The daily progressive-miner., 1915-11-15
EXPERIENCE OE AN ALASKAN INDIAN
 STUDENT
TAKEN FOR A coLoRED MAN

After l graduated as an English student from Marietta College. O., in the early summer of 1895, Twent to Cincinninati for a higher course of training til 1898 when I came home to Alaska During the first winter of my stay in Cincinnati and s week before the Christmas holi- days l bought 8 first class ticket thxs would enable ne to ride on the Pullman cars from Cincinnati throu Kentucky, the northeast corner of Tennessee, she northwest corner of North Carolina Sni through Vlrgi- nia by way of Richmond to Wash inssOn. D. c
 We're it not for the incident, and the similar kinds, that I am about to relate the ride was one of the most delightful experiences of my student life That WAS the farthest south that had ever been ID to thar time As WAS anxious to spend Ss much time as I could in Washington City before the holi- days were over. I did not stop off at any place on the route. not even as the famous capital of the Con fe5sracy-
 Ny trouble began after we left Lexington, Kentucky, when 8 new conductor came aboard the train. This conductor examined my ticket stared at me and then in 8 rather unksnt voice told ne to leave the Pullman car and go forward to the car beyond the smoker
 syou do not belong here. sir he said to me -Take your baggage and go into the car beyond the smoker
 -Mr. Conductor said. @my ticket calls for s first class ride wi-h the privileges Of the diner and the observation car. and I to not see how I can discard these rights !"
 Yen have no rights here.n he answered. and go forward at once
 T respect your authority. Mir. Coaductor.- I said again, sbut evidently you have misunderstood the rights and requirements of this lcket and the agreement binding the r0zd 10 my ccznfore and favor
 Railroad conductors usually do 10. waste time III arguments with passengers, especially while the train ls moving faSs- This par1i- csliar conductor concluded that I hzd 10 business 10 be on g fine velvet seat n 2 Pullman car, and l1s aceed as fl he was going 10 put his words n force also made 1p my mind that whatever might happen I would defend my lawful rights even at the expense of possible fOrrible election
 The conductor went pass my seat in oosBeeting the tickets. and when he gos through he came to me again From his menacing looks I E1ew that he meant real business Ind uore than that he and the bEzkamza were together He once more stared at me as If hesitating. and instead Of laying hands on Hse he asked ne this question You are q negro, aren't you not z"
 I burst ont Imagining. Gentle meu.~ said. with the exception Of the whole south I have trzveled in e7ery s+ats of the Union and also some of the provinces of Ca rada- and I have been taken for q Chinzmzn. Japanese, Filipino. Lan- lander, Italian. . member Of the 1oz1 tribe of Israel. and so forth: tue this is the first time as 2 na- tive negro from southeaztern Alaska
 The eonductor tried to suppress lis pufffng feelings. but I could see sfe upward jerks of his chest -7s va7eh fob They both walked away and never bothered r1e again Since tEey took me for a negro they would rnake me ride with tre
 Tn the Jim Crow car. - af eqarze stlat was according to -he iaE f9y which negro had no
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