Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-08
NEGRO REPUBLICAN
VOTERS, WITNESS
SAYS, DISAPPEAR
Johnson, Committeeman of
Party in Georgia, Heard in
Senate Inquiry.
By the Associated Press.

by the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, July S.-Negroes who
have voted the republican ticket in
Georgia have "disappeared' and new
er have been heard of again, Henry
Lincoln Johnson, negro republican
national committeeman. told the SEN
ate committee investigating cam
paign expenditures today
The committee was questioning
Johnson about lynchings in the south
They don't lynch men for belong
ing to the republican party. do they?''
asked Senator Kenyon.
"Oh, yes. they do" Johnson replied.
Many negro voting the republican
ticket has disappeared and no tidings
have ever been heard of him"
In Dublin, Ga, during the pre-con-
vention campaign, there was wild
Use of money" the witness asserted
4 spent only $159 there" he ex-
planned, but the other fellows spent
more than $4,000.
The other fellows" he said. were
the representatives st Maj. Gen. Leon
ard Wood. while 1 was working for
my national committeeman"
Asked if Wood supporters bought
know. but they passed out plenty
of jack to the boys
Estimate of Money Spent.
johnson declared that hackers of
Gen. Wood spent around 100000 in
Georgia, while the Lowden supporters
spent only $4,000"
Clark l.. Grier, former postmaster
at Augusta, Ga, was the "pay-off
man" for the Wood people, he said.
adding that Grier worked under di-
rect orders from Frank Hitchcock,
former Postmaster General in the
Roosevelt cabinet
Senator Kenyon suddenly turned to
the Palmer campaign in Georgia, ask
ing Johnson if officials of the Depart
ment of Justice took part in the At
torney Generals campaign there.
Hooper l.. Alexander of Atlanta
was. the leader" Johnson said
Other questions concerning activi-
ties of the Department of Justice in
Georgia brought no definite informa-
ton.
Will Move to st. Louis.
The committee will move to ST.
Louis tonight, to take up the investi-
cation of Attorney General A. Nit
chell Palmer's campaign for the dem
ocratic nomination, Chairman Kenyon
The principal witnesses in the
Palmer investigation will be Edward
F. Coltra, democratic national COM
Davis, an attorney of st. Louis.
A report that Coltra paid the ex-
penses of twenty delegates to
the state convention which ousted
Senator Reed from his national con-
ventiOn seat will be one of the matters
Reed is a member of the investigating
committee.
A score of witnesses will be called
for the ST. Louis hearing, Chairman
Kenyon said. The sessions there will
open tomorrow morning.
johnson, the negro national COM
from Georgia, who is said
to have received $4,000 from the Low
den campaign chest. was the first wit
ness called here today.
Democrats paid from S. to $1,000
for votes in Georgia this year, and
generally spent more money than
the republicans" Johnson told the
committee.
mot one cent given TO me was given
to any delegate to the republican ma
tional convention" the witness de-
clared. He said he received $4,000 from
Illinois. but not from Gov. Lowden
himself" He spent $1,000 or $4,000 of
his own money, he added. and $4,000
was raised from other sources.
When the witness charged the DEM
ocrats had spent more money than
he did and had bought votes in local
elections. Senator Reed. democrat. in
terrupted to ask:
"You don't care when you get $4,000,
do you?"
mot bit" the witness replied.
but I would need about $4,000 to
combat some democratic conditions
there"
"Prevented From Voting"
Johnson told the committee that So
per cent of the negroes were pre-
vented from voting by brutal force
and suppression" He said the situa-
tion was summed up in the following
words. which he attributed to speech
nv Senator Hoke Smith:
I'm Georgia no negro is fortunate
enough to vote. while no white man
is too unfortunate to vote"
Asked about lynching in the south
Johnson asserted the great trouble
was that white men were allowed to
attack negro girls without punish
ment. Such a state of affairs greatly
race feeling, he said.
He cited alleged instances of white
soldiers attacking negro girls during
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