Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1919-01-11
EMBARRASSING MOMENTS

ploycd by Richard Winsor of Seattle as
city editor of the Evening Call, a small
daily that advocated Populsm as the pana-
cca for the political aches and ills Of the
citizens of this country Judge Winsor
is blue belIied yankee from Michigan and
was for number of years connected with
the ''under ground rail road that aided es-
capped slaves to Canada, so his ideals as to
the rights of colored folks were very pro-
nornced in their favor On Monday morn
ing | showed up at the Calls offices and
few minutes later Judge Winsor walked
in and told his former city editor to turn
over his keys to me, whom he had en-
pIoyed to take his place on the paper Mr.
Carpenter. the former city editor showed
no signs of Disappointment, and after con-
graduating me shook hands and walked
out. In the composing and press rooms
there were twelve workmen. The change
Of city editors soon drifted back to them
and the new city editor was pointed out
| went to work at once as things had to
be rushed along to get the paper out on
time. An hour later | sat at my desk
writing away and Judge Winsor sat writ
ing at another desk in the same room. in
walked the entire mechanical force and adj
dressing Judge Winsor, said, eve have
come to inform you that we will not take
copy from coIored man, At that mo-
ment to me my job did not seem to be
worth a pinch Of salt, and jobs were jobs
in Seattle at that time. My embarrass-
mcnt was so great that it was truly pain
full. Judge Winsors reply was "every
man OF you 90 back to the work rooms
get your belongings, 90 to the office and
get your money and then leave my place
of business at once You run my work
room, but you will not run my editorial
room.' His remarks were ntersprised
with forcble CALCULATIONS that would not
be proper for Sunday school. A long
story short the men did not walk out and
| worked harmonious v with them for al
most Il year and they accepted me as one
Of the boys and | still claim them as warm
personal friends, some Of whom still live
in Seattle and are taking copy.
Why report on Populist paper? in
terrogated Will II. Parry, then city editor
of the Seattle Post Intellgencer ''Be-
cause | could not get work on a Repub-
lican paper, was my reply "Thats so, [
do remember of you applying to me for a
place on the paper and | turned you
down.. | had done no such thing and his
words were irony, and as | listened to
him | must confess that, | was very much
embarrassed. But after talking things
over he promised to give me the first open
ing he had a short time thereafter the
Call went to the wall, but new evening
Republican daily organized. in which
Mr.. Parry was interested and he named
me as one CT the news gathersrs. l re-
ported for duty Monday morning, but the
managing editor Informed me he had
nothing for me to do. When Parry was
told about it he read the riot act to some
one and | was told to report for duty
Tuesday morning. which | did There
were nine other reporters besides
myself and | listened to each of them re-
ceive assignments from the city editor and
yet not a word was said to me. The other
fellows looked at me and | looked at all
OF them, but did not meet a sympathetic
eye. Can you immagine more embar-
RAISING moment? After all the reporters
had gone out the city editor told me to