Franklin's paper the statesman., 1912-02-17
CONVICTION IN
THEATER CASE
Heavy Blow Against Discrimi.
nation on Account Of Color,
CIVIL RIGHTS Law ENFORCED,

Vigilance Committee Of National Asso-
citation Secures the Conviction of a
New York Theater Official For Viola
ton of tho Law-Vietory For the
Whole Race.
New York-The New York vigilance
committee, an organization composed
of representative white and colored cit
izens of New York city and of which
Mr.. Gilchrist Stewart is chairman and
Professor ]. e. Spingarn is secretary
and treasurer, recently secured the
first conviction ever had in New York
state for violation Of the civil rights
bill.
The New York vigilance committee
was organized for active prosecution
of all infringements Of the legal rights
of the colored man and has permanent
headquarters Ht 26S1a West One Hun
drew and Thirty-ffth street 1t was
necessary to have an organized protest
against racial discrimination in order
to combat the increasing number of
outrages against colored men and wom-
en- and to make effective the laws of
the state which guarantee them equal
rights.
This organization has tackled the
problem of police discrimination against
prisoners and their unjust arrest on
trivial offenses, their maltreatment Of
ten on their way to the station, and
has. through the cooperation of Police
Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo. Sc
cured equal protection and justice to
colored prisoners as is given to all 9th
ers. No longer is colored prisoner or
citizen misused by policeman in the
city of New York. Next it took up the
question of certain localities where
gangs were in the habit of insulting
colored people when in their locality.
These gangs were dispersed.
Now it is vigorously attacking the
custom of discrimination in public
places-restaurants. theaters. hotels
and cafes. 1t has brought q number of
successful suits against these places to
enforce the civil rights law. A custom
had been growing in New York city to
refuse colored people seats in the or
chestra of the theaters In a test case
which was brought by the committee
Harry A. Levy. assistant treasurer of
the Lyric theater. was convicted of
misdemeanor for excluding colored
man and young lady from the orches-
ira seats of his theater.
He offered TO exchange the seats for
two in the balcony. but this was re
fused. After a hard drawn out legal
fight. conducted by Hon. Charles S
.r;n
Mr.. James A. Smith. as assistant. who
had immediate charge of the case. and
Attorney Charles H. Studin. one of
the advisory legal counsel of the COM
mittee. this first conviction crimi-
nally under the statute of New York
city had startling effect upon preiu-
diced conditions. All of the daily pa
pers of New York gave it wide promi-
nence The committee is fulfilling its
purposes Of coping with the constant
increase of discrimination and vio-
ience against colored men and women
in this city.
The discrimination has manifested
itself in numerous ways in all places
of public accommodation and even in
the administration Of justice, and it is
of the highest Importance that an or
ganized effort be made to maintain
the civil rights of all citizens regard
less of race or color 1t is also essen
tial that public opinion should be in
1uenced and educated in the direction
Of equal rights or it will not be long
before conditions in New York will be
exactly the same as those in the cities
of the south.
This can only be accomplished by
such vigorous prosecution in every
case Of discrimination that the GER
tainty of punishment will deter even
prejudiced persons from offending
against the law. The officers of the
committee are: Chairman. Gilchrist
Stewart; vice chairman. DR.. John l..
Elliott; secretary and treasurer. Pro-
fessor j. E. Spingarn. Those Of the
advisory counsel are: William s. Ben
net, Edward Lauterbach, Charles II.
Studin. Melville n. Cane, D. Macon
Webster. John W. Smith and Walter
N. Flanagan.