The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-05-08
THREATENED WITH DEATH.
NEGROES WARNED TO OUITTHE
 POSTAL SERVICE.
Rural Free Delivery Carrier in Tennes- see H. cid Up by Armed Masked Men and Informed That He and His Substitute Must Quit-Matter Reported to Wash tnGton-Investigutio Ordered-NIny bs Secoud IntftanoIa Case
be Second IndianoIa Case.

inEton-InvestigatiO Ordored-Iay
 be Second IndianoIa Case.
 Washington. March 7.-The postoffice department was notified officially to-day that John c. Allgood. a colored rural free delivery letter carrier, while mak- ing his regular trip near Gallatin, Tenn, was stopped by men armed and masked and that he and his colored substitute carrier were warned not to continue in the service under penalty of death. Postmaster General Payne has suspend ed service on the route pending investi- gation, and if the reports of the affair are confirmed summary action will fol- low. The incident may become a second Indianola case. The news of the affair reached the postmaster general to-day in the following telegram from Post master H. Swaney of Gallatin:
 Carrier rural route one while making trip to-day held up by masked men. Ordered not to make another trip, Ad- vise.''
 The next dispatch came from W. E.. Conger, the special agent in charge of the rural free delivery service with headquarters at Nashville, Tenn, as fol- lows:
 Gp,,,o1 oorr;or No ooIorad Ga1iatiY Tenn, in an interview with me tonight advises that he was stopped on route to-day by armed masked men and his life threatened if he continued in ser vice. Threat also applies to colored substitute carrier. Warned not to di- vulge cause of his removal. but to as- sign other reasons. No time allowed him to wait upon appointment of suc- cessor. Believing it hazardous he will not serve route tomorrow unless assur- ances are given him that no violence will be committed. Please advice me what instructions will be issued in the premises. An immediate answer will be ! greatly appreciated"
 The route was put in effect March 1 last. There were five applicants under the civil service rules for appointment as rural carrier. The three men pass ing the highest on the list were all color ed. Under the civil service rules the postmaster general says there is no op- ton with the department except to ap- point the person who stands highest on ! the list, therefore Allen r. Dillard, col ored, was appointed. He resigned about three weeks ago and on the 18th of last month the civil service board certified the second man on the list, John s All good colored Postmaster General Payne to-day tel egraphed MT. Conger as follows:
 Investigate fully case of John c. All good, rural free delivery carrier, who
 was stopped by armed masked men yes- | terday and his life threatened if he con-
 tinued in the service, and report. In the meantime service on the route will be
 suspended until your report upon the facts in the case is received" | Postmaster General Payne said later ] that if the facts were as reported only
 two courses of action would be open
 namely, to abolish the route and leave
 the people thereon without that service
 or to send soldiers to the scene to pro.
 tect the carrier in the performance oi
 his duty. MT. Payne said the former
 course was the more probable. He call.
 ed attention to the civil service status
 of the carriers and said that the ap.
 pointees were secured through the civil
 service commission, their selection
 therefore not being optional with him. | It is said at the department that the
 penalties provided by law for such of.
 lenses are imprisonment from one te l three years and a fine of from $100 tt 1 $1.000.