The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-14
OWNERS OPPOSE
CHURCH SALE TO NEGROES
'efi.ion Against Transfer Of Immnn-
ucl Baptist Building Is Filled
With Court
FULL. HEARING FOR ALL SIDES
Judge u. Carter Scott Announces
mat No Order Approving Sale
VIII BE Entered Until All Parties
Have Presented Their Views.

Responding TO petition signed hy
more than 500 PERSONS residing In tho
vicinity OF Emmanuel Baptist Churcl,
asking him not 10 grant an order au-
thori2ing the sale OF that church Ia :,
colorrd CONGREGATION. Judge x Carter
scott Of the city Circuit Court las
j Indicated his decision Ia grant no order
of this Kind before giving the protest
/ ants fun opportunity 10 state tho
grounds OF their opposition.
recent order entered by judge Scott
appointed J.. W. Good win and " G.
smith trustees OF Emmanuel Baptist
Church TO succeed. respectively. w l..
Dorset. deceased, auH :. r.. Woodiin
resigned. These. with j. y. Southau.
form the board OF trustees OF the
church.
Mr.. Goodwin. who - chairman Of tho
grounds and buildinsa committee OF
tho church, admitted recently that
negotiations were I'm progress for the
sale Of the church building at Fit,i,
ana Leigh Streets to the Leigh Street
Methodist Church. colorcd. IT was
stated on good authority that the ncp.r-
tatiors were practically complete ana
that only nu order from tho City Circuit
Court hllinG vacancies on the board
Of trustees was needed To effect n
transfer.
1t vas pointed out rs lawyers who
had Interested themselves IN tho case
that the court would be poyyericss Ia
, forbid sale Of the property to tho
negroes should the trustees of I'm
manuel Baptist Church apply for an
order authorizing them u sell the prop
crty. The sale itself. II was stated.
violated no ordinance. no law would
be broken until IN" colorcG conrrega-
/ ;ion attempted 10 use the church build
! ing at Fifth aud Leigh Streets az Il
house or worship Such use OF tho
building. IL waS held. would violate
tho segregation ordinance, which FOR
bids the use ny colored people as =
residence or place of public assembly
Of Il buildint, located on a block in
3 which majority of the residents are
white
Tho cnSe is the most noted that has
/ come up since the passncc OF tn. Won
dcri"hr segregation ordinance. and Is
attracting city-wide attention. Tho
CONGREGATION OF Emmanuel Baptist
Church Is anxious to dispose of the
property ana occupy another church in
The western part OF the city. but Drop
crty-owncrs aud white resident, IN tho
Vicinity arc bitterly opposing tho
WILL GRANT NEARING
rO ALI. PARTIES
n was expected that as soon az the
new trustees were appointed. these
would apply TO the City Circuit Cour,
for an order authorizing them To sell
Inc property. The order appointing
them Was entered September g. but no
move 10 this end has AS get been made.
since entering the order appoin.ing the
trustees, Judge Scott has given notice
that 10 order for the sale OF the prop-
.rty 10 the negro congregation will be
made by him before a full hearing from
the rTOtcstartz
Al Interesting by product Of tho CON
,roYcrsy ~ an ordinance introduced in
the Common Council on September s.
10y Councilman Jones. OF Madison Ward.
which seeks 10 amend tho scgrcgatiou
law Ia such q manner as would pre-
vent the use OF the church az q colorcd
house Of worship in the event that the
sale takes place.
Emmanuel Baptist Church is located
on the northeast corner Of Leigh ami
tiith streets. and faces Leigh street.
The Fifth street block between Leigh
and Jackson 10 white exclusively. Tho
Firth street block between jackson
ana lmval Streets, is colored exclusive
~. Jackson Street, however, enters.
nut does not intcrsect Leigh Street and
II strict reading of the SEGREGATION
law, ii Is believed. would hold the en-
tire stretch on Fifth Street between
Leigh and Duval Strecta to he one
single continuous block between par
ailcl streets.
Thus considered. the Fifth street
block between Leigh and Duval Streets
would contain colored residents in tho
majority. II would only be necessary.
then, 70 change the entrance OF I'M
manuel BAPTIST Church to Fifth street
10 make II front on n block which, un
der the segregation ordinance. would
fuihii the requirements for colorcd resi-
dencc or occupation.
Tie amendment sought by Council
man Jones would hold :: street enter
ing, but not intersectine another street,
To %" or the same effect as an inter
sectinG street. If this amendment IS
"doptcd, Jackson Street would be re-
Earded by the segregation law as in
tefSectinS Firth street. and the Fifth
street block, between Leigh and Jack
son streets. upon which Emmanuel
church Is located. would then BIO re-
Eardod as block between parallel
streets. in which Il majority of the resi-
dents are white
Tho measure will come up before tho
ordinance Committee at it's meeting
next Thursday night. Its passage
would effectively bar Ihc use OF I'm
inhnucl Church as Il coiored house of
worship, even should an order be Sc
cured from the City Circuit Court au
thoiiZing its sale TO the colorcd con
SrcEatiOn.