The northwestern bulletin., 1922-06-03
Clifton K. Richardson
(By William Pickens for the A. n. P.)


of the Houston Informer', weekly paper. He rank
not only among the most courageous of humansn- gen
eral but what is than that: he is of the
most Negroes in the Southern United States
The highest and truest type of courage this plane
that of black in Mississippi Texas. 1t requires
more courage for black man in Texas to be norma
human being than for white Texan be hero" fol
when black in Texas dares to walk and talk and
as noram human being, he is in much more danger Of
his life than is the white Texan who tries the daredevil
business 1t requires courage for a Negro ride
Pullman in Texas than for white face anc
fight dozen bandits. If the white Texan fought off
bandits and saved his purse, he would be praised by
men and perhaps rewarded but if Negro in Pullman
fought off his woudbe murders and saved his lfe he
would next have to fight every other white in the
state from the governor down He would find hell
found in it, few days colored women forced
to get out of the drawing of Pullman Texas
not handkerchief heads, but beautiful bright clean
young women two of them secretaries of the national
w. c. A.. and one lady phsician Now drawingroom
is more separate from the rest of Pullman car than
is the Jim Crow end from the of day coach This
shows the whole hypocrisy the objection
with colored people but cooreld people
The chivalrous Texas continent could not bear the
thought that colored women riding in comfort
though these women locked in their own drawing
room and could not be
1t requires fore courage for Negro editor Texas
to speak and print the truth in time of than
white editor to print treason in time of Clifton F.
Richardson has been speaking the truth thru
mer and they naturally lying wait for any such
Negro The officers of the law will shield themselves un-
der the cloak of public authority and do such Negro
what the mob dares not attempt. For fmsy
cuse they will arrest him and get him to the police
station Slaughter pen" Richardson aptly calls it,
They arrested Richardson. AS he was driving his
car into the bo
ing automobile yell out to him. Hey" Thinking that
some acquaintances had merely greeted him.
minute later two white officers i'm plain cothes rushed
into the garage, guns in hand and threatend him with
instant death for not stopping when of them yells
Hey!" to him. They called it resisting arest' and
would as one was overheard to ater) have killed
him on the spot if hundred colored folk had been
attracted by the racket possible witnesses.
And what the charge? What was the high
crime? Your tail light wasn't burnin!" (They were
probably lying for the fixture proved to be perfect
order And instead of giving him order to appear
court they took him in the company of his wife po
lice headquarters to make bond" ct was late at night
and they hoped to keep him locked up
At this municipal slaughter house where the real
fun began; the little policeman from every nook and
corner rushed out at the an educated Niger
to jeer and jbe and mock and insult and beat him.
as buzzards might flock together at the smell of
only dirty Negro would not attract half so much at
enton and attack The defenders society then did the
nates vlest unreportable swearing in the fact
his wife.
No charges had yet been placed against him; no
resistance to authority had been offered by him. There
for their attacks except such reasons
jackasses Nigh have for brayng at kicking trapped
lion.
Then wealthy colored citizen came in to make bond
for the editor They this and threat
ened him with physical violence They asked him to get
n will im( at aIa
they tried every scheme to drive him oeven though
this Negro was worth more than the mayor the
city and the whole police force combined et those
solvers take note who believe that if the Negro gets
plenty of money he will get respect"
And the last heard of the matter, the mayor and
higher officials Investigating"
But Richardson. Did this cover him? Not any
than the tongue and the lash the
sea. Read the very issue of the "Informer' and
let 1t do your puny heart good They might well
tried to alter the law Of gravtaton
of Richardson with their contemplate savageres. On
his front and in his editorial columns speaks
undaunted SOUL He tells them by detailed comparisons
just where they stand in civilization, and he de-
scribes their cowardice
They seldom use force prisoners citizens until
they get down there (at police station) with the gang
and when colored person. business a prisoner
enters the MUNICIPAL SLAUGHTER SHOP, the gang
begins to consregate from all sections building and
then the fun rom their viewpoint) picks up: jaunts
jeers cursing, kicking sapping knocking off and
drubbings the head with keys clubs
ers."
And the worst part Of 1t is that civilized white
Americans will persist in believing that Negro must do
something wrong in order to be treated in this way
But thank God for man like Richardson! Even II
he should not live long, he is good while he lasts