Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-20
CLUB TO BE REVIVED
ORGANIZATION ONCE BROKEN UP
BY THE POLICE.
Aided Law Breakers in Securing Bail,
Etc.-Had Chaplain, Among
Other Officers.

and purpose which flourished in this city
several years ago, it is stated. is to be re-
organized The original association. COM
posed of colored men and women. bore the
name Mutual Protection Club. No. l." 1t
was swept out of existence in 1895 In
dashing police raid headed by Lieut.. John
c. Daley. who was at that time sergeant
in the fourth or South Washington pre-
cinct, and was Familiarity known as ''the
fighting sergeant" The headquarters OF
the club, on Sd street southwest. was raid
ed as a speak-easy and disorderly house,
and conviction on those charges followed.
II was not until the police had ransacked
the premises in search of cheap fire water
and other evidence that they learned the
true nature of the Mutual Protection
Club In the constitution book 1ound IN
an upper apartment, 1t was recoroeo ina
the objects of the organization were pieasr
ure in various forms and 1.-The protectlon OF
all members from the oppression Oh the
police" oa
The amazed blue-coated raiders pursued
their Investigations and found entered oie
the rosters of membership the names OF
more than one hundred colOred men ana
women who had no doubt joined to seek
the needed protection from officers OF the
law, for a majority of the names had aiso
been recorded, frequently in some cases. on
the annals of the police courts. The mem
bers. said Lieut.. Daley, represented every
degree of crime and misdemeanor from
dsorderly conduct and vagrancy to high
way robbery.
Purpose of the Club.
The club was conducted somewhat after
the plan of the funeral insurance compa-
MES which provide burial expenses in stated
amounts for their subscribers. Only instead
of burial funds the Mutual Protection Club
agreed to put up collateral. secure bail
and provide legal talent" when necessary
for any of its members who fell into the
clutches of the law. For this service the
members were taxed certain sum each
week. which went into the protection
fund. 1t sometimes happened that none of
the ciubmen were arrested during a week.
This caused a surplus in the protection
1und. which was usually employed for a
Sunday Publication at the club house. in
which white gin.' de bones" music and
dancing were features
The club had a long list of officers and
trustees and an impressive initiation cere-
mony. The funniest feature of the whole
matter was the fact that among the Of
Ulcers was regularly elected chaplain
whose duty 1t was to open the meetings
with prayer and hold funeral services
ing policemen recognized in the chaplain
a young negro who had "done time in
Jail and several terms in the wOrkhouse.
Work of the Relief Committee.
The most important adjunct of the club
was 1.-The relieving committee" which con-
sisted Of three brethren. 1t was the duty
Of this committee to visit the police sta
lions at night and the Police Courts in the
morning to see that any member who had
been arrested was promptly succored. A
relieving committee was appointed
each week in order that the relief work
might be properly apportioned among the
club members. II the offense charged against
the arrested member was so serious that
bail could not be procured. then the COM
mittee was required to visit the member in
Jail and provide. as far possible, for his
or her necessities and comfort.
Now that the club is to be reorganized,
according to reports. some of the older po-
licemen who know of it's aims and OBJ
jects are awaiting the event with interest.
Not that there is anything strictly illegal In
forming such an organization, but to pre-
vent the establishment with 1t of a speak
easy crap room and disorderly assemblies.
In the rooms of the old association sew
eral. framed notices were hanging on the
wall One of these was inscribed PRO
lection is the best law of nature Another
stated. Hold your own If you are in the
right The members were known to each
other as m. P. C.'s.' which boys in the
neig hborhood deciphered as metropolitan
Police Crushers." The members also had
a code of mysterious signs. symbals. pass
words and grips. Sergeant Daley carried to
the station house many of the records of
this unique club together with evidence
of gaming and tipping, which was in
progress when the raiders rushed into the
place like a whirlwind.