The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1924-01-02


tiality which is hard to explain. Why
was Hackett compelled to build his
houses thirty feet back from the side.
walk line and Negro Stark permitted
to erect u structure directly up to
the sidewalk line?
Negro Stark tried to inject senti-
ment into the matter by pointing out
that he was anxious to set his sor
up in business, leaving he impression
that the white folks of the Groveland
Park district were prosecuting him
in his fatherly efforts to look after
his own. Mr.. Fredrickson bought his
home in order that he might have a
satisfactory place for his wife and
three children, aged eleven, nine and
six, respectively. Now comes a Ne
gro, with building permit, to erect
a barber shop directly beside Mr..
Fredrickson's home, not only spoil
ing the Fredrickson location, but low
ering its market value. Who wants
a house located near a colored bar
ber shop, in what is supposed to be
an exclusive district? Surely Mr..
Fredrickson has rights which should
be protected.
GrOveland Park Improvement Asso-
citation Present Resolution.
During the aforementioned meet
ing of the Groveland Park Improve
ment Association, the members of
the association were greatly aroused.
Somebody made a motion that Hack
ett, Fredrickson and two others be
appointed committee to call upon
Starks for the purpose of presenting
a resolution which had been drawn up.
The resolution read as follows: "Be
it resolved that the Groveland Park
Improvement Association is unalter-
ably opposed to the erection of COL
ored barber shop on St. Clair St.,
referring to Lot z, Robert L. Wares
Addition"
On Wednesday, May 16, 1923, A.
B. Reaser took Fredrickson, Hackett
and Mayhem to Stark's place of busi-
ness, in his car, at 1856 Grand Ave.
The four arrived at Starks' barber
shop about 1885 P. M. Turner Starks
was outside his shop apparently get
ting ready to go home. The resolution
was handed to him by Fredrickson.
Negro Stark took the resolution, re-
marking that he would have to go
inside for his glasses, despite the
fact that he had them on. Bear in
mind that this committee of the
Groveland Park Improvement Asso-
citation carried no arms of any kind,
not anticipating trouble. There were
two Negroes in the shop on this par
ticular evening and on the entrance
of the committee one went behind a
partition and the other walked out
through the front door. Negro
Starks ushered the committee to a
position near the partition, which is
about forty feet from the door of his
barber shop, where Negro Starks
read the petition. 1t became obvi-
Gus to the committee that Negro
Starks at once became angry. Short
ly, he turned to the committee and,
among other things, said, 81 never
could get along with second-class
folks nohow. They are bunch Of
(oaths too vile to be printed)."
Negro Shouts "Pm a Fighting Man"
Quickly Negro Starks turned upon
the committee and stated, "To show
you I am right, I will sell you the
lot" Hackett now asked the Negro
how much he wanted and Starks re-
piled that he wanted $4,000. Hack
EFT told Negro Starks that he had
bought a lot in a better location for
$500 few months before. Negro
Starks then said he didn's give a
and emphasized his determination to
put barber shop across the street
from the Groveland Park Public
School if it cost him $4,000. He
also pointed out that he had about
the same trouble when he erected his
barber shop on Grand Ave. and called
attention to his trouble at that time,
which lasted, he said, a month. Fu-
riously,; Negro Starks turned to
Fredrickson and said, 81 can lick you,
you- -" Fredricksoh
answered, 1--WE did not come here to
quarrel, we simply came here to ex-