The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-03
Weeks Foamed at the Mouth
for Post Office Pie.
lLOVE THEE O TEDDY MINE
So He Assured Roosevelt Saying He Was His
Only Friend in IndianoIs, and Apparently
squealing for Pie Even in
His Dreams,

Washington. d. c.. March 2.-Postmast-
er General Payne today forwarded to the
House all the papers in the case of the
IndiaHola, Miss, postoffice, which post
office was discontinued by the adminis-
tration because of the forced abandon
ment of the office by its negro postmist-
ress, Mrs. Minnie V. Cox. The corre-
cpondence shows that A. B. Weeks, a
brother-in-law of Mayor Davis, of In
dianola, began his candidacy for the
postoffice as against the negro incum-
bent as far back as April Z, 1902 when
he began sending lon series of let
ters and kilograms to the department.
The papers include an extract from
letter of a postoffice official dated Feb
ruary %, 1908, narrating a conversa-
tion, which, it states, took place at
Biloxi, Miss. In this letter Mayor Davis,
Of Indianola, is quoted as saying that
If Mrs. Cox should again take charge
of the Indanola postoffce, "she would
get her neck broken inside of two hours
On January 3rd, last, John c. Dougherty,
United States special attorney at New
Orleans. telegraphed to Assistant Attor-
Bey General Pradt, tt Washington, that
there are numerous negro county and
municipal officers serving under Demo-
cratic administrations throughout the
Southern States"
Mayor Davis, of Indianola, wrote the
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
January 3rd last, requesting copies of
all letters written the department re-
garding the postoffce, and stated that
the postmaster was requested by all of
the citizens to resign; that no threats
were made; that she was perfectly
willing to give up the office. Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General Bristow
declined to furnish the copies of the
letters. The correspondence shows that
A. B. Weeks wrote the department sew
eral letters during last April, in one of
which he requested that he be appoint
ed at once, and in a letter dated May 80,
1902. he stated that he was anxious
to get the appointment, supplementing
this on July 2, with letter urging his
own appointment and giving reasons why
it should be made.
On September 10 h w-ote the Fourth
Assistant Postmastcr General that there
was a determined effort of the people
up the office in some way because she
is colored, and requesti z that his ap-
pllcation be recommended. On October
9. Weeks wrote the President that he
had the assurance of Mrs. Cox, the post
master "that she will forward her resig-
nation in the next few days" and press
ing his own application on the ground
that he was the only white Republican
at ndianola. On December he wrote
the President that he would be glad to
come to Washington so that it could be
seen how competent he is. Six days
later he wrote that he was the only good
friend the administration has among the
white people of 1ndianola. and later he
forwarded a petition Of colored citizens
OF Indianola and vicinity in behalf of
his appointment. On January he wrote
the President that the postmaster had
abandoned the office. He pressed his
claims for the appointment and said that
he would be glad to have the President
wire him to qualify. Later he wrote the
President twice asking that the post
office be re-established, stating that Mrs.
Cox would not take charge of the office
again and urging his own appointment.
The papers also show that several
other candidates, notably John Sharkey
Montgomery, RS. p. ID. Watts, Miss
Mary Hicks Hogin and Mrs. Lillian
Green applied for the office in October
on the understanding that Mrs. Cox had
rendered or was about to tender her
resignation Pastoffice Inspector John
ston at New Orleans wrote the depart
ment on December 13 that Indianola IS
the county seat of Sunower county, ana
that the postal laws and regulations
contemplate that each courthouse and
county seat shall be supplied With mail.
Postoffice Inspector Fitzgerald on De-
cember Is submitted a detailed report
relative To the circumstances which
caused the people or Indianola to order
W. w. Cox, railway postal clerk, and
two other persons TO leave that place,
% presumably on account of their color.