Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1903-03-12
WANTED THE JOB.
Documents in the Case Throw Some
New Light on It.

Documents in the Case Throw Some
New Light on 1t.
Washington.-Postmaster General
Payne has forwarded to the house all
the papers in the case of the Indian
ola, Miss, postoffice, which postoffice
was discontinued by the administra-
ton because of the forced abandon
ment of the office by its negro post
mistress, Mrs. Minnie V. Cox. The
correspondence shows that A. B.
Weeks, a brother-in-law of Mayor
Davis, of Indianola, began his candi-
dacy for the postoffice against the
negro incumbent as far back as April
Z, 1902, when he began sending long
series of letters and kilograms to the
department. The papers include an
extract from a letter of a postoffice
official dated February %, 1903, mar
rating a conversation 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
Indianola postoffice "she would get
her neck broken inside of two hours"
Mayor Davis, of Indianola, wrote the
fourth assistant postmaster general on
January last requesting copies of all
letters written the department re-
garding the postoffice 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 cores
pondence shows that A. B. Weeks
wrote the department several letters
during last April, in one of which he
requested that he be appointed at
once and in a letter dated May 80,
1902, he stated that he was anxious to
get the appointment, supplementing
this on July with letter for his own
appointment and giving reasons why 1t
should be made. On September 10 he
wrote the fourth assistant postmaster
general that there was determined
effort on the part of the people to
make the postmaster resign or give
up the office in some way, because Of
her color, and asking that his applica-
ton be remembered.
On October 8, Weeks wrote the
president that he had the assurance of
Mrs. Cox, the postmistress, that she
will forward her resignation in the
next few days" and pressing his own
application on the ground that he was
the only white Republican at Indian
ola. On December 10, he wrote the
president that he would be glad to
come to Washington, so that 1t could
be seen how competent he is. Six days
later he wrote that he was the only
good friend the administration had
among the white people of Indianola
and later he forwarded a petition Oh
colored citizens of Indianola and vicin-
ity in behalf of his appointment. On
January he wrote the president that
the postmistress had abandoned the
office pressed his claims for the APP
pointment and said that he would be
glad to have the president wire him
to qualify Later he wrote the presi-
dent twice asking that the postoffice
be re.estabished, stating that Mrs.
Cox would not take charge of the
office again and, urging his own APP
pointment.
The papers also show that several
other candidates, notably John Shark
ey Montgomery, Mrs. S. d. Watts,
Miss Mary Hicks Hogin and Mrs. Lii
liam Green applied for the office in
October on the understanding that
Mrs. Cox had rendered or was about
to tender her resignation. Postoffice
Inspector Fitzgerald, on December 10,
submitted a detailed report relative to
the circumstances which caused the
people of Indianola to order w. w.
Cox railway postal clerk, and two
other persons to leave that place, pre-
sumably on account of their color.
PEOPLE CROWD THE CHURCHES.