The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1912-02-10
CONVICTION IN
THEATER CASE
Heavy Blow Against DISGriml.
na,ijn on Account Of Color
CIVIL FIGHTS LAW ENFORCED

Vigilance Committee OF National hsso.
citation Secures the Conviction OF =
Nev, York Theater Official For Viola
ton Of the Law-Vie;ory For the
Whole Race.
New York Tile Sew York vigilance
committee. an organization composed
OF representative white and color,Nl cit.
i4rus of New York city aud OF which
N. Gll,hy,st Stewart is chairman aud
Professor i. T. Spingaru Is secretary
and treasurer recently secured the
FIRST conviction ever had ia New York
-,iu fur violation OF the civil rights
liI
rho Ncw NorE vigilance committee
w"s og.uuiacd for active prosecution
ef uU mfril-cmcuts of the legal rights
20 the ,uIurcd man aud has permanent
Eradquartcrs at 2GSi. West one Hun.
dlcw am Thirty.htth street II was
necessary tu have IN organized protest
AGAINST racial discrimination In order
90 combat the increasing number OF
oujwgcs against colorcl men and WON
nu and to make effective the laws of
the state which guarantee them equal
tights.
This organization has tackled the
problem ut police discrimination against
prisoners and their unjust arrest on
trivial unCuScS. their maitrcatmrnt Of
.an ON their way to the station. and
b,lis.,
Commissioner Rhincnndrr Waldo, Sc
cured CuuGl protection and justice To
ruiurrl prisoners as iS given To all 9th.
,rs No longer Is a colorcd prisoner or
r''izcn mi>uscd 10y II policeman in the
city Ol New York Next II took up the
question of certain localities where
-nugs were I'm the habit of insulting
colorod people when in their locality.
These gangs were dispersed.
Now it Is vigorously attacking the
custom of discrimination in public
places restaurants. thcatcrs. hotels
ana cafes II has brought number Of
successful suits against these places to
enforce the civil rights law. \ custom
had been growing In New York city to
refuse colorcd people seats In the or.
chCstra of the thcators. In test cns"
which was brought by the committee
Harry A. Levy. assistant treasurer of
the Lyric thCntcr was convicted OF n
miSdcmcanor for excluding colorrd
man and Young lady from the orchcs.
ira seats OF his thcntcr.
He offered TO exchange tho seats for
two In the balcony. but this was re-
fused After y hard drawn ont legal
fight conducted 10y Hon. Charles :.
whitman. the district attorney. through
Mr. James A. Smith. as assistant. who
had immediate charge of the case. and
Attorney Charles II Studin. one Of
the advisory legal counsel of the com.
mittCc. this first conviction criml
nally under the statute of New York
city had u startling effect upon prcju.
diced conditions All of the daily pa.
pcrs OF New York gave II wide promi,
ncncc The committee Is fulfilling It's
purposes of coping with the constant
increase of discrimination and vio
lcn"c against cOlored men and women
in this city
The discrimination has manifested
Itself In numerous ways In all places
OF public accommodation und even IN
the administration of Justice. and IL Is
of the highest Importance that I'M or
gauiZCd effort he made To maintain
the civil rights of all citizens regard.
less of race or color. u Is also essen.
tial that public opinion should be In.
Nupncpd and educated In the direction
of equal rights or it will not he long
before conditions in New York will he
exactly the same ms those in the cities
Of the south
This can only he accomplished by
such vigorous prosecution in every
case Of discrimination that the Ger
'aiuty of punishment will deter even
prciudicod persons from offending
against the law. The officers Of the
committee are: Chairman. Gllchrist
stewart: vice chairman. Dr. John l..
Elliott: secretary and treasurer. Pro.
fcsSnr !, T. Spingarn Those OF the
advisory counsel are: William s, Ben.
net Edward Iautcrhnch. Charles II
Studin. Melville II Cane, ID. Macon
Webster. John W. Smith and Walter
~ Flanagan