The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-18
INDIANOLA POSTOFfICE
CAUSES THAT LED TO THE RESIGNA-
TION OF MRS. MINNIE cox.
Color of the Postmaster the Only
COmplaint-Sentimen of the PeO-
ple-Ncgroes Are Necessary.

The closing of the postoffice at Indianola.
Miss. following the enforced resignation of
the postmaster, Mrs. Minnie Cox, because
her flight to another state, have been
case attracted so much attention that the
ST. Louis Post-Dispatch sent staff CORES
pendent to Indianola to investigate and re-
port on the causes that led TO Mrs. Cox's
departure.
town was small. says the correspondent.
1t was mere village, planted in 1882 in
the midst Of section of the great cotton
belt. the Yazoo delta. then just in the in
fancy of its development. AS the town
grew, in time the postoffice went into third
class and the postmaster became presi-
Dental appointee, with salary of $1,000
a year. With the cancellation, Mrs. Cox's
income the past year was. about 81, 400.
For many years, says one citi-
zen of Indianola, Minnie Cox has
enjoyed a good income. Wayne Cox,
her husband. earns salary in
the mail service about equal to that
of his wife. They have been thrifty and
have saved and increased their money.
Wayne, Cox pays taxes on a valuation OF
property indicating that he owns about
$4,000 worth of real estate-town residence
and country plantation land. They are
well-to-do. 1t will be no hardship for one Of
them to drop out of the postal service. We
are not grinding down the poor negro-see?
But il is the woman's color that we
object to, first, last and always, because
Ii is offensive to the Southern white per-
son to have a negro in a post of author
ity. Our women folks must go to that
office daily. They have been confronted
by a gang of negroes hanging around in the
postoffice. For many years We have
borne this thing patiently. and peaceably.
and uncomplainingly, so far as the govern
ment is concerned.
MISS BOBBIE OBJECTED.
But last summer an incident occurred
which led up to the postoffice matter. Miss
Bobbie Hendon. one of our best young Ia
dies, clerks at Mr. Ramps store. In the
same store was the negro who had been a
porter. His name was Lucius Burnett.
Mr.. Kamp advanced him; that is, gave him
better work. until he began taking in
ventory and selling goods. just the same
as a clerk.
miss Bobbie complained. She is South
ern girl, and she couldn't stand for negro
occupying a clerkship where she was a
clerk. Lucius and Miss Bobbie behind the
same counter selling goods-bah, Ii was
unheard of. Such a thing was not known i'm
the South. Miss Bobbie told some young
men of her acquaintance that she objected
to the presence of negro upon a plane of
equality with herself. The young men
began talking about the matter and Sheriff
Cox advised Mr. Kamp that he feared that
he could not protect Lucius If the latter
should be waylaid some dark night by
these young men. Well. Lucius disap-
peared He got out of town. and he has
not been seen since. Violence? / should
say not. That Niger didn't wait for any
violence. He just got.
.This started the eternally homeopathy
question TO rising. like yeast. and il would
not down till the postmastership came oui
of the pan Late last September an oper
meeting was held in the courthouse and
the matter of requesting the postmaster
to resign was taken up. Mayor Davis pre-
sided. Sheriff Cox was there. Eighty-thres
of the leading citizens were in attendance.
At that meeting the following request
addressed to Mrs. Cox was drawn I'D ant
placed i'm the hands of committee TO Sc.
cure signatures: I'VE. the undersigned citi
zens, hereby request that you tender your
resignation postmaster OF the lndanols
office. TO take effect Nov. L. A week later