The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-23
NEGRO GIRL COED.
She Led Chicago University
Sorority Three Years.
All Her Chums Thought She
Was White.
BREAKS UP SOCIETY.
Found That She Is Sister of
REAKS UP SOCIETY.
Found That She Is Sister of
"MushmOnth" Johnson.
Recognized as One of Most Ac-
cOmplished Girls in School.

chicago, July C1SSY Johnson,
sister of "Mushmouth" Johnson. the
most notorious negro gambler in
America, queened it over University of
Chicago for three years, according
to a discovery just made by the goods.
She scattered smiling largess to the
admiring women students and dane
ing men of the Midway school be-
cause her race was masked with a
peaches and cream complexion
How she did 1t all will remain a mys-
terry tale for future students to Won
der at How she ruled as a sorority
head and a favorite at the Greek let
ter functions behind her dual identity
until her brunette beauty was brand
ed as that of a negresS will be a closed
chapter for her former club sisters.
Cecilia Johnson has fallen from her
high estate. Her sorority has been
disbanded and her friends have faded
away. for the university students
know now of the struggle she made
against her inheritance, aided by
fair face and social ambitions. Only
her former chums knew her secret
when the society was disrupted and
none of her social rivals suspected the
cause of her disappearance from the
campus frolics until yesterday, when
the subject was preached at a student
gathering.
Jewels Cause Wonder.
The negro gamblers ambition to
make a fine LADY, of his little sister
is really the cause of the discovery,
for her friends became curious over
her many jewels and her luxurious
clothes. Suspicion was aroused and
Investigations started. Then one of
her sorority sisters who visited her
home CHANGED upon a collection of
negro photographs and the unmask-
ing followed.
Miss Johnson was one of the popu-
lar graduates of Englewood high
school in 1902. During her sophomore
year at the university she was elected
president of Englewood House, one of
the girls clubs at the Midway. Among
the intimate friends who honored her
in this victory were Miss Eva Jessup,
Miss May ingalls,. the Misses Helena
and Mary Bassett, Miss Beulah
Church, Miss Nell Wakeley, the Misses
Edith and Bess Markley and Miss
Edwina DoIand.
'Cissy' was the chief attraction at
the Englewood club informals. She
also was clinching a great popularity
with the professors for her class work
and was granted a scholarship for ex-
cellence in history and honorable men
ton for all her senior studies. She
was one of the honor graduates when
she took her bachelor degree last year
and one of the most successful mem
bers of the graduate school when she
pursued higher studies at the univer-
sity.
Proficient as Musician.
Miss Johnson is a highly accom-
plished pianist and. received prize
for instrumental proficiency from a
Chicago musical school when she grad
uated there last June.
1t was just before her graduation
day that Miss Johnson's friends be-
came suspicious because of their tgnor-
ance of her family. When they called
at ner home, $3.50 Wabash avenue,
where she lives With her mother, Mrs.
Ellen Johnson and her brother,
"Mushmouth," they saw no one but
"Cissy' and the servants. and wonder
ed at the rich furnishings OF the
house. 1t was declared that some
thing was wrong and Englewood
House held meeting.
Three-fourths of the members
withdrew and organized the P1 Delta
Phi sorority. Miss Johnson was not
invited to join, and number of other
co-eds stayed out with her. Engle-
wood house, however, existed only
until last month, when the
faithful co-eds discovered, through
the announcement of "Mushmouth's"
home address in a newspaper that
s'Cissy" was the negro gamblers sis
ter.
Spurned by Sorority.
In the Cap and Gown, the students
1908, the date of the founding of Miss
Johnson's club, as its first birthday.
The members, however, refuse to
recognize their former sister as an
alumna of the organization.
Mrs A Edward Halstead is an
honorary member OF the sorority and
the active members include Miss Nell
Wakeley, Miss Eva Jessup, Miss Hell
en- Thompson, Miss Myra Nugent, |
Miss Audra Ingham, Miss Belle Babb, ]
Miss Lillian league and Miss Margar-
ct Hunt.
"Cecena was always a mystery. |
even when she was most popular" de- |
clared one of the sorority girls yes
-erday. "She is one of the most ac-
girls 1 know, a fine must |
elan and a fine character in every |
way. We can not understand her de- |
,eft. for she seemed to be so truth |
full. OF course, it was impossible to |
recognize her in the society after we
had discovered that she was a neg
ress. The Johnson home is magnifi- |
Gently furnished. and it is easy to see
why the girl wished to be thought |
white.
Queer, They Thought.
1--WE made rigid Investigations and |
that she was 'Mushmouth' |
Johnson's sister beyond a doubt only
While this was not known |
% US a year ago, some of the girls felt |
he family and why we never saw her
mother or brother when we visited |
1er
zone of her cousins is a graduate |
ianC7ETTENe . Do you want