Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-04-16
PRESIDENT WILL NOT TALK
RAILROAD BUT HISTORY,
NEGROES CLOSED
THE CAFE
BLACK LAWYERS INSISTED ON
EATING WITH WHITES IN
WASHINGTON.

A Washington dispatch To- the
Richmond News-Leader says:
'One OF Washington's exclusive
eating places is closed-that was
maintained for many years at tae
District Building by the Bar Assc-
citation of the District of Columbia
because of the Jim Crow sign that
went up there a day or two ago.
For many years the lawyers of
Washington have maintained their
own safe or clubroom i'm the basement
of the District Building. and It's
personnel included the leading bar
risters and judges from many of the
States in the Union practicing be-
fore the courts OF the District. The
cafe was popular rendezvous for
them during the half-hour recess tina,
the courts took at noon and during
tie long years of its existence has
teCome one OF the most favored pla-
ces in Washington by downtown law
yers
Now the cafe IS closed and there
is a possibility that T. may not he
reopened any time soon A few DAYS
ago a negro lawyer practicing in the
courts of the District went into the
cafe and, seating himself q one Of
the tables siongside several OF the
courts officials who had dropped in
for their midday meal, picked up one
OF the menu cards toJ began to make
out his order. The manager was
called and asked If It was customary
to allow negroes - lunch in the
cafe.
The manager was a woman from
one of the Southern States, and she
promptly notified the colored barris-
ter that his presence was not desired
and requested him forthwith TO re-
tire He did so, but Immediately
filed complaint with the marshall
of the District, who in turn notified
the cafe manager that unless she
allowed colored people to patronize
her place just the same as white peo-
pie he would have to order the room
closed as he could not allow any
discrimination to be racticed so long
as the cafe was i'm a Federal build-
ing In the district He was then in
formed that the cafe would be cloaad
II he so desired, but that as long as
she was its manager negroes would
rever be served by her; that she had
never permitted them to eat at its
tables before ana that It would. n )re-
over ruin her white patronage.
The marshall was obdura5e and
insisted that negroes would hayo TO
be served as white patrons. with no
distinction whatever so long as they
behaved themselves and paid the
manager, and forthwith the place was
closed. This proved a matte. NJ gucb
inconvenience to the judges ard 9TH
erS who were accustomed to going
to the cafe that truce has boon
patched up for the present pending a
settlement Of the matter
Meantime the manager Of the
safe and her patrons are trying to
figure out whether it IS wiser 10 ad-
NIT colored people to one section Of
the room, to be provided exclusively
Tor their own accommodation move
TO another building near the present
location not under Federal control
or allow the marshall to close tho
place. IT is insisted by some Of the
colored people who desire to he
served along with the white pafrons
IN the cafe that even If its location
IS changed they will follow # and
demand that they be treated exactly
like white people The settlement
OF the question will undoubtedly he
watched with keen interest.
The Washington Bar Association
mas never admitted negroes to ifs
membership. and the association has
on its rolls the names Of some of
the leading lawyers Of Virginia and
other Southern states pracHcinq
mere as well as those from other
sections. Even those from the North
and East have always profoetod
against the admission Of negroes into
the association. and the question Of
whether they shall be permitted TO
partake Of the privileges of the cafe
maintained by and solely for the
members of the Bar Association is an
interesting one I'm the District at this
time"
The future prospects of BIuenold