The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-10-20
CAMPAIGN TO FREE
IMPRISONED oath
NOW UNDER WAY
Press, Churches, Lodges, Or
CARNATIONS and Fraternal
Bodies Asked to Aid
100000 SIGNERS WANTED
Open Letter Sent to Christian
Ministers of America Ask
ing Cooperation

New York, October 18.-A nation
al campaign to free the Sd members
of the Oath Infantry still imprisoned
in Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary
for their share in the Houston, Texas,
riot of 1917, is in full swing accord
ing to announcement by the National
Association for the Advancement of
Colored People, 50 Fifth Avenue. The
steps already taken in the campaign
by the N. A. A. G. P, are as follows:
l. A personal letter has been
written to each of the colored news
paper editors asking for their CO.
operation and many of the most in
f1uential editors have replied express
ing cordial approval and willingness
to help.
2. Mats of a model petition have
been prepared by the N. A. A. c. p,
and are being widely distributed,
among newspapers and elsewhere.
8. Churches, lodges, civic organi-
cations and fraternal bodies, as we'll
as branches Of the N. A. A. C. P,
have been asked to print copies of the
petition and circulate it among their
members and friends. Branches are
also sending in names of all colored
ministers and friendly white min
listers. heads of lodges, clubs and wo-
mems organizations.
A. Letters to the Bishops of the
various branches of the Methodist
Church and to the heads of the Bap-
tist Church asked them to enlist the
support of their churches and min
listers. A similar letter has gone to
the heads of fraternal orders.
5. On September 20, an open
letter to the Christian Ministers of
America was released through the
colored press asking that SUNDAY,
II, be set aside as
HOUSTON MARTYRS DAY.
The N. A. A. C. p, confidently
hopes that it will be able to place a
petition SIGNED BY AT LEAST
100, 900 NAMES in the hands of Pres
ident Coolidge asking for executive
clemency for the 50 men in Leaven-
worth.
N. A. A. c. P. Sends Open Letter
To The Christian Ministers
Of America
Six years ago, in August, 1917,
a terrible outbreak of rioting occurred
in Houston, Texas. This riot occur
red when the oath United States In
fantry, one of the four colored regi-
ments, with a splendid record, was
sent to Houston prior to being sent
to France to fight. These men, wear
ing the uniform Of the United States
government were .ubjected to every
possible insult because they were
colored. Following a long series Of
insults, threats and acts of violence
a clash occurred when one Of the men
protested against the brutal handling
of a colored woman by local white
policeman. A number of people were
killed before the outbreak was ended.
Following the riot a large number
of the colored soldiers were arrested
and tried while feeling against them
yet ran high. Nineteen Of them were
sentenced to death and later execut-
ed, thirteen Of them without right Of
appeal to the War Department or to
the President of the United States,
their Commander-in- Chief. Sixty-one
others were sentenced to life impri-
sonment. For more than six years
these men who are guilty Of no crime
except that they dared defend their
lives against the attacks of South
ern white mob have been imprisoned
in Leavenworth Prison.
In 1921 the N. A. A. c. p, gathered
and presented to the late President
Harding petition signed by $4,000
citizens requesting that he pardon
these men. AS a result number were
released on parole after receiving re-
ductions of sentences.
On September 1, 1923, during the
Fourteenth Annual Conference Of the
N. A. A. c. P, which was being held
at Kansas City, 558 delegates and
members made a pilgrimage to the
Leavenworth Prison where they met
with the fifty-four martyrs, giving
them words Of cheer and encourage
ment. The warden of the prison,
William /. Biddle, in an extraordinary
frank statement, declared publicly on
that occasion that the men "are
neither criminals nor murderers" and
deserve every effort we may put forth
to secure their release. .,.
The Plan ID as Follows:
others in authority that the demand
for the release of the men is a nation
wide one. For that purpose we have
drafted a petition to the President,
copy Of which is published herewith.
First, we are asking that you and
your church set aside Sunday, Novem-
Der II, as Houston Martyrs Day. On
that Sunday we are asking every
Christian minister in the United
States to preach sermon on this
great cause and make it a day Of
prayer for their freedom.
Second, we want to show to the
President Of the United States and to
We are asking your church to follow
this model and have printed accord
Continued on page /2)