The Chicago whip. (Chicago, Ill.) 1919-19??, 1921-10-08
PLEAD FOR 24TH
INFANTRYMEN At
WHITE HOUSE
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the Advancement of Colored People
Robert R. Church, colored Republican
leader in Tennessee; DR.. Charles f
Bentley, of Chicago; Miss Mamie II
Burroughs, Mrs. Mary B. Talbert
former president of the National AS
ISOLATION of Colored Womcn's Clubs
Mrs. Mary Church Terrell, Mrs. Alice
Dunbar Nelson, Harry II. Pace, Johr
Hope, Hon. J. c. Asbury, member
Pennsylvania legislature, Harry Z
Davis, member OF the Ohio legislature
Drs William II. Washington, and
w. w. Wolfe of Newark, Rev. r. II.
Singleton OF Atlanta, James A. Cobb
counsel for the National Association
for the Advancement OF Colored Peo-
pie; John R. Hawkins, financial sec
rotary, A. VI. E. Church.
Mr.. Johnson's Address
Mr.. President:
AS Secretary OF the National Asso-
citation for the Advancement OF Col
ored People and spokesman for this
delegation composed OF persons and
representatives of bodies. deeply con-
ocrned for Americas good name, I
have the honor to present petition
signed by fifty thousand American eiti-
zens, white, and black, praying that you
exercise executive clemeney and par
don the sixty-one members Of the oath
u. s. Infantry now in the Federal
Prison at Leavenworth, Kansas, con
vieted on charges OF rioting at Hous-
ton, Texas, in August. 1917.
We are delegation representing
the fifty thousand signers OF this petit
ton which we have the honor to lay
before you, and we come not only as
a representative of those who signed
the petition, but we are Spokesman
of the sentiments of the ten millions
or more OF Negro citizens OF tho
United States.
The petition. you will note, asks for
your pardon on three grounds; first
the previous record for discipline, serv-
ice and soldieriy conduct OF the oath
Infantry; second, the provocation OF
local animosity which manfests il
self in insults, threats and acts OF
violence against colored soldiers;
third. the heavy punishment melted out
to members OF the oath Infantry Of
whom nineteen were hanged, thirteen
OF them summarily and without right
OF appeal to the Secretary OF War or
10 the President, their Commander
fn-Chief. This wholesale, unprece-
dcnted and almost clandcstine cxecu-
ton shocked tho entire country aud
appeared 10 the colored people 20
SAVIOR OF vengeance rather than Justice.
Sixty-one members OF the oath Imam
try are still in prison serving life and
long time sentences.
| wish to say a word about the pro-
vocation which occasioncd the riot OF
August 1917. in Houston, Texas, as
the consequence OF which this pun
ishment was melted out
Contrary to all precedent, the pro-
vost guard OF this colored regiment
had been disarmed in state and IN a
city where insult was the colorcd
United States soldiers daily expert
encc. Following long series OF hu-
initiating and harrassing incidents one
soldier was brutally beaten and a we'll
beloved non-commissioned officer OF
the regiment fired upon because they
had interviewed in tho mstreatment al
a colored woman by local policemen
The report spread among the regiment
that their non-commissoned officer,
Corporal Baltimore, had been killed.
Whatever acts may have been COM
mitted by these men were notsthe re-
suit of any premeditated design. The
men were goaded to sudden and fren-
zied action. This is borne out by
the long record of orderly and sol
dieriy conduct on the part of this
regiment throughout its whole history
UP TO that time.
Moreover, although white citizens Of
Houston were involved in these riots
and the regiment to which these men
belonged was Differed entirely by
white men. none but Negroes so far
as we have been able TO learn, have
ever been prosecuted or punished. In
consequence, the wholesale punish
ment meted out to these colored sol
dicrs OF their country bore the aspect
OF visitation upon their color rather
than upon their crime. The attention
of colored people throughout the
United States will be focused upon
the action which it may please you to
take.
In consideration therefore OF the
almost FIVE years already served in
prison by the sixty-one men and OF
the foregoing facts, and because of the
long record for bravery, discipline and
soldicrly conduct OF this particular
regiment, and in the name OF tht
steadfast loyalty off the American
Negro in every crisis OF the nation, We
bespcak your attention 70 the petition
which we beg herewith TO present tc
you.
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