The Washington bee., 1909-10-30
Dine Matt Henson
TWO HUNDRED HAIL HIM AS
PEARYS CO-DISCOVERER
- ~ A@AsJSO ' LlNA~N
OE IHE NORTI Dol L

OF THE NORTH POLE
WATCH PRESENTED TO HIM
Commander Peary Telegraphs Mes
sage of Congratulation from Eagle
Island, Me.
New York City, Oct. 2o.-Matt
Henson, the Negro who made the
trip to the north pole with Command
er Robert E. Peary, was the guest of
honor last night at dinner in Tuxedo
Hall, Fifty-ninth Street and Madi-
son avenue, given by colored people
of the city. More than 200 men and
women sat at the tables.
Charles w. Anderson, Collector of
Interna Revenue, as POSTMASTER. pre-
sented Henson with a gold watch
studded with diamonds, the Gift of
! his Negro admirers.
Whatever may be said in the con-
troversy as to which white man dis
covered the pole" said Anderson in
: presenting the watch, "there is not a
shadow of doubt as to which black
man got there"
In brief speech accepting the
watch Henson said that the colored
man had tried for years to show the
opposite race that he. is a man of
grit
'When l went to Greenland they
said l never would come back" said
Henson. They told me couldn't
stand the cold that no black man
could. l said I was willing to die
II necessary to show them. I sur
vived all right, and here | am"
This telegram, sent by Command
er Peary from Eagle Island, Me, was
read:
L congratulate you and your race
upoOn Matthew Henson. He has
driven home to the world your great
adaptability and the fibre of which
you are made He has added to the
moral stature of every intelligent
man among you.
His is the hard earned reward of
tried loyalty, persistence, and endur-
ance. He should be an everlasting
example to your young men that
these qualities will win whatever OBJ
Ject they are directed at.
He deserves every attention you
can show him. l regret that it is i'm
possible for ME to be present at your
dinner. My compliments to your as
sembled guests.
Booker T. Washington sent this
telegram from Tuskegee, Ala:
Am sending you my subscription
for the Benson dinner. Permit me
to congratulate you and your CO
workers upon the wisdom and gener-
osity manifested in providing the din
ner in honor of our distinguished and
deserving fellow-citizen who has by
his achievement lifted the race to
higher level. My congratulations to
the guest of the evening and to those
/ assembled.
| The dinner began at 8 o'clock
Among the toastmasters were James
A. Cobb, Assistant District Attor-
ney at Washington; ex-Judge Hiflen
| w. Gibbs of Arkansas, James Cur
tis, lawyer; Gilchrist Stewart, who
led the legal fight for the Negro sol
diers in the Brownsville riot; Bishop
Alexander Waters of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church, the Rev
DR.. VIII Brooks of St. Marks Afri-
can Methodist Episcopal Church,
Prof. w. S. Scarborough, president
of Wilberforce University; the Rev.
| Dr. Reverdy c. Ransom of Bethel
African Methodist Episcopal Church,
Frederick B. Watkins of the Liberty
National Bank staff, and DR.. Marcus
+. Wheatfeld, president of the Color
cd National Medical Association.
At the conclusion of the dinner
three rousing cheers were given for
Henson as "The black man who help
ed discover the pole"
THE DEF WOIU DIXIE tn CEE