crowd was dominated by Giles, Jeter, Julian and Hatcher.
 When John Wilson. a negro who served as a soldier In the Philippines, displayed his registration certificate and undertook to criticise the work which had been
 precipitating a small riot He was not subdued until Giles. who was presiding ruled that he was out of order.
 The most serious proposition that con- fronted the negroes after the organization was effected was the selection of Treas urer to care for the money which they propose to raise. There were numerous nominations and withdrawals. and much argument of the responsibility of the re- spective candidates. Finally c. F. Storrs, a negro upholsterer, was elected by ac- clamation.
 Hatcher called the meeting to order and said the purpose was to organize an as- sociation to test the constitutionality Of the new Constitution of Alabama. He said the Board of Registrars of Montgom- cry County would not register negroes and the meeting had been called to insist upon the rights of Alabama negroes. J. L. Jeter nominated J. W. Giles as tenn porary chairman, and Aaron Timothy nominated John Wilson, the soldier who had already registered Wilson, with a look of disguest upon his face, arose and declined to allow his name to go before the meeting.
 In assuming the duties of Chairman, Giles, who is a rather pompous negro, addressed the meeting. He referred to the matter of funds" early In his ad- dress. and the matter of funds" seemed to be uppermost in his mind throughout the evening.
 When J. S. Julian had been elected tenn porary secretary. Chairman Giles dived into his pocket and brought out typewriter resolutions which he began to read There were loud
  of these resolutions until the perma- nent organization was effected, but Giles ruled that the matter of permanent or ganization "cannot be considered until there is something for the permanent or ganization to do.'
 The matter was discussed at great length and many remarkable parliament yielding to the overwhelming sentiment of the meeting, Giles declared that the meeting could have permanent organi- zation before there was anything before it if the meeting so desired.
 On motion of J. l.. Jeter a Committee on Resolutions, consisting of J. l.. Jeter, J. S. Julian and N. P. Hatcher was ap- pointed. The members of the Committee, wearing their honors with great resnon- sibility walked slowly to the back end of the hall where they sat down. Giles had slipped his resolutions into the hand of Jeter and the Committee gravely at tached their signatures to the type-writ- ten resolutions and returning to the front of the hall the resolutions were read.
 The resolutions declare that 1t is for the best interest of the negroes of Alabama that an incorporated organization be ef- fected to he known as The Colored Mans Suffrage Association'' that an EX, ecutive Committee of five members shall be appointed by the President the duties of which shall be to incorporate the As sociation and to have the authority to raise all necessary funds N'ith N-ich to carry out the objects and purposes of this Association"
 Continuing. the resolutions declare that the Legislature. which passed the bill calling a Constitutional Convention was elected by fraudulent methods; that the delegates to the Constitutional Conven- ton were elected by fraud and that the Constitution was ratified by a fraudu- lent vote; that "colored citizens up to date. have been arbitrarily denied the .t.-,A -t1ta Al...A l., lNt TF fort be made to guarantee to the negro his rights under the Federal Constitution and finally that the attention of Congress be drawn to these matters; that the resolutions be forwarded to Congressman Crumpacker with a request that he be urged to push his pending force bill to a passage by the National Con- gress.
 On motion of I. II. Holland. the reso- lutiors were adopted amid applause.
 Chairman Giles announced that he would appoint the Executive Committee and said that if any person named could not serve or Was not In complete sym pathy with the movement he should say 50. Several names were mentioned. fol- lowed by destinations.
 The Committee was finally agreed upon as follows. the nenlbess having accept ed: N. P. Hatcher. J. l.. Jeter, 5. c. mali carrier. and Kinchen Harris. who gravely announced that he had no re- jection to serve being. completely inhar- monious."
 Then began an interesting struggle over the selection of a treasurer. Hatcher nominated Rev. T. A. Washington, who was not present.
 Giles was about to put the question when Alfred Hadnott hard-faced. black negro. jumped to his feet wildly gestic- ulating.
 T nominate Bishop Alstork." shouted Hadnott.
 And what might be the name of the gentleman" asked Giles. the cGaHman slowly, evidently determined upon plan of fillbustering.
 "H-a-d-n-o-t-t-Alfred Hadnott," re- piled the black negro plainly proud of his achievement in orthography.
 Hatcher then came to the rescue of his partisan chairman.
 You have no authority to nominate Bishop Alstork,'' declared Hatcher. He is not present and you cannot nominate him without his consent"
 But Washington Is not present shrleked the black-faced Hadnott, indi- eating that he was not sure of his posi- ton.
 Seeing that he mad administered heavy blow to Hadnott, Hatcher followed up his advantage with a solar plexus.
 You see I have the proxy of Rev. Weathngton and you cannot nominate Bishop Alstork without his proxy" Hatcher declared deliberately.
 That is true, quite true" remarked Chairman Giles and Hadnott apparently convinced that he had not done the right thing sat down.
 Disorder broke in the meeting about this time and Chairman Giles was kept busy. The matter of electing treasurer was about to be left open until a subSe- quent meeting when Asbury Robinson. a tall black negro drayman, with d thun- derous voice, got the floor.