davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Colorado statesman., 1907-08-03
Erect Monument for Negro.

Few men make such an impress
upon their day and generation that
at their death there is spontan-
eous movement to erect in their
honor an enduring memorial as a
mark of the esteem in which they
have been held by their fellow cit
liens. When such a monument
is erected it is considered a note
worthy event in the history of a
community. For a Negro to be
so honored is an event of such rare
occurrence that it is worthy of
more than passing mention, and
this is offered as an excuse for a
brief statement of the facts con-
cerning the erection of a monu-
ment to Joseph Levan by the peo-
pie of Sumter.
Joseph Levan was born a slave
in 1880, and was the property of
Mr.. Anthony White, Sr. of this
country. He was trained to be a
house servant, and by the time he
was grown he was a class
cook, barber, and handy man gen
orally. When the war broke out
and the first company was organ
lied in Sumter to go to Virginia,
Joe was hired from his master by
Lieut.. j. Diggs Wilder, who car
ried him to Virginia to serve him
in the dual capacity of body SER
want and cook. This company
took part in the battle of Bull
Run, and Capt. j. S. Richardson
was wounded. Joe was then COM
missioned to wait on him while he
was in the hospital. When Capt.
Richardson was able to return
home, Joe rejoined the company
at the front, and continued in the
service of Lieut.. Wilder for two
years, serving him and other men,
bers of the company with a devo-
The Colorado statesman., 1907-08-03
DENVER, COLORADO, SATURDAY AUGUST 8, 1907

After two years spent here, he
finally in desperation. got together
all the money he could, about
three hundred dollars in gold and
upon favorable opportunity pre-
senting, took passage on a West
India steamer as merchant from
Jamaica who had been to New Or
leans in search of bale of goods
which had gone astray.
His narrative of how he was
called from his cabin by the Cap
tain to be inspected by the Gus
toms Officer, how the three took a
social glass together and how the
officer wished that he might be
successful in finding his goods, as
he went over the side of the ship,
are intensely interesting and dra-
matte.
From Jamaica he took the first
steamer out for Liverpool where
he remained two years working as
a butler in airich family and then
sailed for Australia, where he was
joined later by his wife and little
boy. He became prosperous there
as teamster and sheepherder.
Two other children were born
in this voluntary exile and at
length after twenty years, the FAM
lily returned to the United States.
Mr.. Edmonston during the last
twenty years was employed as pri-
vate doorman at one of the large
hotels of Washington, where his
genial manners and kindly bearing,
have endeared him to the travelling
public and citizens generally
He was the last survivor of his
immediate family, his wife and
children having all preceded him
into the great beyond.
His old age was rendered COM
Portable through the thrift of earl
ier years; he was administered to
in his last illness by loving grand
children and devoted friends and
but few days ago, with the hope
of a blessed immortality, this hum
BILE though eventful life, was
brought to a peaceful close at the
age of S3.
JOHN III. PAINTER.
The Colorado statesman., 1907-08-03
Awful Mistake.

Because of the mistake of a
court clerk who wrote years" in
stead of months" Rhena Rivers,
Negro girl. served almost twenty
years in the Alabama penitentiary
when she died and her sentence
should only have been twelve
months.
The mistake of the clerk has
just been discovered, but too late
for the girl, who had almost CON-
pleted the twenty years, when ty-
phoid fever struck her down.
While i'll prison a child was born.
The girl was only twelve years
of age, and was sent up from a
sparsely settled part of the state.
There the courts at that time were
crudely administered. She was
arraigned for larceny and went
through the trial and was given a
sentence of less than two years.
In few days she was sent to the
mines and there she remained un-
The Colorado statesman., 1907-08-03

and L. l.. James. Denver was Sc
lected for the next place of meet
ing.
Appropriate memorial servives
were held at the A. M. E. church
Wednesday evening, the sermon
being delivered by Rev. w. H.
Prince.
Thursday an excursion from
Colorado Springs brought a large
crowd. The session adjourned at
noon to meet in extra session on
Friday. AT $3.50 Thursday after
noon the big street parade took
place with the following lineup:
Mounted police, Capt. Powell and
his Centennial Band of Colorado
Springs, Uniform Rank com.
panies, Cadets, Pueblo Band,
Subordinate members in twos,
Grand Lodge officers, Delegates
and Calanthes in carriages. The
procession disbanded at Crystal
Palace which is located in beau
tiful park. The installation of Off
GERS was held at the Palace at s
O'Clock, afterwhich dancing held
sway until a late hour. Harris
orchestra of Denver, furnished
music for the occasion and this
popular musical organization was
paid high compliments by every
body.
The Colorado statesman., 1907-08-03

til her death recalled who she was.
The white people for whom her
mother worked became interested
in the case, and it occurred to them
that the sentence was a long one
for so small crime, so they look
ed it up. They discovered that a
mistake had been made. but too
late to help the poor girl. How
ever, her mother, who is now old
and i'll and needs help, has had a
bill presented to the legislature to
have the state pay for the differ
ence in the time she served and
what she should have served.
The Colorado statesman., 1907-08-03

ton and zeal that won for him
their lifelong friendship. After
the war, Joe opened barber shop
in this town, which he conducted
continuously until his death, in
1905. He had a patronage that
rival shops could not win away
from him, and as long as "Joe the
Barber" was able to work, his was
the most popular place of the kind
in town, Notwithstanding the fact
that numerous better equipped
''tonsorial parlors" were establish
ed from time to time.
He never performed any single
spectacular service, but was simply
faithful, courteous, honest, and in
dustrious throughout his life. He
asked no favors from any man,
and was content to earn an honest
living at his trade. In manner he
was polite and respectful, without
trace of severity; reserved and
dignified in department, and his
word was better than many
white mans bond.
When he died there was general
regret in this cummunity, and his
funeral was attended by hundreds
of his white friends. The sugges-
ton, made in a local paper, that
a popular subscription be started
for the purpose of erecting SIM
pie monument to mark his grave
met with immediate response, and
in short time sufficient sum
was in the hands of Mr.. j. Diggs
Wilder, adjutant of Camp Dick
Anderson, U. @. ", of which Joe
was an honorary member, to pay
for the monument.-Charleston
News and Courier.
The Colorado statesman., 1907-08-03
K. P.Grand Lodge
Held Interesting Session In Pueblo.
Everybody Jubilent Over the
Marked Progress Shown
<,, In all Lines.

The annual session of the Colo
RADIO Grand Lodge Knights of
Pythias convened in Pueblo, Colo,
Tuesday, July 23rd for a three
days session. Grand Chancellor
W. R. Hardy called the meeting to
order at 10 a. m. and after the
opening ceremonies the various
committees were appointed after
which the session adjourned until
2o'clock. After the opening of
the afternoon session the Heroldic
degree was conferred on several
candidates. This was followed by
the report of the Grand Chancellor,
Grand Master of Exchequer, Grand
Keeper of Records and Seal and
Grand Lecturer each of which
revealed much advancement in all
lines.
During the afternoon telegram
was received from Supreme Chan
cellor S. W. Starks was read in
which he said: "One hundred
thousand Brave Knights join me
in extending greetings to the Colo
RADIO Grand Lodge and wish you a
successful session"
In the evening an interesting
program was rendered at the Bap-
tist church and among the num-
bers was the welcome address by
acting Mayor, John A. Martin
and was responded to in behalf of
of the citizens by Sir. @. S. Muse
of Denver. DR.. j. H. P. West
brook Of Denver, was then intro
duced and responded in behalf of
the knights of Pythias. The DR..
was quite eloquent and logical in
his discourse as was also Sir. Muse
and both were vigorously applaud
ed aud warmly congratulated.
Wednesday proved to be very
lively session and besides the
transaction of much business the
following officers were selected for
the ensuing term: w. R. Hardy,
G. c.; II. G.. Fox, G. V. c.; Harry
Jones, G. P; l.. l.. Duncan, G. M.
of E; D. M. Tannahill, G. X. of
R. e. s.; W. Benjamin, G.. M. at
A.; w. FL. Penson, G. I. G.; p. A.
Watson, Il. o. g.; DR.. S A. Huff,
Grand Medical Director; Benjamin
Hatcher, Grand Marshal. Su-
preme Representatives, 9. S. Muse
The Colorado statesman., 1907-08-03
WashingtonD.C.
Passing of Samuel Paul Edmonston Survivor of
Noted Episode of the Old Slave Days An Uncle
Toms Cabin Topic

taught to work and as each arrived
at the age of twelve, their time
was hired to one of the well-to do
families of the district.
Samuel was about twenty-five
when a scheme originating with
two Englishmen, Sayres and
and Drayton, the object Of which
was to carry the slaves of the Dis
trict away to freedom, was unfold
ed to him.
He subscribed with all his ener-
gy to the undertaking and when
the fatal night arrived, there were
seventy-seven fugitives, six of
whom were his brothers and
sisters, aboard the little steamer
Pearl bound for Philadelphia.
The incidents of this trip are in
its details both tragic and pathetic.
The hope and trustfulness born
of a strong religious faith, that
this was the especial means pro-
vided by Heaven to encompass
their freedom-the terrible disap-
pointment and shock upon being
captured and returned to Washing
ton-the astounding news of their
betrayal by Judson Diggs, Judas
of their own race-their varied ex-
periences at the hands of slave
traders-the voyage to New Or
leans where Samuel was sold, all
seem rather part of some we'll
conceived tale of romance, rather
than the true heart story of per-
sons, many of whom have been
known to us, day by day, through
many years.
At New Orleans, Samuel discov-
cred his eldest brother Hamilton,
who run away years before and was
then prosperous cooper in that
city.
The other children were return.
ed North and were confined for
several weeks in the slave pens at
Alexandria, Va. The two girls
Emily and Mary were finally per-
mitted to go to New York with
their father Paul, upon the assur-
ance of substantial white citizens,
that the money for their purchase
would be forth coming.
In this connection, Mrs. Harriet
Beecher Stowe tells in an interest
ing way, in her Key to Uncle Toms
Cabin, of how on the pulpit of the
Tabernacle, Mr.. Beecher conduct
ed an Auction, which resulted in
the purchace of their freedom.
Samuel still determined to Sc.
cure his freedom, bided his time
at New Orleans and while awaiting
a favorable time to get away, made
the acquaintance of maid in the
home of friend of his master, to
whom he was in a short while
married.
The Colorado statesman., 1907-08-03
Special to COLORADO STATESMAN.

Special to COLORADO STATESMAN.
The most optimistic of us often
despair of this race of ours, yet if
we properly readthe lessons taught
by hundreds and thousands of
lives that have been lived by Ne
gro men and women at all stages
of our racial progress in America,
there would be found abundant
cause for increasing hopefulness.
The life to which reference is
about to be made differs only in
degree and breath of experience,
to that of many a poor soul in
whom the spark of manhood but
feebly burned under the old slave
system, but which the slightest
zephyr of tolerance, encourage
ment or opportunity might have
famed into roaring fame, mex
tinguishable and uncomfortable.
Out of such crude, raw and
seemingly impossible material
there has been developed a devout
and christian race. Out of this
too there has come long list of
heroes and martyrs, whose uncom-
planning suffering and lifelong
sacrifice of the most tender and
sacred of our human emotions may
one day furnish the theme for a
great American Epic, to some
poetic genius of the Negro race.
These grand old people, these
noble fathers and mothers, to
whom we all owe SO much of love
and duty, who have given freely
of the very best service of which
their minds and bodies were cap
able, both to their masters and to
their posterity, are fast disappear
ing from our midst forever.
The fruits of their lives must
however, remain with us, to COM
fort and cheer, to stimulate and
encourage, to admonish and re-
strain.
So it is that the life of Samuel
Paul Edmonstou and others of his
class, when they shall have been
written, must prove of incalcul-
able interest as lesson and in
spiration to Negroes everywhere
and in every walk of life.
Samuel Edmonston was per-
haps the last survivor of num-
Der of persons who had part in
one of TIE most dramatic incidents
of the old slave period. He was
one of fourteen children born to
Panl and Amelia usually called
"Millie" Edmonston. The father
was strong, thrifty and ambitious
even as the mother was earnest
and devoted in all the duties
which revolve around the domes-
tic hearth.
The boys and girls were early
The Colorado statesman., 1907-08-03
RACE NEWS
0afh.-sd from Various SOURCES.

James Jones, colored, who was
a body guard of Jefferson Davis
and who has the Confederate seal
that was entrusted to him by Pres
ident Davis just before the evacua-
ton Of Richmond, Yves offered
$4,000 to produce the seal, by
men representing leading confed-
crates. He replied that no amount
of money could tempt him to be-
tray the trust imposed by Jefferson
Davis and that the secret would be
buried with him.
Lake Butler, Fla, July 22.-Be-
cause the hanging of Negro in
the line of his official duty preyed
ON his nerves Sheriff Joseph B.
Bennett of Stark county, blew out
his brains today at his home here
in the presence of his wife. About
two weeks ago the sheriff adjusted
the moose and sprang the death
trap for a Negro who had been
convicted of murder. Although a
brave man Sheriff Bennett could
never bear the sight of suffering,
and he could never rid himself of
the memory of the Negro dangling
and choking at tho ropes end, He
got SO he could not sleep, and told
friends he would never again have
peace Of mind. This morning af-
ter a sleepless night. he rose, se-
cured his pistol and shot himself,
while his wife was still in bed.
Mrs. Bennett awoke just as her
husbands body fell across the bed.
The Tupelo journal., 1907-04-12
ROAD TO SUCCESS
PUBLICITY IS THE MAlL-ORDER
MANS GREAT WEAPON.
MERCHANTS MUST ADVERTISE
Eight Fire with Fire" and the DOL
lars Now Going CityWard viii
Stay in the Home Community.

The merchant who would wage sue
cessful warfare against mailorder
competition should study mail-order
methods. The same tactics that takes
the dollar out of the community will
keep it at home.
And what are mail-order methods?
The keynote of it all may be found
in the one word-publicity. The mail
order house advertises. 1t does not
advertise better goods at less money
than the home merchant gives, but it
advertises persistently. 1t puts it's
proposition before the public constant
ly. 1t recognizes no dull season in it's
campaign for publicity. 1t never let's
up.
At a gathering in Iowa some time
ago a mail-order man explained some
of the system followed in the cam
paign of publicity. According to this
explanation the mail-order house seeks
the line of least resistance in it's
search for business. Whenever they
can find a town in which the mer-
| chants are not active advertisers they
flood that community with their liter
ature. When they find a town in
which the furniture dealer, for exam
pie, is afraid to use printers ink they
pay particular attention to the subject
of furniture. They are searching for
| the weakest link in the chain of home
Gefenses.
Something of this is explained by
the conditions the writer saw in a
mill town in northern Wisconsin. The
local paper carried practically no local
advertising when the size of the town
was considered, and the stores of the
town were but small affairs. In talk
ing to one of the merchants he COM
| planned that more than $4,000 was
The Tupelo journal., 1907-04-12

not. They select towns, or special
lines where they do not have TO meet
the competition that is offered by To-
cal advertising, and they make adyer
Using pay.
We want the people to trade at
home; we want them to build up the
home community; we want to see the
dollars kept in circulation here that
n and all of the local people may
prosper. We do not want to see the
fortunes of the city mail-oTder man
built at the expense of the local COM
munity, but we know absolutely the
value of publicity, and we know the
m%ail-order houses will capture The dol
lars If the local merchants will not
fight fire with fire; will not show the
public what they can buy and at what
price.
Let us go back to this northern
Wisconsin town and see what oppor-
tunities the merchants there were sac
riicing. 1t was a mill town, and in
no way an agricultural community.
There were not 20 farms within a ra-
dius of as many miles. The industry
was lumber, and the money to run the
mills came from the city. The nearly
1000 employees were paid in city
money, and with a little effort on the
part of the merchants in that town
this money might have been kept in
the town. It might have been made
to build a permanent prosperity. But
no, the merchants left a wide field for
the mail-order houses which they i'm
proved, and the money that might
have built a town that would have
stood after the lumber interests are
gone and the mills are closed has been
allowed to return to the city frcm
which it came, and now every lofty
pine that falls but drives another nail
in the coffin of the town, and all he
cause the merchants did not believe it
would pay to advertise.
WRIGHT A.. PATTERSON.
The Tupelo journal., 1907-04-12

sent from that community to the Chi
cago mail-order houses each month.
THAT is easily twice the amount thai
is spent in all the stores in this town
pot together each month";" he explain
ed. Merchandising don't pay in such
a place as this"
A few hours later the writer was
talking with the publisher of the local
paper, and the conversation turned to
local advertising, or rather the lack
of it.
II was very much tempted to accept
a proposition which l received from
one of the Chicago mail-order houses
a few days ago." said the publisher.
II still have the proposition here on
nv desk. They offer me a cash con-
tract at my regular display rates for
]. 500 inches, to be used during the
year, and in addition to the cash ad-
vertising they offer me a small COM
mission on all the new business Sc
cured in this county during the life
| of the contract. They say their bust
ness in this county during the last IL
months was approximately $4,000 per
month, and I would secure a small
percentage on all business done over
this amount during the next IL
months" IS
Have you shown that proposition
to the merchants of this town?" I
asked.
81 have, and it didn't move them,"
he replied. 'They simply say it don't
pay to advertise. / would jump at
the offer if it were not for the fact
that I cannot bring myself to the point
of doing that which l know will help
to kill this community" =.
There was an illustration of mail
order methods. The wide-awake mail
order man proposed to reap a golden
harvest from the field the very-much-
asleep local merchant would not Gull
tivate.
Does it pay to advertise?
The more than 5000, 000, 900 that finds
its way to the Chicago mail-order
houses each year is garnered by a
campaign of advertising. You, Mr..
Local Merchant, claim, and rightly,
that you can sell the same goods for
the same, or less money, than the
mail-order houses offer, but at the
same time you complain because the
mail-order man gets the business.
Why do they get it? Because they
advertise.
They not only advertise, but they
advertise in your field, and they ad-
vertise in your field because you do
The Tupelo journal., 1907-04-12
MISSISSIPPI NEWS
State Bonds Unsold.

State Treasurer Miller still has for
sale $3.50, 900 worth Of the half million
dollar State bond issue offered on the
market on January l, and which failed
to find a purchaser. The tightness OF
the money market has prevented the
sale of the remainder of the issue, it is
said. However the State Is meeting
all of it's obligations, and Treasurer
Miller believes that it will continue o
do SO during the summer period. The
critical test, it is said, will come on the
June distribution OF the common school
fund, amounting to 1896, $685. 6, but
during the month of May privilege tax
collections estimated at from S45O,OOO
to $500, 900 will be received at the State
treasury.
The Tupelo journal., 1907-04-12
Institutes.

Prof. E. r. Lloyd, of the Mississippi
agricultural experiment station, who
has direct charge of the farmers inSti-
tute work, requests that all communi-
ties desiring institutes held during the
summer to notify him at once in order
that the itinerary may be arranged.
The faculty members at the A. and M.
college will take the field during the
early part of July and devote about go
days to the institute sessions, visiting
every community where the farmers de-
sire instruction on practical forms of
agriculture. Last year more than 200
institutes were held.
The Tupelo journal., 1907-04-12
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
H STORY.

EPHTHAH "a o than pleased
~ with the way in which he had
been received by the people upon his
return from the land of Tob. 1t was
only too evident that they trusted him
implicitly and expected him to lead
them to victory against the Ammon.
ties who had for years SC sorely op-
pressed them. When the population
from Gilead had first come to him i'm
entire sincerity, in spite of the posi-
tive assurances given him that they
would Loyalty support him in all that
he did. But as he had gone through.
out the country of Gilead and Man,
asseh meeting with the most enthusi-
astic welcome, his spirits had risen
and his confidence grown, until now
as he waited at Mizpeh, the place ap.
pointed for the assembling of the
army, there came over him an citation
of spirits hat made success seem
more than ever certain.
1t was during these enthusiastic
DAYS of preparation for the coming
conflict that an Ammonite spy was
brought into camp. He had been cap.
tured while ~endeavoring to get infor.
Jephthah was raising, and was imme-
diately brought before the latter, who
questioned him searchingly. 1t was
learned that the Ammonites had
raised a great army and were eagerly
preparing to enter Gilead.
For days." boosted the captured
SPY, 1.-The people have been making vo-
tive offerings to the gods of the Am.
monites to win their favor in the com.
ing conflict, and it was only yesterday
that the captain Of the host of the
Ammonites sealed his vows with the
offering up of one of his sons to our
chief god Chemosh. 1t was Chemosh
who gave us this land and it is Che.
mosh who will give it to us again."
Tae fervor and holiness of the spy
as he spoke these words made a deep
impression upon the men standing
with Jephthah, and the unspoken
question which arose in each heart
was, lis Chemosh, the god of the Am.
monites, greater than the God of the
Hebrews?" Jephthah noted the look
and hastily stepping out before his
men, he calculated, enthusiastically:
"Yea, was the god Chemosh able to
restrain the God of the Hebrews when
He would give us the land, and will
he now, think you, be able to take ii
again? If so, then let him possess it
But let us not forget that our God
will be with u.s."
.Jephthah paused to note the effect
of his speech upon his men, and en-
couraged by the look of confidence
upon their faces, he continued with in
creasing fervor, lifting his eyes to
hea7en as he spoke: