The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-17
Bishop Walters Of the COlOred
Church Declares
The Negro Must Depend Upon
Himself For Protection.
SIGNS OF TROUBLE.
Meeting Grows Out of Persecu-
tion at EldOrado, LII.
Industrial School and a Church
Have Been Broken Up.

Chicago. June 1.-THE time has come
when the black man must depend upon
himself for protection. do not stand
for mobs, but every negro should be
prepared to protect his home. his wife
and children even to the death.
This advice was given al a meeting OF
negroes last night by Bishop AleXan-
der Walters of the cOlOred churcu OF
Ohio after he had warned his hearers
that all signs pointed to a time of great
trouble for them Bishop Walters IS
president Of the AfrO-Amer1can council.
The meeting was called for the purpose
of taking action upon the persecution Of
the negro residents of EIdOradO and
Harrislwrg H. and the lynching OF
Louis Wright in Missouri last winter.
A resolution was adopted and tele-
phOned to Governor Yates calling on
him to take immediate steps to protect
the lives and property of the colored
people at EldOradO and Harrisburg, Ill
Governor Yates, who is in Chicago.
said last night:
The authorities have been ordered to
proceed against any persons who may
have been guilty of assaults against the
colored people of that locality, and the
law viii be maintained
SHOOT INTO THEIR HOUSES.
Carbondale, ILL.,, June 1.-THE race
war which has been in progress at FL
dorado since May %, when a mob at
tackled the COlored Normal and Indus
trial institute a school modelled after
the celebrated Tuskegee Ala. school,
stiu continues. The homes of cOlOred
citizens have been stoned, warnings sent
the occupants to leave the vicinity, and
shots fired into their homes late at
night Many through fear have left,
sacrificing their homes and in some in
stances their crops. There remain only
seven families and two of them viii
leave at once Last night a mob visited
ef0 of a A fr-if4aO
N. j.. church and stoned his house.
Some of the white residents profess 10
fear that colOred labor viii be used in
The mines which are being opened in
that vicinity
Jefferson D. Alstone. president Of the
normal. has been chosen as the head
of the school for life. according to the
Incorporation papers on file at Spring
field. and against him an intense feel
ing exists. The board of trustees, of
whom DR.. Mitchell, a white physician
of Harrisburg, is president will con
slider both the removal of the school
and the chOsing of new president at
the coming meeting. June q
The anti-negrO crusade began at El
Dorado several months ago, but did
not assume serious proportions until
April Since then negroes who have
lived nearly all their lives in the county
and against whose character and integ-
rity there has never been a complaint,
have been compelled to sell their hon es
up their positions. leave their jobs and
seek homes elsewhere
The public school taught by Miss
Alice TOwles has been closed the pupils
having been driven out Of town.
The FL Dorado Normal and Industrial
Institute, conducted along the lines of
Booker T. Washington's celebrated
school at Tuskegee. Ala, has been
broken up Professor J. D. Aston and
Professor J. B Lott, its teachers have
been compelled to leave.
The African Methodist church build
ing has been partly wrecked and its
pastor, the Rev Peter A Green, is with
out a congregation.
ColOred men employed in various ca
pacities about town have been com
PEELED to give up their places to white
men and leave the county
AUTHORITIES REFUSE PRO
lection.
City Attorney Davidson declares
point blank that he viii do nothing to
bring the perpetrators to justice.
Governor Yates and Attorney General
Hamlin have ordered States Attorney
Albert Summers Of Saline county TO
proceed against the prosecutors OF the
negroes In fulfilling his orders the at
forney must act without the support Of
Sheriff Samuel Barter who has refused
TO obey orders to obtain evidence
against the perpetrators Of the unlawful
acts al Eldorado.
Lovers of law and order. however. in
Eldorado headed by Postmaster II. NJ
Weber and in Harrisburg by Postmas-
ter Ronalds, have declared in favor OF
the prosecution of the element that is
attacking the negroes.
CRUSADERS ARE UNKNOWN
The Outrages against negro property
are always perpetrated at night No
one knows. apparently, the leaders of
the crusaders. The basis of the crusade
IS asserted by some to be political. and
the Republicans openly assert that the
agitation was started by the Democrats
with the hope of advancing the cam
paign. AS the county is Republican by
q majority of 300 ana the negroes cast a
vote heavy enough to turn the scales il
favor Of the Democrats, if they could be
Convinced that the Democrats are their
friends. it is argued that the movement
found origin IN the fertile brain of some
Democratic politician.
The conventions Of both parties were
held about the middle of March. Short
iy afterwards the first stoniug took
against the house Of the Rev. Peter A.
IS Green, the colored Methodist minister
The preacher fired a shot at the mid
night mob. which dispersed
BEGINNING OF THE WAR
That was the beginning of the cru
sade Later crowds Of young fellows
about town and the adjacent country
frequently visited the church where Nj
Green conducted his services They
created several disturbances In the
meeting, but desiring peace he filed no
complaints against them. Finally the
church was stoned, the windows broken
and the congregation terrified. Since
that night his congregation has scatter
ed and the colCred pastor is without
flock.
The breaking up Of the Normal and
Industrial institute has up to the pres
ent time been the most serious result
OF the and-negro movement
BeIoit's Chautauqua-