The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-03
Payne Forwards All Papers on
the Subject
WEEKS WANTED POSTOFFICE
He Made Numerous Applications Both
Before and After Minnie Cox's
esignation-There Were
Other Candidates.

Washington, March 2.-Postmas ter Cen
eral Payne today forwarded to the house
all the papers in the case of the Indian
ola, Miss, postoffice case, which was
discontinued by the administration be-
cause of the forced abandonment of the
office by its negro postmistress. Mrs.
Minnie Cox. The correspondence shows
that A. b. Weeks, brother-in-law of
Mayor Davis of Indianola, began his
candidacy for the postoffice against the
negro incumbent as far back as April 7,
1902, when he began sending a long series
of letters and kilograms to the depart
ment. The papers include an extract
from letter of postoffice official dated
February %, 1903, narratlng a CONVERSE
ton which it says took place at Biloxi,
Miss
In this letter Mayor Davis of Indlanola
is quoted as saying that if Mrs. Cox
should again take charge OF the Iniianoa
Office. she would get her neck broken
inside of two hours" On January 3, last,
John c. Dougherty, United States special
attorney at New Orleans, telegraphed to
Assistant Attorney General Pradt at
Washington that there are numerous
negro county and municipal officers serv-
Ing under democratic administrations
throughout the southern siates.''
Mayor Davis of Indianola wrote the
fourth assistant postmaster-gene on
January 3, last, requesting copies of all
letters written the department regarding
the postotfice, and said that the post
MASTER was requested by all of the citi-
zens TO resign; that no threats were
mace that she was perfectly willing Ito
give up the office" Fourth Assistant
Postmaster-General Bristow declined to
furnish the copies of the letters. TIE
correspondence shows that A. r. Weeks
wrote the department several letters dur
ing last April in which he requested that
ne be appointed at once, and in a letter
oated May 80, 1902, he said that he was
anxious to get the appointment supple
menting this on July 2 with a letter
urging his own appointment, giving rea-
sons why 1t should be made
On September 10 he wrote the fourth
assistant postmaster general that there
was determined effort of the people TO
make the postmaster resign or give I'M
the Office In some way, because she was
colored and requested that his apnliea
ton be remembered. On October Weeks
wrote the President that he had the as
surance of Nus. Cox. the postmaster
that she VIII forward her resignation in
! the next few days" and pressing his own
application on the ground that he was the
only white republican at IndianoIa.
On December 10 he wrote the President
that ne would be glad to come to Wash
ington so that 1t could be seen how com
petent he is.
SIX days later he wrote that he was the
only good friend the administration had
among the white people of Indianola and
vicinity, and later he forwarded a petit
ton 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.
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 postonice be re-established saving
that MRS Cox would not take charge of
the oirice again and urging his own APP
| pointment
The papers also showed that several
other candidates. notably John Sharkey
Montgomery, Mrs. b. D. Watts, Miss
mary Hicks Hogin and Mrs. Lillian Green.
| applied Tor the office in October on the
| understanding that Mrs. Cox had ten
| dered or was about to tender her resigna-
| uon Postofice Inspector Johnston. at
| New orleans, wrote the department on
| december 10 that lndianola was the coun-
| ty seat of Sunflower county and that the
| postal laws and regulations contemplate
| that each court house and county seat
should be supplied with mail.
Postonice Inspector Fitzgerald on De-
cemper To- submitted a detailed report rel
ative to the circumstances which caused
the people of lndanola to order w. w
Cox a railway postal clerk, and two
other persons to leave that place presum-
| a
McLaurin of Mississippi today intro
duced a bill to reimburse the people of
lndianola, Miss, for money expended in
providing their own mail facilities