The Colorado statesman., 1915-02-20


Lloerlan government, was presented
at washington to DR.. H. l.. f. John
son, president of the American Colo
nlzation society, founder af the Negro
republic on the west coast of Africa.
DR.. Ernest Lyon consul general of Ii
IBERIA in the United States, made the
presentation. Liberia has conferred
thls decoration on several crowned
heads and some distinguished states
men. 1t consists of heavy gold six
pointed star, attached to neckband
OF blue and white silk. On one side
OF the star is medallion showing
ship in enamel, surrounded by the
legend, The love of liberty brought
us here" On the reverse, on a medal
lion, are shown two Africans kneeling
at the foot of a cross.
Doctor Johnson was reelected pres
ldent of the American Colonization So
ciety at the annual meeting Henry l..
West was reelected vice-president
and Paul Sleman secretary-treasurer
The directors chosen were also by re-
election, consisting of Milton E. Allies,
j. Henry Small, JAMES B. Reynolds
and Charles E. Howe.
The president read his annual re-
port, recommending assertion of SOW
ereignty and property rights in Lii
IBERIA, with prospects to recover pos
session of territory alienated by the
republic to Great Britain and France
commission was authorized to in
vestigate.
The report of the secretary-treasur-
er was accompanied by the report of
public actuary Walker H. Walker,
resident agent of the corporation of
Liberia, who is also secretary to
President Howard, in a report advo-
Gated increase of the pay of the teach
er of the Graham school from 500 to
$3.50 year; the purchase of uniform
school books, and presented a small
expense account. Favorable action
was taken.
Announcement was made that, sub
1ect to friendly litigation, the organi-
zation has prospect of enjoying a
$1,000 endowment left by the will of
John r. Peters, who died in 1858, and
whose estate is now being settled.
President Johnson, in his report
called attention to the attitude of Lii
IBERIA in declaring neutrality in the
present European war. 1t was stated
that foreign wireless station set up
on Liberian soil had been definitely
sealed for the period of the conflict
Rachel Howard, an aged colored
woman, living near Gaithersburg, Nd.
is the plaintiff in an interesting suit
filed in the circuit court against Her
man G. Briggs, young farmer of Cal
thersburg district. The suit seeks to
have carried out the wishes of Mrs.
Mary j. Briggs, mother of the defend
ant, expressed in her will, which pro-
vides that "it is my desire and wish
that my son, Herman c. Briggs, take
good care of Rachel Howard during
her life for her faithful services rem
dered during the time she lived with
me"
The defendant inherited his moth.
er's estate, the total value of which
was about $60,000 Until year ago
the colored woman was provided for,
but since then the defendant has, it is
Nhai Scu, iciuoSu 10 care lot ner.
The bill represents that the de-
fendant has disposed of all the prop
erty inherited by him, excepting a Dor
tion of a 400-acre farm near Gathers
burg, and that he is fast divesting
himself of what remains.
Desiring to contribute their share
to the fund Washington is raising for
the relief of the Belgian sufferers,
thousands of colored people of the
district assembled in Convention hall,
where a benefit entertainment, con-
sisting of a big ball and feast. was
given by, a committee of colored citi-
zens who are cooperating with the
Washington Belgian relief committee.
Several weeks ago a delegation of
prominent colored men of the city.
headed by Leon S. Wormley, informed
Mrs. John A. Logan, chairman of the
relief committee, of the desire of the
colored people to assist in the relief
work, and asked if the committee
would lend its support to a movement
among the colored people for a Joint
benefit entertainment. Mrs. Logan
assured them that any sum they might
raise would be most welcome, and Of
fered to cooperate with them in every
way possible.
Committees were Immediately ap-
pointed, and from the first the sue
cess of the movement was assured.
A gigantic gas chandelier in At
lanta sheds a glow of more than 10000
candle power from Is powerful lamps
two-year-old plantation of Doug
las fir on the Oregon national forest
shows "a per cent of the trees living.