The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-06

Washington, March 2.-Postmaster
General Payne today forwarded to the
house all the papers in the case Of the
I%ndianola, Miss, postoffice, which post
office was discontinued by the ADM is
traIion because of the forced abandon
ment of the office by its negro post
mistress, Mrs. Minnie V. Cox. The cor
respondence show that A. 3. Weeks,
a brother-in-law of Mayor Davis, of In
dianola, began his candidacy for the
postoffice, as against the negro incum-
he began sending a long Sc. les Ct ct
tiers and kilograms to he department.
The papers include an extract from d
letter of a postoffice official, dated Feb
ruary 23rd, 1903, narrating a CONVERSE
ton which, it states, too place at
Biloxi, Miss. In this letter Mayor Davis,
of Indianola is quoted as saying that
if Mrs. Cox should again take cha g
of the Indianola postoffice, she would
get her neck broken inside of two
hours"
ty, United States special attorney at
New Orleans telegraphed to A sistant
Attorney General Pradt, at Washing
ton, hat there are numerous negro
county and municipal officers sarvin
under democratic administrator s
throughout the southern states"
Mayor Davis, of Indiana a, wrote the
fourth assistant postmaster on january
3rd last, requesting copies of all letters
written the department regarding the
postoffice and stated that the postmas-
ter was requested by all Of the citizens
to resign; that no threats were made;
that shesWaS perfectly willing" to give
up the office. Fourth Assistant Gen.
eral Bristow declined to furnish the
copies Of the letters.
The correspondence shows that A. b.
Weeks wrote the department several
letters during last April, in one OF
which he requested hat he be appoint
ed at once, and in a letter dated May
Goth, 1902 he stated that the was anxious
to get appointment, suppleme lt.ng this
on July End with a letter urging his
w appointment and giving reasons
WY IL SIlOUIu Ue IlIduS. I'll DepISilDFT
18th. he wrote the fourth assistant post
master general that there was a d ter
mined effort of the people to make the
postmaster resign or give up the office
in some way because she is cclored and
requesting that his application be re-
membered.
On October 9th, Weeks wrote the
president that he had the assurance of
Nr~ Gov tho nncfmaCtar Hthot chn 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 Indianola. On De-
cember 18th he wrote the president that
he would be glad to come to Washing
ton so h it could be seen how COM
petent he is. Six days later he wrote
hat he was the only good friend the
administration has among the viii e
people Of Indianola and later he forward
/, ed a petition of colored citizens of In
| dianoIa and vicinity in behalf OF his APP
! pointment. On January LIST he wrote
the president that the postmaster had
abandoned the office; pressed his c'aims
! for the appointment Ind said that he
| would be glad to have the president
| wire him to qualify. Later he wrote
| the president twice asking that the
| postofice be re-established stating that
Mrs. Cox would not take charge of the
| Office again and urging his own appoint
nent.
The papers also show that several
other candidates, notably John Shar.
key Montgomery, Mrs. r.. D. Watts
Miss Mary Hicks Hogin and Mrs. Lii
liam Green, applied for the office in
October on the understanding that Mrs
Cox a rendered or was about to ten.
der her resignation. Postmaster In.
spector Johnston at New Orleans wrote
the department on December 18th tina
Indianola is the county seat Of Sun
flower count and that the postal law.
and regulations contemplate that eacl
court house and county seat shall 81
supplied with mail. Postof1ce 1nspec
tor FITZGERALD on December 18th sub
mitted a detailed report relative to tn,
circumstances which caused the peopi,
of IndianoIa to order w. W. Cox a rail
way postal clerk, n two other persons
to leave that place, presumably On &C
count Of their color.
When you wake up with q bad tastt
in your mouth you may know that yo'
need q dose of Chamberlain's Stomach
and Liver Tablets. They will c'eans
your stomach, improve you appetit
and make you feel like a new man
They are easy to take, being sugar coat
ed, and pleasant in effect. For sale b,
r. R.. Bellamy's Drug Store.
The inventor of the Calling gun 1