Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-06
Crowd of CoIored Men and
Women Invade the Capital.
BROKEN BANK DEPOSITORS
Misled Into Belief the Government
Was to Repay Their Losses.
ALL SENT AWAY DISAPPOINTED
Mistake Due to Circulars Calling for
Meeting in Speaker
Clark's Ofice.

Grouped In Statuary Hall in the Capitol
this morning a great crowd Of colored
men and women met in the belief that
the losses incurred in the collapse of the
old Freedmen's Bank in the early seven
ties would be fully made up to them by
They had come in scores, bringing with
them old and musty bank books which
for forty years have been treasured in
the belief that some day there would be
an appropriation made, or some law en-
acted. whereby the full amount Of the
deposits would be made good. Many Of
these old depositors have been disappoint-
ed before in the same matter-and they
were disappointed today, and all through
misunderstanding.
Circulars were distributed throughout
the colored churches here last week
calling a meeting in Statuary Hall.
From there, the circular stated, the
meeting would adjourn to Speaker
Clark's Office This circular was read
in some Of the churches, but not in
all Of them. A minister of a colored
church in which the circular was not
read said this morning:
For twenty years or more there has
been continued effort to have the old
Freedmen's Bank claims paid. At one
time Recorder Of the Treasury Lyons
was interested in a method to pay these
claims. but for certain reasons he drop
ped the matter and he is not connected
with the disappointment of this morn
ing. I received circular on the sub
ject. but I did not read it to the con-
greEation, and would not allow the
church to have anything to do with it"
They Asked the Policeman.
However. tho impression spread abroad
among the old colored men and women
| who have had visions OF their nest eggs
returning to them that Speaker Clark
had arranged everything. Exactly what
the announcement in the churches wa'
could not be learned accurately today. but
time depositors was surely a strong one
They thronged into Statuary Hall and
talked necessarily about their windfalls
For an hour they continued happy in the
| illusion. and then some OF them sougn'
out Capitol policeman and asked him:
Where do we get our money!?
Now Capitol policemen are very IA
miliar with the frequent pension hunter.
the DISAPPOINTED claimant ana tue CIt1Ilh,
but the ingenious queries OF these old
negroes had different tone.
what money do you mean?" he asked
in reply.
Then one of the old depositors ex-
planned:
This is the day when We all are going
to get back the money We deposited in
the Freedmen's Bank. They said 1t would
be given out in the rOtunda-
OF course. they were doomed to d1sap-
pointment again.
Object Was to See Speaker.
The true purpose Of the circular. it was
explained later. was simply to call upon
Speaker Clark and urge further legisla-
ton for the relief Of the survivors Of the
thousands of colored persons who lost
their savings when the Freedmen's Bank
smashed, and a committee actually did
see the Speaker later in the day.
The bank, with branches at Baltimore.
New Orleans, Jacksonville and other south
ern cities. had over 10000 depositors when
a board of commissioners took over It's
affairs in July, 1874. The liabilities were
over its $2879OOO deposits. The bank
was in badly tangled condition. and
Congress provided for the handling OF all
it's funds by the Treasury Department
There has been a continuous appeal to
Congress- since then for the full payment
of the negro depositOrs. but none of the
claims has ever been paid by Congress.