The sun., 1919-08-28
ASK US INQUIRY ON
ny MANS MOBBING
Negroes Friends Here Seek
Redress for Texas Attack
on j. X. Shillady.
DENIES HE'S AN AGITATOR
White Officer of Association
for Advancement Of COlored
People Tells His Side.

Congress will be asked Immediately
by the National Association for the Ad-
vancement OF Colored People to investi-
gate the assault made recently in Aus
tin. Tex. upon John II. Shillady, sec
rotary of the association, who went
there. he says. merely to ascertain why
papers belonging to local branch had
been subp9naed by a Justice Of the
Peace and examined by State officials.
Mr.. Shillady. who returned yesterday to
the associations offices at 20 Fifth
avenue, said the fact that the assault
was approved by the Governor Of the
State ie sufficient reason for asking an
investigation. 1t was not verbal as
sault merely, but included hard ham,
mering with fists belonging to local
constable and other officials.
President Wilson will be asked to APP
point a responsible investigating COM
mission. Also Gov. Smith will be called
on to demand protection for citizens OF
New York visiting Texas. The legal
committee appointed to initiate pro-
ceedings consists OF Moorfield Storey,
senior member OF the law firm OF Storey.
Thorndike, Palmer & Dodge of Bos-
ton, and president OF the association
Butler Wilson Of Boston, Arthur B.
Spingarn Of New York, Captain in the
United States Army Sanitary Corps:
Charles II. Studin OF New York and
George W. Crawford OF New Haven.
Mr.. Shillady's appearance does not
bear out the rumors from Texas that
he Is an agitator who went there to stir
negroes to deeds OF violence. He is
large. calm, slow moving man. with
peaceful sort of smile, sllvering hair
and low and gentle voice.
1t Is easy to believe Mr. Shillady
when he says that on being surrounded
by n group Of men In front OF the Hotel
Driskill, In Austin, the morning after
he was hailed before the secret session
of ''so-called court of inquiry" he ex-
pected nothing worse than a subpoena
and was surprised when they commenced
TO rain blows upon him. They kept at
It till he got inside the hotel. and neither
on the street nor In the lobby. he says
did anyone come to his assistance.
Previous to going to Austin I tele-
graphed the Attorney General of the
State and a Justice OF the Peace offer
ing any information concerning the Ma
tiona! Association for the Advancement.
OF Colored People which they desired -
said Mr.. Shillady. MY first call upon
arriving in Austin after had met with
the local branch of the organization was
at the Governors office. This being
closed. went to the Attorney Generals
office and conferred with w. A. Keeling,
acting Attorney-General
Il gave him the fullest information
about the association, and then went 70
the Adjutant-Generals Office and saw
Col. W. d. Cope, acting Adjutant-Gen-
eral informed both that intended
10 see the Governor and the commander
CT the Texas Rangers was deer
mined 20 And out why the papers Of our
haI AAAv
the light of these facts IL is sheer fals,-
fication Cor the Texas mob leaders Ia
charge me with being an 'agitatnr' try
ing to incite the negroes against the
whites"
Mr.. Shillady says be was made the
target OF insulting questions at the
court OF inquiry before which he was
taken. He added:
Had there been the slightest doubt
that I was perfectly lawabiding I Ger.
tainly would have been arrested. but ]
was not. And the same County Judge
who heard me prove the innocence OF
my intentions and acts was among the
men who assaulted and beat me the
next day"
Mr. Shillady thinks he would never
have got out OF Austin alive rad he not
declined an invitation OF the aforesaid
Judge to visit his office late at night
after the secret session of the court 81
inquiry" because the group of men who
beat him were hanging about that office
that night
What happened to me personally IS
OF little consequence. but the law has
been DETAINED, and this association
won't let the occurrence pass unchal.
leneed," concluded Mr.. Shillady.
Officers OF the association declared
themselves suspicious of the statement
by Representative Byrnes OF South Car
| DINA that Russian Soviet interests are
melting the negroes to race riots.