The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-07-26
USE a.AlL.
A Fraud Order Issued Against a
Philadelphia Negro.
TO RAISE MILLIONS

by a Scheme Which the P~ostonice
Lawyers Claim is ~ B.se Fraud,
The Negro Claimed 10 Have Been
Delegated by God to Uplift the Ne
gro Race, but Failed to Convince
Uncle Sam.
Justus j. Evans, the PHILADELPHIA
negro groceryman. who is individu-
ally Archbishop of the Glorious
Light of the World Union," and COL
lectively "The Holy union ROYAL
Trust Company" was declared a
fraud Thursday by Postmaster Gen
eral Meyer, md denied future use of
the mails.
Evans is said to be operating a gi-
gantic scheme to raise money, and.
according to the postof1ice inspectors
who investigated the "bishop," it is
not known how many thousands of
dollars he has secured from the con-
iding negroes.
The aim of the Bishop" who pro-
claims that he is the chosen man of
God to save the negroes, is to enlist
an army of 700, 900 negroes, and from
them collect in five yearly payments
the sum of SOS each. The revenue
derived, which will equal $45, $780,
600, he is to spend as he sees fit, &C
cording to his announcement.
The protest to the postofhce de-
partment made by the "bishop"
against the issuance of a fraud order
is characteristic of the negro with a
smattering of Biblical lore. 1t is a re-
markable protest, and it is a certain
ty that the prophet, while he claims
to have been given knowledge and
power above all men of the earth,
was overlooked when the English
language was handed around.
The %fanaticism with which the
bishop" attempts to surround him
self is blasted by the cold-blooded
way the law officers Of the postonice
department have handled his case:
"a negro by the name of Justus
j. Evans, without standing or repu.
tation, who conducts a small grocery
shop" the decision reads, 'is engag-
ed in sending through the mails
printed literature soliciting members
Of the negro rae to deposit theil
savings at the rate of Is cents 4 week
or 81 a month with q trust company
styled the Holy United Royal Trust
company.
ct is provided that, as evidence OF
their savings deposited, they will be
furnished with certain s~o-callc(
bond in the amount of the deposit
and it also pretended that interest a
the rate of per cent. per annun
will be paid on such deposits.
Evans represents that the fund.
will be devoted to the uplifting O.
the negro race" continues the de
cision. There is no such institution
Or trust company. His pretence a,
to religious work seems to be but
guise for obtaining money in a fraud
ulent scheme.
Evans, when asked to what lis,
; ne was putting the money he collect
e6 enc "Hscct .ccurlty ne gavv AA1r it
, proper handling, answered that h,
, was responsible to no one but God
, This answer would be strongly indi
cativc of the unbalanced mind if it;
, assumption Of fcfvof were not
! cloak for cunning scheme to de
fraud the negro race" concludes tn,
departments order.
In answering the charge, tho
"bishop" did not appear in person
, before the department. His rejoind
CT begins with the announcement
which he claims is indisputable, tina
0 every man is his own Judge, no mat
2 ter what he does, no one has a RICH
t to say it is not an honest action.
He declares that God appeared t,
him out of a burning bush in tn
same way as he apneared to Moses
took him South and showed him tn,
, negro and said to him:
, 81 have delivered these people from
bondage at a cost of Sc, 900, 00O, 90,
and the lives of 1000, 900 men, AM
: now You see they are cowed down b,
5 other n~ationnlities 3f tiiis country.
Evans says he was commanded t,
raise them up, He says he complain
ed of his weakness, but that he wa
found to be fit and had been promis
ed that he would be saved if he die
his work, even if the whole worl(
5 gets lost.
The "hishop" told Of gathering hi
army. Of The ncgrUcs he says tina
some wisely accepted his offer to ge
in the band wagon Of salvation; Will,
there were others Of the negro lead
ers who refused to this, and who ar,
now running 70 the willie people an(
+ proclaiming that he is an imposter
mo honest man believes me {
fraud" he declared.
Evidently u Tic HrinioR thnt
through such declaration, he would
have weight with the postoilice au
thoritics, he told of having writer
to President Roosevelt just previou.
to the last presidential campaign
telling hJW he would make the ne
grocs vote for him and saying tina
ne would expect a contribution t.
his cause when the election was over
lie failed however, to say whether O,
not the president sent the contribu
ton.
He concludes with this: "You per
NIT ne to ask you gentlemen what
am II"
The order prohibiting the use O
the mails TO the "bisliuu'' WAS isstict
immediately after the reading of hi,
answer had been accomplished.
PLlNGitD IO DiqATti.
..~.--A---l.