The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1920-07-01
Harbor Men
Storm At
Mass Meeting
Citizens Fear Race Riots II
bad Negroes are Per
mitted to Live in City.

Asserting that Indiana Harbor +
now on the verge OF race riots ana
that trouble VIII break out within
very short time unless some decisive
steps are taken for Kidding the city OF
its dives. gambling houses and un-
desirable citizens about one hundred
citizens OF Indiana Harbor met az
the rooms OF the Indiana Harbor civic
club last evening and made arrange
ments for compelling the city author
titles TO take Immediate action.
The meeting was probably unlike
any other that has ever been held ~
this region because Of the fact that
both whites and blacks united IN the
meeting and demanded that the decent
citizens Of the city be given protee-
ton from the criminals whom the
gambling joints and dives are breed
ing The meeting was called al the
instigation OF number Of the colorcd
people who complained TO the whit !
that respectable colored person can
not live in the city without being mol
ested because of the odium which a
few of the worthless "niggers' have
brought upon the race.
If this thing Is not nipped pretty
wake up and find battle on youi
hands which viii set the city back
twenty years and VIII keep il there
tor a long time said Attorney W. u.
Murray. who struck the key note oi
the meeting in an impassioned plea
Tor action on the part Of The whites.
An organization Of the negroes would
get no place Attorney Murray as
serted, because If the better class or
negroes should organize 70 clean UP
The city they would need some one re-
so their bail in abouyt twelve hours.
II is common. he said TO hear on the
streets. We better take about eight
ar ten of those D. niggers and
hang them"
With this condition existing because
there are three or four hundred bad
negroes in the city he asserted tha1
IL is only q matter of time until some
one does start a hanging and then In
diana Harbor viii see race riot which
VIII keep the city in a turmoil for
weeks give the city a bad name. and
stop industry fer an indefinite period.
As a protection 10 the industries of
the city who have been responsible
for bringing the negroes 10 the dis
t-ict the better class OF the citizens
Of Indiana Harbor. both white and
black. should 30 10 the Board Of Safe 2
and not only tell them what is desired
in the way of d cleanup in Indiana
Harbor but insist that they comply
with the requests Of the citizens. he
said
The complaint Of the negroes was
explained to the meeting by John
Timsley. John Carr and James Bow
tation in the city. who explained thar
there are in the city three or four hun
dred worthless negroes who loaf IN
dives and gambling joints and take
the money Of their more Industrious
brethren. It is these negroes VINO have
Been holding up people and murder
ing during the past few months they
explained, but the entire race gets the
credit for all OF the crime. causing
M-feeling between the whites and the
blacks and making possible further
trouble and bloodshed.
a young negro preacher Bowden
said. returning from church about II
o'clock in the evening with young
lady was stopped and searched at the
point OF gun on one Of the city,
main streets by two plain clothes pol
tcemen. Another colcred preacher.
Atty. Murray said. was stopped by TWO
plain clothes men in the middle ~
the day with the order. Hold UP your
hands you black or III shoot
you =" The negroes wish 10 drive out
the bad from their midst in order that
tho respectable colored people may not
be molested in this way.
After a couple Of hours OF discus
sion in which tho troubles Of the Cit
liens were aired the sentiment Of III.
meeting was voiced by Atty. MURRAY
when he stated THAI Indiana Harbor
must no longer be the dumping grounI
Of the Calumet region, II the BoarI
% Safety does not clean up the cit.-
lets inpeach them. If the chief or po-
lice does not do his duty and close un
the places Of vice lets impeach HIM.
II the mayor does not require tha
chief Of police and the hoard OF safe
~ 10 do their duty lets impeach hir,,
If We can clean the city no other --ay
then I'm in favor Of playing Carrie
Nation" he further asserted
AS the climax of tho meeting il was
decided to appoint a committee of ten.
half blacks and half whites to wait
upon the mayor and the Board of SAT-
~ and make known the demands which
ming. There was then appointed com
mittee OF three TO solicit funds for tn
purpose OF prosecuting the campaign
and securing the impeachment OF any
city officials who do not do their dutv.
a third committee Of ten captains.
each to pick their own committee. was
appointed To secure the names ana ad-
dresses OF all dives gambling houses.
bad pool rooms etc
The ten who will wait upon the ma
yor are. Whites: ". j. MURRAY.
j. Burns. John Farovid. Christ Doll
las. Ben Maginsky, negroes. John Tim
sley: Chas. Perkins James Bowden
H L. Davidson. s. II Howard The
finance committee is composed Of John
c. Horne, Nelson Beaton and Ollie
Sterling.
Another meeting viii he held in the
Civic Club rooms next Thursday eve
ming at which time the committees
VIII report and further action decided
upon.
Others who spoke at the meeting
were: W. z. Jewell. p. A. Parks
Edwin Carlson NJ l.. critics and Jim
my Jonston
Mayor Mccormack. when informed
Of the action taken. expressed pleas
ure that the citizens are al last wax