The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1909-08-04

young husband to enter into re-
markable contest with adverse public
opinion.
The day following the spread of the
rumor that the woman was tainted"
the hotel proprietor demanded that
Uphoff declare as to the truth of the
report. Uphoff admitted the truth.
He was told to pay his bill and leave
the hotel. He declined to go. Pres
emily policeman appeared at the Up
hoff apartments with a warrant for
the arrest of the couple for alleged
violation of the Jim Grow" law. Up
hoff and his wife then left the hotel.
The complaint against them was
withdrawn later.
The bridegroom announced that he
would spend every dollar he pos
sessed and use every resource at his
command to force Muskogee to rec
ognize his bride.
He carried his case to the news
papers. They answered that the ra-
cial distinctions must be observed.
Defies Everybody.
With his back to the wall Uphoff
defed the newspapers. He appealed
to his friends. He insisted that his
bride was as good as the wife of any
white man in Muskogee; that she was
far more accomplished and physically
acceptable than most. Quite natural
ly, that was the worst attitude he
could have assumed. That the young
woman was educated and refined none
denied, but--well, there was the six
teenth.' The outward marks in
dubitably had missed the present gen.
Grafton. But the next?
Uphoff, deserted, doggedly refusing
to accept the thumbs down" of the
| public, continued the fight for his
wife's position. He announced his in
| tention of buying home in the fash
ionable east side residence section of
Muskogee. He began to spend his
money, as he had promised.
But there were no houses or lots
for sale in the least side.' The real
estate dealer went to office after Of
| flee of his former friends, and was
met with the same answer: mot in
the market
To Exhibit Wife.
UphOff took his bride to small
hotel, which accepted them. He APP
peared on the street with his bride
.
One day the couple boarded a street
car. Instinctively they knew it was
to be a test. So did the other pas
sengers. So did the conductor.
In Oklahoma, as in many southern
states, the street cars are divided into
two sections, one for whites and the
other for negroes. The division is in
Dictated by wooden sign that slides
on the ratings overhead The con-
ductor acted respectfully. but prompt
ly. He mOtioned the young couple to
the Jim Crow section. There was
one other alternative, and the couple
took it. They left the car.
Uphoff has not given up Here is
what he has said he will do-said it
in half-page newspaper advertise
ments: II will exhibit my wife to the
public. The public itself shall either
vindicate or condemn my selection. 1
will abide by the decision"
The advertisements have stirred
Muskogee. Exhibit his wife, Will the
authorities permit it?
"Why not?" asks Uphoff, in his
newspaper campaign. Why not?
Uphoff's unique plain, briefly, is
this:
To determine whether the public
is really sincere in it's condemnation
of his wife he will place her on the
platform of the big convention hall.
Each admission ticket entities the
bearer to one vote. The ballot is
as follows: Should he have married
negro?'
In an interview Uphoff promised to
make the ultimatum of the public via
the ballot box, final. He said he would
retire to the country if the vote was
against him.