The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1909-07-22

the Office OF the county jail greatly
excited, and asked the officers to
hurry down to the hall as someone
was going to be killed He said that
when he arrived at the hall he found
few disgruntled Negroes on the
outside. Everything was quiet in
side by the time he arrived. r. E.
Gee was pointed out to him by May
field as the man Who had drawn q
pistol. Gee was taken out Of the
hall and searched. They were UNI
able to find a pistol On his person.
AS he claimed he had not drawn a
pistol and there had been no trou-
BILE Sheriff Borum released him.
In order to protect the Pythians,
the good strong men who were striv-
ing to see that right should prevail,
and who were successful, it was
necessary to place the following in
! terview in the American the next
, morning to set the order straight,
in view of the conflicting statement
which Mr.. Mayfield had sent out.
Declaring in a very positive and
cauStic manner that the statements
of r. L. Mayfield were utterly false
and prompted by sinister motives,
I Horace D. Slater, the Negro news
paper correspondent who attended
the Negro Grand Lodge,-.Knights Of
Pythias, in a professional capacity,
replied to Mayfields interview in
yesterdays American. He claimed
that Mayield was not a Pythian,
having been suspended some time
ago by Damon Lodge. Nashville, to
which no formerly belonged.
SLATER claims that Mayfield was
acting as attorney for the men who
were opposing DR.. J. P. Crawford's
reelection and was seeking every
way to bring the Crawford contin-
gent into i'll repute. Rumors OF
charged of Observation-Disclosures and
misapbropriation Of funds were set
afioat early In the session, but were
given little attention by the admin
istration forces, according to Stat
ters statement. He reviewed brief
ly the whole affair. In part he
said:
This opposition to DR.. Crawford
found its expression in the candi-
dacy of J. II. HASTE, of Knoxville,
but to show that he at no time in
; dorsed the action of some OF his fol-
: lowers, he refused to take any part
| in the boiling convention and re-
, manned in the Grand Lodge until
its close, taking an active part In
/ the deliberations.
Some OF the HASTE men met in
a convention in Jackson in June
and issued circular attacking the
, administration, which at best is con-
trary to Pythian law and custom.
This opposition showed it's
strength on the first test vote on the
Grand Chancellor's report, which
went against them by vote Of 1872
to SO. Thereupon Mayfield's imag-
mary trouble began. Of course there
was excitement. Without waiting TO
ascertain any facts in the case, ru1
hoping to find some excuse Tor ole
actlon he later contemplated taking.
Mayheld ran to the Jail in search Of
help to prevent some one from get
ting killed by a revolver that did
not exist.
Sheriff Borum was right when
he made the statement that he fonnd
, few disgruntled Negroes on the
outside and all quiet within.
The Grand Lodge went off in
, Sood order at least in as good order
a8 most legislative. bodies Of large
: size DO. The men at the head of the
) order in this state are good, honest
responsible men,"
= NOW, personally, Mr.. Mayfield ant
g are very friendly so friendl,
e that his Office is my Nashville head
d quarters. But right is right. Th,
g special meeting which the gentleme,
d were to hold the following mornin,
n ala not hold out, and the Grand Mas
s. ter OF Etchequer, whom they though
: they had with them turned up tn
l. next morning at the Pythian TEN
W Pc safe and sound None Of tn
= real leaders Of the HASTE tactic
y ever held these idiotic notions. MI
d Has1e had perfect right to wis
E. to be Grand Chancellor. His TO
d lowers for the most part were hor
lie est in their desire for a change.
lie That 1T went no further than thu
ID is to be seen in the fact that sue
D. strong and prominent men as J. +
'd HASTE, himself Prof. J. w. Lam
Sc President Of Lane College, Jackson
t" John. W. Hayes, the funeral directc
OF Memphis; William II. Wells an
lie others when the election was over r,
20 .mained In the hall and continued I