The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1912-05-03
PYTHIANS
WIN POINT
NEGRO ORDER GRANT
ED WRIT OF ERROR.
U. S. Supreme Court
to the Rescue.
Practically Settles the Case-Much
Rejoicing in Volunteer States
Negroes Interested Throughout
the country-state Officials
Getting Busy-Booster
Campaign.

News has just been received by the
local Pythians that the United States
Supreme Court, sitting at Washing
ton, d. c., granted to the Negro
Pythians of Tennessee a Writ of Err
ror against the Supreme Court of
Tennessee. This intelligence was
was the contents of a telegram
received Saturday by DR.. ]. P. Craw-
ford, Grand Chancellor, from Supreme
Attorney S. A. T. Watkins. This
seems to be the beginning of the
end of a long legal fattle between
the white and Negro Pythians of Ten
nessee. The former sought to have
the colored fraternity disbanded. Suit
to this end was instituted in the
Chancery Court of Davidson County,
where Judge Allison decided adverse
ly to the Negro Pythians. The case
was appealed to the higher courts
and each in turn confirmed the opin-
ion of the lower court.
The Supreme tribunal of the state
gave the Negroes six months to wind
up their affairs. The Grand Lodge
officers, however, never gave up, but
fought with bull dog tenacity for
existence, and the result at Washing
ten Saturday, when the United States
Supreme Court granted Writ of Err
ror will be hailed with delight by
the vast army of Negro Knights
throughout Tennessee and the coun-
try, for in several Southern States
cases are pending between the white
and black Pythians.
When the decision of the Tennes-
see Courts was made known Supreme
Chancellor S. W. Green, Supreme At
torney S. A. 7. Watkins and Grand
Attorney B. F. Booth came to Nash
vile and held consultation with
DR.. j. p. Crawford and other Tennes~
see leaders concerning the case 1t
was decided to employ additional
counsel and to carry the suit to the
Supreme Court of the United States
The following eminent jurists were
retained: Alton B. Parker, of New
York; Pettigrew and Bell, of At
lanta; M. T. Bryan, of Nashville, to-
gether with the Supreme and Grand
Attorneys of the order.
nc OuINOlllC VI LllCll WOl N cI w d0u-
ington shows the wisdom of the selec-
tions of the council sitting in this
city shortly after the State Supreme
Court decisions.
The lodges all over the State stand
now exactly where they did before the
institution of the law suit Business
of the order can be transacted as of
yore. Already Grand Chancellor
Crawford is preparing for the Booster
Campaign that was so suddenly inter-
rupted by the decision of the State
Courts. Letters and kilograms are
being sent out to the deputies, in
which they are told to get busy"
1t has always been the intention of
the Negro Pythians of Tennessee to
make themselves a help to the COM
munity. They believe that to sue
cor the widow and orphans of de-
ceased members is laudable. They
believe that In teaching the truths
of friendship, charity and benevolence
they do no harm to any one. To
make men and women better is the
sum total of the Negro Pythian creed=
The Grand Chancellor will in a few
days send out an official circular tell
ing the lodges just what the granting
of the writ of error means.