Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-05-04

ANU VI Negroes hSted and they nave
privileges not accorded TO those
Negroes OF tue lower type.
He said
When I went out to Brownsville.
knowing of its bloody part in tHe
riot, l expected to find a typical
Negro slum. 1 looked for squalor
ignorance, vice. And I was surprised
TO find a large settlement of Negroes
practically every one of whom owned
his own home, some of the houses
being as attractive without and as
we'll furnished within as the ordinary
homes of middle-class white people
Near at hand, surrounded by beau
ttul grounds, were two Negro col
leges-Clark University and Gam
mon Theological Seminary. The post
office was kept by a Negro. Tnere
were several stores owned by Ne
groes
The schoOlhouse. though supplied
with teachers by the county, was
built wholly with money personally
contributed by the Negroes of tne
neighborhood. in order that there
might be adequate educational IA
ciliues for their children. They had
three churches and not a saloon.
The residents were all OF the indus
trious, property-owning sort, bear
ing the best reputation among white
people who knew them.
The above is a slowing testimon-
ial to the thrift and energy of this
child of the Southland"
He continued.
Think. then. of the situation in
Brownsville during the riot in At
lanta. All sorts OF exaggerated ru-
mors came from the city. The Ne
groes OF Atlanta were being slaugh-
tered Wholesale condition OF
panic fear developed. Many Of the
people Of the little town sought re-
fuge in Cannon Theological Semi
nary, where packed together, they
sat up all one night praying. Pres
ident Bowen did not have mis- clothes
OF for DAYS, expecting the mob ev-
cry moment. He telephoned for DO
lice protection on Sunday. but none
was provided. Terror also existed
among the families who remained in
Brownsville; most of the men were
armed, and they mad decided, should
the mob appear. 90 make a stand
in defense of their homes.
At last, on Monday evening, Just
az dark, a squad OF the county DO
lice, led by Officer Poole, marched
into the settlement at Brownsville.
Here, although there had been not
the slightest SIGN Of disturbance.
they began arrestinc Negroes for
being armed. Several armed white
citizens. who were not officers, Joined
them.
This is the usual southern meth
Cd. The white people have the tel
egraph and telephone lines and they
send out all kinds of reports. the
gist OF which is usually that a flock
of sheep are on the road to slaughter
a herd of lions.
He said.
Finally, looking up a little street
they saw dimly ia the next block a
/ group of Negro men. Part OF the
officers were left with the prisoners
and part went up the street. AS
they approached the group OF Ne
groes, the officers began firing: the
Negroes responded. officer Heard
was shot dead; another officer was
wounded, and several Negroes were
killed or injured.
| The police went back TO town with
| their prisoners. On the way two of
the Negroes in their charge were
shot. A white man Wife. who saw
| the outrage. being with child. drop-
ped dead OF fright.
The Negroes r(au Of this Is now q
matter of court recOrd) declare MAT
they were expecting the mob. tina,
the pohce-uot mounted as usual
not armed as usual. and accompan.
led by citzens-loOked TO them in
the darkness like a mob. In their
fright the firing began.
| The widest reports, of course. wer,
circulated. One sent broadcast wa,
JhaJ 900 students of Clark JJnivers
lty, all armed. had decoyed the DO
lice IN order TO shoot them down
As matter OF fact, the universit,
dld not open its fall session unit
october ., over a week later-anC
on THIS night there were Just tw,
students on the grounds.
This then is a leaf from real life
IL is a case in point and should con
vince the conservative white men o
the entire country as TO the handi
caps under which we now labor. il
our struggle upward.
The final chapter is soon told
Here It is:
The next morning the police an,
the troops appeared and arrested
very large proportion Of the NAL
inhabitants Of the town. Police OF
hcers, accompanied by white citizens
entered one Negro home, where la
man named Lewis, badly wounde
the night before. He was in bed
a they opened his shirt, placed thei
II revolvers at his breast, and in col
blood shot him through the body sc
eral times in the presence of hi
4 relatives. They left him for dead
b but ne has since recovered.
eI PRESIDENT Bowen, of Cannon The