Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1903-11-13
DREW LINE
ON NEGROES
The Train Conductor POurs Oil
on the Troubled Waters
with Effect

where white persons were eating Gre
ated a tempest in a teapot on the Cali
fornia and Oregon fast express of the
Southern Pacific Monday noon. South
ern blood boiled, and negro oratory
flowed freely, but the train conductor
acting as an arbitration committee of
one, poured oil upon the troubled wat
ers, and robbed the Multnomah foot
ball team of an opportunity to partici-
pate in promised scrimmage. Posi-
bly, this was fortunate settlement for
Portland's heroes of the gridiron, for
the negroes declare with perfect con-
fidence that the athletes would have
resembled the hurricane deck of a sew
sci struck by an East Indian simeon
had a mix-up occurred. The football
boys have another idea of what would
have happened to a portion of the col
ored race however. The negroes finally
succeeded in getting served, and now
they are highly indignant at what they
term an insult to respectable colored
citizens. They are particularly out
ragged at a report of the incident on
the car. and one member of the party
who talks about money as if it grew
on trees, says he won't stop at any
expense in getting even with the per-
son whom he accuses of painting a
saffron picture of the affair
The colored persons who figured in
the affair are: George H. Chivis of
Detroit, Michigan ana wife, and C. A.
Hughes, of San Francisco. Chivis is
the colored editor of the Railroad Por-
ters' and Walters magazine. Hughes
is a well-to-do citizen of San Fran
cisco who was travelling with the edi-
tor. There are two versions of the af-
fair one of which attributes the cause
of the trouble to the Unborn dislike of
a southerner to a dressed-up negro, the
other to the arrogance of a wealthy
colored man and his insistence upon
forcing his company upon white peo-
pie.
According to the story told by white
persons who were in the dining car at
noon Monday, Chivis, his wife and
Hughes walked into the diner, and re-
CARELESS of the fact that there were
white people at each table. demanded
to be seated and served. Dining-C Car
Conductor E. c. Jenkins, acting accord
ing to rules of the company, informed
the colored people that If they would
wait a few moments he would secure
separate table for them. At this
Chivis, it is said, swelled up with the
Importance of millionaire and began
an grafton about having paid as much
as any white man to ride on the train.
and to rail at the conductor about dis
eliminating against his race. The con-
ductor demonstrated with Chivis, but
the colored editor it is alleged, pushed
by him and seated himself and his
party at a table where southerner
was eating The man of the south
promptly arose and took another seat
in the rear of the car, Chivis, 1t is
said, continued to talk in loud and
threatening manner, until he finally
discovered that he was not being watt
ed upon Some of the members of the
Multnomah football team. who thought
there might be trouble. announced that
il any help was needed they would be
there. At this the corored editor arose
in a fury it is said. and left the car.
The impression prevaiIed that he had
gone for a gun or for help from the
negro porters. and some trouble was
expected Chivis returned with the
train conductor and after consulta-
ton between the latter and Mr.. Jen-
kins, the negroes We're served and the
affair was over.
Chivis, in giving his account of the
incident last night, said that the blame
lay upon Jenkins. who wanted to show
his authority. When we entered the
car" said Chivis, there We're Just nine
vacant seats. The conductor wanted
me to wait, but didn't see any reason
for waiting when there We're seats for
u.s. / paid my money for my ticket and
was entitled to the same service as
anyone else, and consequently we sat
down at a table. A southern gentle
man was sitting there and he got Up,
but he told me afterWard that he ana
il simply because he thought there
might be trouble and he didn't want
to mix up in IL. | didn't do any loud
talking and there would have been no
unplea santness had it not been for the
dining ear conductor. | didn't try to
make any trouble, and the idea that l
went out to get gun rs without foun-
dation. l didn't want any trouble be-
cause my wife was present, and have
every respect for my wife. My wife is
an intellectual woman and was edu-
Gated in England. She looks more like
Hawaiian than anything else. Shes
going to write to the Philadelphia pa
pers about this thing tonight, and they
will print it right. Why, I've got more
money than any man of those yellow
journals that printed lies about this
affair, and III get redress.
"Of course. l didn't want to have
trouble when my wife was there, but If
those football boys had started any
thing with us fellows and those colored
pOrters. they would have looked like