The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-09-15
He Does This Through the Rae e
Prejudice in South.
He Secured Jobs in Postoffit e
in Certain Localities.
Civil Commission Unearths a
Deep Laid Scheme.

Washington, Sept. lin its investi
CATION of the alleged intimidation o
William C. Carter, negro who declar
ed that because of his color he was no
permitted to assume the duties of
clerkship to which he had been appoint
ed i'll the postoffice at Greenwood. Miss
the civil service commission has uncov
cred another variety of governmental
graft"
The inspector who was detailed t,
investigate the case reports that Carte
made practice of getting himself Ger
titled to clerkships in localities wher,
he know the residents objected to ne
gro clerks, and that when the inevitabl
protest was raised he protested that h,
thought he was to be made letter car
rier.
This excuse he is said to have fol
lowed with disavowal of intention t.
thrust himself into the postoffice ant
an offer to withdraw, coupled with ex
preston of the hope that the peopl'
might see fit to reimburse him financial
ly for the expense he had undergone
through Misrepresentation.
He was usually successful in raisin,
from $50 to 500.
The scheme was uncovered after the
civil service commission received OF
July - last letter from Carter a.
Pine Bluff, Ark. 1t says in part:
l went to Greenwood on July 4. ]
went to the office, but on account o.
the hue of my skin / could not enter
| could not even demand my bond pa
pers. | left the office. After / had
gone one or two blocks | was met by
the mayor and chief of police, namely
Mr.. Wardaman and Mr.. Mcbride. They
took charge of me and carried me t.
McClurg's office, a place where a mum
Der of prominent citizens had assembl
ed for the purpose of counselling witt
me when captured.
They gave me seat near a desE
furnished with ink, pen and paper. Be
fore asking me to resign, or rather force
or insist, the mayor stated: Il would
have the young man to understand he
has no protection were he to 90 on ant
serve in any way without having the
good will of the citizens of this town
We have submitted to few things, but
there is one we are not going to submit
to-having negroes to serve as clerks
in the Greenwood postoffice."
The inspector who investigated Car
ter's complaint reported that the negro
was engaged as a teacher in the public
schools of Mississippi during the schoo
term and got on different eligible list.
at offices where he knew negro clerks
would be objected to by white patrons.
"He reached Greenwood" said the in
spector, "told his usual tale of havin;
come under a misapprehension, and b!
his plausible manner and desire not t.
thrust himself on the white patrons Of
the office, worked his graft successful
ly in the home town of the governor O
Mississippi. The sum obtained at Yazo'
City is said to be between $50 and $3.50
When the professor reached Green
wood the market had declined many
points. and a $40 contribution was al
he got at that place"
In many of the southern postoffice:
white women are employed. frequentl,
being members of the best families
There seems to exist no prejudic,
against negroes acting as letter carriers
In fact, they are welcomed in such posi-
tions. but the assignment of negro
postal clerk to work in the office be
side white women never fails to arous,
bitter protest and active opposition.
The civil service commission recent,
investigated the complaint of Martin J
Hornsby that he had been held up OF
the night of Feb while on his way t,
accept clerkship in the Yazoo Cit,
postoffice. w. L. Grey, negro CARRIE
in Yazoo City, alleged about the sam
time that discrimination was mad
against negroes in examinations hel,
for the Yazoo City postoffice. Investi
cation disclosed the fairness of the ex
amina tons.