The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-06-21
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS
BY LUDWELL DENNY

BY LUDWELL DENNY
HOUSTON, June 21.-At tne
Il L old bridge they found hinrs
hanging by the neck. In the
white oak thicket, morning birds
were singing. And there was
Niger Bob" dangling stiff, with
the sun coming up behind him and
his eyes turned to heaven,
Lord have mercy" he had
pleaded. But they put the rope
around his neck, jerked him from
the hospital bed, and carried him
OH to the old bridge He had shot
Detective Davis, they said.
Back in town, late parties Of con-
vention delegates and reporters
were breaking up. Houston was
dull, they agreed the Democratic
prellminaries a washout. No news.
Nothing but leak in the roof at
Convention Hall. The Republicans
at Kansas City put on better
pre-convention show. Why. Kan
sas City even ran in a daylight bank
holdup.
Vt was that leaking roof that
A mattered. Could this proud citv.
with the eyes of the world on it at
convention time, fail to stop that
leak? Houston's reputation for
efficiency was at stake
Today it is the lynching of Robert
roWeI that matters. Houston's
reputation for something greater
than efficiency is at stake.
May the spirit Of A. w. Davis
look down upon us in sorrow and
sympathy, and may the ghost Of
tnat dying Negro haunt forever
those tive men who so disgraced this
CITY," says the Press, a Scripps-
Howard newspaper. MAY the out
side world not take this as symbolic
OF the Houston spirit 1t was not
men like these who died in the
Alamo, it was not craven creatures
IKE these who fought at San
Jacinto"
Houston has been shamed before
the nation" says the Chronicle.
published by Jesse Jones, candidate
Tor the presidential nomination. ITO
tnoSe Democrats who are now
pouring in on us, and to the world
at large, we can only say that the
people OF Houston do not approve
this thing"
THE mayor at once appointed an
investigating commission; the
city council appropriated $4,000 for
search and rewards; the Inter-
Racial Cooperation Commission and
Citizens League for Law Loyalty
started to function; the Governor
assigned Texas Rangers to the case
and posted rewards.
But on the streets there is no
talk Of the Iynching, apparently
no interest. Only Negroes gather
and whisper alert lest they be over
heard.
Bob didn't kill the cop" they
mutter. Them police Jest wanted
blood, cause Pete Chester warn't
hung a year ago for shootin' an
oVter cop what beat him up"
anyway, young Bob was in. that
corner crapJ game early Sunday
morning, when Detectives Davis and
Bradshaw rushed up. The Negroes
scattered. One man dropped a gun.
Bradshaw caught him. Davis was
not after another. There were shots.
Davis was found on the ground in
blood. He died in the hospital.
Ihey caught Bob at home with a
bullet in his side. They found there
loaded gun with one shot fired
His bTother-in-law said Bob asked
him to hide it. Bob denied shoot
ing Davis.
At the hospital early Wednesday
morning, a sherifT's guard was Sit
ting outside Bob's ward. There was
one light. Bob was moaning, close
to death. The other Negro patients
were wide-eyed. Three Negro at
PENDANTS watched.
Stick em up" The lynchers
broke in. One covered the guard.
Four others put the rope around 4
Bob's neck. They carried him out.
Lord have mercy" Bob was
pleading, the men were laughing.
and there behind was the rope trail 4
ing along.
The two cars drove Off. Back in
the ward, the Negroes were waimp-
ering, The guard was at the phone,
trying to reach Sheriff Binford.
+ II
FINALLY, Binford answered. Yes,
a the guard said, he could identify
the men. None was masked One
wore a blue uniform like police
man. The Negro attendants and
patients all agreed with the white
guard about that uniform.
Now "Tee" Binford is leading the
hunt. He was in on the Chester,
case. Because he saved Chester
from the mob, they never forgot.
Pete Chester was q Negro gambler.
Back in January, 1927, he shot to
death Officer Jones. Pete claimed
self-defense, but was convicted of
murder and given death sentence.
A higher court set aside the verdict.
The case then went to Judge l
Harper for retrial. Harper shortly
before also allegedly had shot man.
The day after the judge was ac-
quilted, he presided at Pete's trial.
Pete had the lawyer who got OFF,
Harper. The judge instructed the
Chester jury on a manslaughter
charge, and the verdict was four
years in the penitentiary.
Pete's escape from the gallows en-
ragged many. There was lynch talk.
But Binford slipped Pete out of the
Jail, and started toward the Hunts-