The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1921-01-27
Woodson Honored

ing in MahaSka county. he graduateu
from Howard University Law College
in the class of 1895. He reported to
the United States government an at
tempt to destroy the Rock Island ar
senal in November, 1915. He was ap-
pointed by Judge Preston to preside as
nudge Of the District court in the abb
sence of the Judge, and Because of this
unique distinction, he is often given
the title of "Judge Woodson.
He has been delegate to many con-
ventions of the Republican party, both
judicial and otherwise, and during all
the time the writer has known this
man, he has been honorable and de-
pendable in every respect.
Just at this time when our govern
ment needs to restore confidence with
the Central and South American Re-
publics, there is no reason to believe
that a better appointment could DC
made than to send Mr.. Woodson as
Minister to the Republic of Haiti. a
ioval, patriotic black man, who is able
and possessed Of executive ability, and
who has his country IS interest at heart
frst last and ali the time, could do
more to create good will and harmony,
and promote commerce, and general in
ternational betterment in the Republic
OF Haiti and Central America than any
other class of Americans we could
choose, and we believe that Mr.. Wood
+. son is an exceptionally good man and
perhaps the best man that could be
chosen for that place at this time. 3
In honor of the occasion Negro law
yers from all over the United States
who had formerly practiced in Iowa as.
sembled in Des Moines Saturday after,
noon and after a visit to the State
House, the Register Tribune building
The Daily Capital, The Bystander Office
the Court house and other places OF
interest, repaired to Center Cafe at
Twelfth and Center streets and togeth-
er with their wives and other escorts
enjoyed banquet and program OF
speechmaking at the conclusion OF which
s.. Joe Brown, who has been associated
with Mr.. Woodson in the profession for
almost twenty years, presented MN
suitably engraved silver loving cup as
a token of the esteem OF the assocla-
ton for the occasion which was the sill
yer anniversary of it's founder ana
president.
After the banquet the lawyers and
their escorts repaired to the church
where the public were assembled IN
large numbers to hear the conclusion
OF the spTOSTdul NIlCll SoLSAScSNA -
most part of an address by Hon. 4. w
Bell, now Of Leavenworth, Kan, but
who was first admitted to the bar IN
Des Moines in October, 1886 who gave
the history of the Negro lawyers OF
Iowa Of whom there have been thirty
Of whom the first was S. B. Smith and
among the most distinguished of whom
we're Hon. Alexander Clark, who died
in the service Of his country as y. =.
Minister in Liberia, Africa; Hon. John
Il. Waller, whose imprisonment without
cause while serving as U. s. consul in.
Madagascar, near East Africa came
near involving the u. s. in war with
France; Hon. 81. B. Wright, now OF this
city but for many years US. consul in
Central and South America; Howard Z.
Drew, the world s fastest Splinter who
is now practicing in New York City and
one woman Mrs Gertrude E. Rush, now |
practicing in this city and whose hus-
band j. B. Rush was also member OF /
The Bar and practiced here for more
than twenty years prior to, his death " |
September, 1918.
! The remainder of the list Of those
Negroes who have been admitted to the |
practice of law in Iowa is as follows: