The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-22
WILL NOT ALLOW
SALE TO NEGROES
Quaker Congregation Pledged
Not to Ratify Transaction if
It Ever Occurs.
EXCITEMENT IS ALLAYEO
President Kicks Explains the
Situation III Manner Satisfac-
tory TO Everybody.
EXCITEMENT IS ALLAYED
President Kicks Explains the

In a formal and unmistnkAbly clear
statement issued yesterday Mr.. Il. A.
Kicks, president Of the congregation
owning and occupying the Friends.
Meeting House, on Clay Street, declares
positively that the church, under no
circumstances will be allowed to pass
into the hands Of negroes, as long as
objection is raised by white residents
in the neighborhood. Mr.. Kicks explains
the situatton in manner that win
existed, and make 1t plain to property
owners, including those who enrolled
themselves IN the recently organized
protective league, that the danger APP
exist, The president Of the congre ga ton
says: -"
! beg your Indulgence to say. that In
yesterdays issue your report of n meet
lnS held IN regard to the sale OF Friends
Meeting House, on Clay Street, requires
statement of facts by me.
colored man some weeks since
ENDURED OF me the price Of this prop
crty and tho terms. l told him we held
the property at $4,000; that the terms,
SURPRISE, We're cash, but I was not
were to be made. He made no orrer,
Tor has any other negro or negro con-
Eregatioh approached me or any member
OF our church on the subject.
Tho above incident having gotten into
circulation committee from the Meth
odist and st. Marks churches called on
us at our church meeting last week to
know II we proposed selling the prop
erty to negroes.
The meeting In executive session. as
Is our custom. decided we would not
under present conditions (mcaning while
the negroes We're not on Clay StreeD,
sell the property to negroes.
THE meeting appointed committee
and authorized It in Its discretion to
OF Ito Ia MI
action OF the meeting was reported to
the committee OF tho two churches which
was in waiting. The committee object
ed. In that it provided for a public sale
think can make 1t appear their fears
OF n public sale were groundless
"The action OF the meeting in regard
TO selling to negroes applied to q public
sale II ono should be had, as well as to
a prlPate sale. SO we'll was this UNDER
stood by the meeting as to public sale
there was no objection to the authority
given to committee, although several
members owned property in the vicinity
of this church on Clay and Marshall
Streets, and were individually Interested.
They also knew that no sale could be
made without being approved by the
congregation.
This fact was CORRECTLY, reported in
an interview your reporteY had with me,
which appeared In an Issue OF your
paper on tn 18th instant.
'"The negro in q sale was complete
y ellmin ,H and should he chance to
the congregation Is pledged to decline to
rutlfy the sale.
"These facts known to tho public
think warrants me in saying that the
charge that we are using the negro as u
scarecrowd or lever 70 force the price OF
the property UP Is IN unwarranted re-
Election upon tho Integrity OF our mem
bera
'ln regard to the .eague that has
been formed, except tho mlscOnceptiOn
Of facts which gave II BIRTH 1t seems
to he n step, with proper limitations,
In tho right direction,