The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1903-01-08

ABOLISHED
Radical Action Taken by Presi-
dent In lndianoIa Case.
UPHOLDS NEGRESS
Roosevelt Issues a Statement
Praising Postmistress."Ca Cab.
net Approves this Action.

washington. Following o decls-
Ion Of the cabinet at its meeting
Friday to close the p~ostoffice at In
dianola, Miss, on account of the re-
signation under compulsion OF the
postmaster, Mrs. Minnie Cox, a col
ored woman, until the people Of the
Indianola district are ready to ac-
cept her as as their postmaster, it
was decided to issue q formal state
ment concerning the case. During
the cabinet meeting Postmaster Gen
eral Payne stated he was satisfied
Mrs. Cox was obliged to resign un.
der duress and that her life was en-
dangered. The statement which
was issued by Secretary C~ortelyou
at the instance OF the instance of the
president afer an hours conference
with Postmaster General Payne, is
as follows:
THE postmaster at Indianola,
Mss, is Mrs. Minnie W. Cox, a col
ored woman. She served three
years as postmaster under President
Harrison. When President McKin-
ley came in she was again appointed
in 1897, nearly six years ago. Her
character and standing in the com
munity r endorsed by the most
reputable people in the town.
Among those on her bond is the
present Democratic state senator
with the leading banker of indiana
la an ex-senator from the district
as a Democrat. The postmaster ard
her husband own from $40, 900 to
$4,000 worth of property in Sun
flower county. The reports OF post
office inspectors who have in vesti-
gated the Office from time to time
show that she has given the utmost
/. satisfaction to all the patrons of the
office; that she is at all times courte.
GUS, faithful and honest in the dis
charge of her Duties Her moral
standing in the community is of the
highest. Her reputation is of the
best. No offices of this grade in any
state are conducted better.
The postmaster recently for
warded her resignation to take
effect on January l, but the report
OF inspectors and information re-
ceived from various reputable white
citizens of the town and neighbour
hood show that the resignation was
forced by a brutal and lawless ele-
ment purely on the, ground of her
color and was obtained Under terror
of threats. The mayor of the town
and the sheriff of the county both
told the poStoffice inspector that if
she refused to resign they would
not be answerable for her safety al
though at the same time not one
word was said against her. On Jan
uary /, the bondsmen of. the post
master t~elegraphed that the post
Office was closed; the postmaster
claimed that her resignation was in
the hands of the president to take
effect JAM, l.
"By direction of the president the
following was sent to the bondsmen:
1.-THE ~postTaster's resignation has
been received. In view of the fact
that the postoffice at Indianola is
closed all mail for that place will be
forwarded to Greenville. The case
will be referred to the attorney
general
The feature of the cabinet meet,
ing was the decision to close perma-
nently the postof1ice at Indianola,
Miss. Tie bondsmen have brought
the matter to the attention of the
authorities here with the view O.
being relieved of the responsibility
of the accumulated mail. The post.
master general has bad a thorough
investigation made and has become
satisfied that the woman was Obliged
to resign under duress-in fact tina
her life was endangered. Having
reported this state of affairs to Che
cabinet after a long discussion the
decision above noted was reached
and the Office will not be opened I'm
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