The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-03
.NEIGHB0Rs FIGHT SALE
OF CHURCH TO NEGROES
Citizens Protective Committee Issues
Statement Of Protest Against
Proposed Action.
WOULD PRoTECTWHITE SECTION
Case IT, Set for Hearing Before Judge
Scott In City Circuit Court To-Day,
but May Not BE Reachetl-Oppose
Purchase of Uptown Property.

In statement concerning the pro-
posed sale of Emmanuel Baptist Church
to negroes. issued last night by COM
mtttee styling themselves tho Citizens
Protective Committee. 1t Is asserted
that house, to house. canvass Of tho
homes on Leigh Street between Fourth
and Fifth Streets. showed every house
on the block to be occupied by white
persons and all OF them owned by
whites with one exception. This can
Der OF representative citizens had APP
peared before the Ordinance Commit
tee OF the Council and argued the case.
with the result that tire committee
changed its decision given in favor or
overriding the segregation ordinance.
and is said to be true at the present
The statement issued last night
characterizcs az entirely wrong the
st ;its, = ITS made some time ago. in
mad become .colored one. The com
mittee holds that there has been but
little Change in the vicinity within the
last ten years, that II has always been
white neighborhood and that the To-
cation OF the high school. the former
Capitol Of the Confcderacy. the Medi-
cal College. an orphannge and other
buildings of public interest, as we'll as
the presence of many business men and
worers wtthe its ann pro 1eefesson lon,
ctent to warrant the enforcement OF
the segregation ordinance and to pre-
vent the sale of the church property
to negroes.
SAY NEGROES WOULD PAY
MORE THAN WHITES
The trustees would sell to negroes
n ,,,,e;, negroes Will pay more than
dollars, the trustees arc willing 10
cause the sacrifice of hundreds of thou.
,,ands OF dollars worth OF private and
puDlc property, Is Il direct statement
made by the committee last night. The
statement continues by saying that this
- one OF the more convenient sections
ana that rents are better than In the
West End. II says the entire section is
aroused over the matter. and that white
vinced that it is they. and not the
church trustees. who are entitled TO the
sympathy Of the city and to the pro
The committee reported last night
that tie Emmanuel Church was i'm a
most prosperous condition at present,
In spite OF reports to the contrary. The
financial report, made during the SUM-
mer, showed the collections TO be i'm ex-
cesS OF the expenses. according to last
the enthusiasm with which the winter
work has been started.
OF UPTOWN PROPERTY
On The other hand, II is claimed tina [
= Emmanuel is sold and Calvary Hap
tiSh thu.Cu IL purchased, the indebted l.
ness of that church will be moro tI,nr
doubled. 1t is pointed out that to the
c9st oil purchasing That church will be
situated Within half a dozen blocks
Or roYr Baptist churches already es-
lapiished and fiourishins. and that tho
change In the church location would
leave many members without a con-
Nenient place Of worship. Many OF
these members arc old and infirm. IL
Is SAID, and several are credited with
saying they would prefer seeing the
church IN ashes rather than sold ito
negroes and the membership moved. far
= The case is Scheduled to come be-
fore the City. Circuit Court to-day. on
application Of the board OF trustees to
permit the sale of the church property
70 negroes 1t is said. however, that
there Is some doubt as to whether it
viii be reached to-day
The Citizens Protective COMMITTEES,
which gave ont the statement last
night, is composed of the following:
Z, r.; richardson ss r. ]. a,ahoney. M.
voolfolk and A L. yOnderIebr