Barton County democrat., 1914-08-21
A STATEMENT.

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being made to make capital out of
the failure of the colored people
to secure the use of the court
room in which to hold the SeS-
SionS Of the Prince Hall Chapter
Of the Eastern Star, last week,
and to place the blame upon GER
tain persons therefor. In view of
this, deem it not only fair, but
proper, that | should make a
statement concerning the mat
ter.
The June term of the District
Court has been in session all of
he time since it convened in the
month of June. and there are still
"a number of cases upon the dock.
ct for disposal, likely to be called
for disposition at any moment.
The county clerk had stated to
the colOred people that they could
have the room without consulting
me and without any inquiry con-
cerning the situation, upon the i'm
preston, presume, that the room
. would not be in use. My office
corner rooms of the building, on
the second floor, just off from the
court room and to gain entrance
thereto, it is necessary to pass
through the court room, and my
business requires that should
pass through the court room any
way from two to several times
each day; and anyone desiring to
transact any business with the
court, attorney as well as individ-
ualS, are compelled to pass to and
fro through the room for tina! pur
pose.
The society which sought the
use of the room is a secret society
and in the conduct of their bus
mess it is necessary for them to
hold secret sessions. ! am not a
Mason; and therefore could not
gain access to the room while
occupied in secret session; there
fore, it was simply impossible
for me to either use the court
room for public business or my
own offices for the transaction
of the business of the court and
judge during the time that this
society was in secret session,
which was practically all day, ex-
Cept the noon hour.
In view of these facts deem
ed it unwiSe and improper to per-
NIT the use of the court room for
@ those sessions and therefore de-
clined 10 permit the use of the
room. | wish to state frankly in
this connection. that the failure
to secure The use of the room was
due to my own action, for which
l assume sole responsibility. Any
person cOnveSant with the Situa-
tiOn, after one moments reflec-
ton, cannot help but see the wis
dom of my action. If the court
room had been the only place
that could have been secured foI
the court might have been arbi-
trarily deferred, but the fact is
that there are two or three other
more convenient places than the
court room, one of which was
readily secured, and no incon.
Venience was suffered by any.
body by reason of their failure
to get the court room; and there
is no possible excuse for any at.
tempted tempest in a teapot or
account thereof. | talked to sew.
oeral of the visiting delegates who
were here, and explained the sit.
uation to them, each of whom EN-
phatically endorsed what | haC
done: One of the delegates with
whom | talked was from KanSa!
City Kansas, and he stated to mt
3 that | could not we'll have done
otherwise. The colored people
have no just cause to censure mt
for my action in the matter, be
cause would have acted in thu
same manner with respect to any
other secret organization.
Respectfully,
D. A. BANTA,
Judge 10Th Judicial District.