The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-05-08
White Men Meet Negro on Road and Warn Him Motto
 Make Another Trip
P O. DEPARTMENT MAY
 ABOLISH ENTIRE ROUTE
Looks Like a Second IndIanoIa Case, But In This instance the Negro Got His Office Through
 Civil Service.

Washington, May 7.-The postoffice de- pertinent was notified officially today that John C.. Allgood, colored rural free de- 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. Postmas-
 ter General Payne has suspended service
 on the route, pending investigation and if
 the reports of the affair are confirmed
 summary action will follow. The insi-
 dent may become second Indianaola
 case. The news of the affair reached the
 postmaster general today In the follow ing telegram from Postmaster H. Swaney
 of Gallatin:
 Carrier rural route 1, while making
 trip today held up by masked men. Or
 dered not to make another trip. Ad-
 vise.'
 The next dispatch came from F. F..
 Conger, the special agent in charge of the
 rural free delivery service with head
 quarters at Nashville, as follows:
 Rural carrier No. 1, Galiatin, in an interview with me advises that he was stopped en route today by armed men
 and his life threatened If he continued
 in service. Threat also applies to color ed substitute carrier. Warned not to
 divulge cause of his removal or to as- sign the reasons,
 NO time allowed to await upon appoint ment of successor. Believing 1t hazardous 1 he will not serve route tomorrow unless ] assuranceft are given him thst no violence l will be committed. Please advise me
 what instructions will be Issued in the l premises An immediate answer will be l gladly appreciated
 Negro Made Best Record. ] This rural carrier was put in office
 March 1 last The three men passing the
 highest on the list were all colored. Un- der the civil service rules the postmaster
 general says there Is no option with the department except to appoint the person who stands highest on the list; therefore Allen F. billiard, colored, was appointed. He resigned about three weeks ago, and on the 26th of last month the civil service board certified the second man on the list, l John c. Allgood, coloreo.
 | ROSIInaBleT dJhC NOhhJ tcAt- graphed MT. Conger as follows; Investigate fully case of John c. All l good and report. In the meantime ser- l vice on route will be suspended until your report upon the facts in the case Is 1 received"
 Postmaster General Payne later said if | the facts were as reported, only two | courses of action would be open. namely 1 to abolish the route and leave the people | thereon without that service or to send soldiers to the scene to protect the car | rier in the performance of his duty. MT. 1 Payne said the former course was the more probable He called attention to the 1 civil service status of the carriers and said that the appointees were secured l through the civil service commission, their selection therefore, not being op- l tional with him.
 Severe Punishment. It is said at the department that the penalties provided by law for such off,
 lenses is covered in the revised statutes. The statute reads as follows: Every person who wifully and mali ciously assaults any letter carrier who
 is in uniform while engaged on his route in the discharge of his duty as letter car
 rier and every person who wilfully aids or assists therein, shall, for every such
 offense, be punishable by a fine of not
 less than 500 and not more than s1000, or by Imprisonment for not less than one
 year and not more than three years Any person who shall knowingly and wilfully
 obstruct or retard the passage of mail
 carriers shall, for every offense be pun ishable by fine of not more than 1O0'' 1t is pointed out that the difference be- tween these penalties hinges on the wear | ing of the uniform and also that the word | assault" within the meaning of the law, contemplates just such an offense as that | reported