The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-06-28
DID NOT LET IN
PROPOSED SECOND
SEPARATE co.

Inc ieelinR among representative col
ored citizens Of Providence over the or
ders for an investigation OF the First
Separate company continues unabated.
Those who believe that this is but a
thinly veiled attempt to rid the state
national guard OF colored soldiers alto
gether rather than merely to bring the
existing company up to a certain stand
ard Of efficiency are pointing today to the
traction OF the state authorities a few
years ago, when there was an attempt
TO organize a second separate company
tn take the place Of the company which
was In existence some years earlier,
when the two companies constituted a
battalion and were a credit 20 the state as
well as TO the colored citizens OF the
state.
GOVERNOR FAVORED 1T.
This petition was filed with the present
adjutant general during Gov. Garvin's
second administration and nothing has
been heard OF II since. although the gov
ernor is understood to have been in favor
OF H.
William A. Heathman. ESQ. an attor-
ney. was asked today concerning the eff
fort made at that time to organize and
obtain recognition for another separate
company ana he SAID.
Yes. l was instrumental In organizing
such a company and waited upon Adju-
tant General Sackett In connection there
with. but got vefy little encouragement
indeed. In fact. the adjutant general
told me that there was considerable
doubt. even at that time regarding the
final disposition to be made OF the ex-
isting separate company. under the Dick
law. but we felt that we would like to
have another company for the inteven-
ing years. even Though ultimately II
panies.
THE PETITION.
THE petition l submitted as head of
a delegation Of representative colored
men. at that time read as follows:
To His Excellency Lucius F. c. Garvin,
Governor, Captain General and Com
mander-in-C OF the Militia OF the
state of Rhode Island:
Sir--We, the undersigned. citizens. and
all OF legal age. having formed an asso-
ciation known as the Jenkins Guards, OF
Providence. respectfully represent that 1t
is our desire to become part of the ac-
tive militia OF said state.
In conformity>with Chapter 296. section
So Of the General Laws We do hereby ex-
press our willingness to accept the pro-
visions of said chapter In toto. and do
hereby respectfully notify the adjutant
general of such acceptance, and ask that
we be attached to the line. r. /. NJ, as
the Second Separate company.
Respectfully submitted,
JENKINS GUARDS.
ROSTER.
Charles z. Matthews. Is Howell street;
Richard T. Clinton. $50 Loueslran place
Andrew Mills. 80 Stamper street; Howard
Cooper, 70 East Transit street: Edward
Gray, Houston street: Philip Howard. 80
Thayer street: John Mills, 36 Stamper
street: E. l.. Ballou, s5 Transit street
John II. Maddox, SO Benedict street: John
A. Nichols, Loughran place; William H.
Logan Waldo street. William III. Carter
2l0 Harrison street; Frank w. Greene. So
Pratt street; Clarence G. Clark, 35 Bates
street: Robert e. Johnson, 73 Summer
street: William A. Heathman. III Babcock
street: Clarence c. Thomas AIS Washing
ton street; Alvin Blidge, Y. NJ. C. A:
Jesse A. Jones. IA Stamper street: George
w. Kirby IS Wadsworth street; Edward
B. Hebrew, POI Meeting street: Evans
Brown, Al A street; Samuel Harris, Al A
street: Frank Davis. IL Rice street; Lewis
Foye 81 Plenty street; John Williams, Ia
LIvermore street; George Diggs. ~ Wade
street: George w. Mckenzie, Booth
street; Howard s. West. Z d street;
Charles l.. Clinton, 124 Summer street:
Boyd, 40 waldo street; Andrew Burgess.
le Winter street: Thomas A. Brown, 14O
Codding street: Louis W. Adams. 1856
Broad street: James A. Quinton, 127
Wadsworth street: Oscar Saunders, 127
wadsworth street: Alonzo Scott. BIZ
Friendship street: Edward Smith. 80 Van
Zandt street; Frank S. Bowen, Halton
street; Arthur Il. Williams. 20 Wheaton
street; Harry q. Scott, 372 Friendship
street: Christopher c. Spicer. 200 Meeting
street; Samuel Abrams, 215 Meeting
street; Michael Miles. 40s North Main
street: William Il. Holmes. 2S9 Williams
street: Thomas Clinton. 80 Loughran
place; James f. Gross. 40 Codding street;
Charles Cooper, 9 Hall street: Thomas
Coulbourn. 36 Benedict street; Joseph
Lee, Louehran place: Clarence II. Miller,
20 Hall street: James w. Small. AZ Lough-
ran place, sylvester Speaks, "a Stamper
street: George f. Jacklin. 81 Broad street;
Frank Scott, $50 Algonquin street; Charles
Taylor 124 Summer street; George w.
Beckett, l2s Gushing street; Benjamin j,
Moore. 30 Thayer street; Luby j. Spicer,
1886 Gushing street.
The company In question. the Jenkins
Guards. was organized July Is. 1903. and
contained many of the very best young
colored men in the city 1t effected a
permanent organization on July 80 1903.
with William A. Heathman as president,
and the petition was presented to the ad-
jutant general after we had hired hall,
drilled and become fairly proficient, we
thought, in the manua of arms. Our drill
meetings were continued up to Dec. !.
w. A. HEATHMAN SAYS:
1--WE organized under the state law
which permits and still permits two sepa-
rate companies. The present separate
company was known as the Fourth Bat
TALON Infantry. until 1887. when 1t became
the First Separate company
I'VE wish to retain the present COM
pany. There are far more colored people
in the city and state today than there
were when we had two fine companies.
and we are capable. certainly. OF main
tainIng one company, unless there is such
opposition on unworthy grounds that self
respect would forbid good citizens from
enlisting.
''If there are public officers who are
objecting 90 a colored company solely be-
cause II Is colored. and not principally
because Il is inefficient. they should be
investigated rather than the company.
Whatever the investigation may develop
as to tho present personnel Of the COM
pany. | know that sentiment amons the
colored people OF the city and state fa-