Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1903-01-08
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lii lliDlhNULH rum.
NEGRESS RESIGNS PO5rM.a~
TERSHIP UNDER DURESS.
President Roosevelt Decides That
All Must Suffer For the Element
Which Drove Her Out.

BOclC1ISS CIV AAAIcAo1 NA-@7'f AAp'A
which the postmaster, Minnie NJ.
Cox, colored, resigned under COM
pulsion a few days ago., since which
time the Office has been closed. The
bondsmen have brought the matter
to the attention of the authorities
here with q view to being relieved
of the responsibility of accumulated
mail. The Postmaster General has
had a thorough investigation made
and has become satisfied that the
woman was obliged to resign under
duress-in fact that her life was en-
dangered. Having represented this
state OF affairs to the Cabinet, after a
long discussion, the decision above
noted was reached and the Office will
not be re-opened until the people in
the district are ready to accept this
woman as their postmaster.
During the afternoon the President
discussed with several members of
the Cabinet utH~r features of the case
Of Mrs. Cox, Postmaster General
Payne being III conference with the
President fnf M hour or more. 1t
Wa decided, finally, to issue q for
NAL statement concerning the In
dianola case. Secretary Cortelyou,
for the President, made the follow
ing:
"The postmaster at ~Indianola,
Miss, is Mrs. Minnie NJ. Cox, a col
ored She served three years
as postmaster under President Rar-
rison. When President Mckinley
came i'll she was again appointed in
1897, nearly six years ago. Her
character aad standing in the COM
munity are endorsed by the best and
most reputable people in the town.
Amono those on her bond IS the
present Democratic State Senator
from the district, together with the
leading banker of i~ndianola, and an
ex-State Senator from the district,
also a Democrat. The postmaster
and her husband own from ten to
ffteen thousand dollars worth of
property IN Sunfiower county. The
epor.s 0f the post o&oo Inspectors
who have Investigated the Office
from time to time show that She has
piyen the utmost satisfaction to all
the patrons IF the office, that she is
at sill times courteous, faithful COM
Detent and honest n the discharge Of
her duties. Her moral standing in
the community is of the highest.
Her reputation is of the best. Few
Offices Of this grade in any State are
conducted better.
etThe Postmaster General recently
received her resignation, to take eff
feet on January lst, hut the report
of the inspectors ana Information re-
ceived from various reputable white
citizens of hetown and in the neigh
horhood show that the resignation
was forced by q brutal and lawless
element purely upon the ground Of
her color and was obliged under ter
ror Of threats Of physical violence.
The nayOr of the town and the
sheriff of the county both told the
D~ostofice inspector that If h re-
fused u re ,hcy COLD not 30
ausweraDle for her safety, although at
4ba sa11e time u0t one word was said
AGAINST her management Of the
Office.
uOn January 1st the bOndsmen Of
the postmaster te~legraphed that the
p~ostoface was closed, that the post
master claimed that her resignation
was in the Presidents hands to take
effect January island that there had
hoen no advice of the appointment
Of her successor. The telegram closed
with this statement: Prompt &C
tion necessary for relief of business
;nterests.' In the view of the Presi-
dent the relief of the business inter
ests. which are being injured solely
hv he action of the lawless element
of +he town, is wholly secondary to
the preservation of law and order
ond the assertion of the fundamental
principle that this government VIII
lot conniye at OF tolerate wrong and
outrage of such fragrant character.
q direction of the President, the
following telegram was sent by the
D.-I-astar General to the bonds