davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Omaha guide., 1941-08-23
LOCAL PLATFORM

Race prejudice must go. The
Fatherhood Of God and the Brother
hood of man must prevail. These are
the only principles that will stand the
acid test of good citizenship in times
of peace, war and death.
1. We must have u p~ro-rata
Of employment in business to which
we give our patronage, such as groc-
cry stores, laundries, furniture stor-
es, department stores, and coal COM
panies in fact every concern which we
support. We must give our citizens
the chance to live respectfully. We are
tired of educating our children and
permitting them to remain economic
slaves and entering into a life of
shame.
2. Our Pro-rata of employment
for the patronage to Jul public cor
pOrations such as railroad companies,
the street cal company the Nebraska
Power Co., the Northwestern Bell
Telephone Co., and other establish
ments we are forced to support by
right Of franchise. Also our p~ro-rata
Of employment in return for the taxes
we pay in city, county, state and
federal government.
3. To encourage the establish
ment of a first class hospital, that We
may get the best there is in medical
science from our doctors whom we
know to be nearest to us, also to en-
courage a high respect for them and
encourage more Of our girls to take
nurses training.
4. A one hundred percent de-
pertinent of our citizens in our public
and private places of business, espec-
tally in street cars. If we are to be
respected we must act respectfully es--
pecially in public places where we are
constantly before the pubic eye.
5 A one hundred percent mem
bership in the Omaha branch of the
NAACP. should be had to encourage
the efforts put forth by the founders
of this organization, and to assist the
general office to establish a five mil
ion dollar endowment fund to main
tain the operating expenses, and to
further the principles of the NAACP.
for all people of all races. American
citizens must be educated to a higher
principle and a more thorough under
standing Of inter-racial relationship
so that our country may in reality be
a government of the people, by the
people, and for the people, in whole or
in fact.
The Omaha guide., 1941-08-23
NATIONAL PLATFORM

|. Fight for the passage of the
NAACP. Anti-Lynching Bill, thus
stop the shameful lynching Of Amer
lean citizens.
2. One of our Negro citizens in
The Omaha guide., 1941-08-23

The OmanG Guide Paper with PupSeF Founded on the Fmidsd Service to Our Race to On Civ
UOWS1e mdO lWrFHg IhePatOmW which Wad displayed here wsw mtm bC c. GaNvm Of
M Ie OmahaGu Sa n@e@ay institution toue community mVMh tsws That Swy H@ wealth
eedH enmyst msf Mm1&7tH present day. 1911.
Evening star., 1941-05-11
THIS WEEK MAGAZINE

to figure on his old age. Take me about a
year, doing it all myself. can work hard"
The Boss beamed. The sturdy, independent
stock! I'm glad to meet a man like you,
Greer, And don't you worry about little
material on the sidewalk. In the name of
progress we can sometimes look the other
way bit. You just go ahead. Greer. And if
there's anything else l can do for you, you
just come to me. I'm Ed Spickard."
Yes; know who you are" Greer said.
Then he added; IF there's an ordinance
about material on the sidewalk, then I'll keep
the sidewalk clean" He slipped his hammer
into the loop on his overalls leg. ''lf other
folks have to obey it, will"
The Boss leaned forward conhdentially.
mot if say it's all right. I'm always ready
to do favor for my friends"
NO" Greer said He picked thoughtfully
at a callous on his square hand. That amt
right Thanks just the same, but amt asking
anything special" Greer went to the pile of
lumber and began getting an armload of
two-by-fou
The Boss whirled on the policeman Don't
you have anything more to do than poster
people minding their own business" he de-
manded, and waved away the reply. The
Evening star., 1941-05-11

said there are some guys you can't get
around. That's all said"
That nut Greer, for instance"
Eyes, Ed. That nut Greer. You can bust
him. but he can't be had.
II like that hat, the Boss said
II got nothing against the poor devil"
The Boss sneered. II knew youid d craw-
fish"
'Al right, Ed," the mayor said. "I'll bet
you a hat"
That's how the thing started.
IHE man Greer made his forms for the
foundation under his jacked-up old house,
mixed concrete by hand and put it in the
forms. With the foundation set, he was going
around the house with screw jack, taking out
block at time to lower it onto the mudsill,
when the building inspector called. Looks
okay" the inspector said. Then he laid a rule
across the foundation width, and whistled.
Say, you're half inch shy here, man.
but that S an eight-inCh mudsill, and the
concrete's as thick as the sill.
But that mudsil is finished lumber
Greer frowned, puzzled. You okayed the
forms before poured my concrete. You can't
kick about it now" he maintained.
Evening star., 1941-05-11

policeman hurried down the street, wondering
what he'd done to make the Boss snappish.
Greer" the Boss said. Il don't think you
understand. I'm trying to do you favor. ="
The stocky man had crossed the sidewalk
with an armload of lumber. He dropped it
Gathering onto the lot. Il understand" he
said. He put his square hands on his hips.
''Mr. Spckard, I'm not asking no favors.
amt got much, but what got, got honest.
You let me tend to my business, and you tend
to yon'n don't need no favors."
As the Limousine continued towards the
City Hall, the mayor said, Nov that's what
l was telling you about that newspaper edi-
tor, Ed That guy Plym. You got Pym fired,
and the papers eating out of your hand now.
But you can't ever get around Pym. Some
guys are like that Now this chump who's re-
modelling that house. he's the same way"
The mayor shrugged, bit uncomfortably.
Thank God they're not all like that"
You're getting soft, the Boss said irrita-
bly,. His morning was spoiled. Out of the big
ness of his heart hed offered favor, only to
have it thrown back in his face. He'd built
his machine on force and favor, and the sys-
tenn was nfallible. 1t had to be. To keep the
city in his pocket it was only necessary to
control few key men; but the Boss knew any
man could be had" by force and favor. and
he was nettled by the mayors weasling atti-
tude Il never built my machine by accident"
he snapped
Nov, about this meeting, Ed ="
''You don't think so. huh?" the Boss per-
sisted. I'm other words, don't know what
I'm talking about"
Il didn't say that, Ed"
Then what did you say?"
The mayor took time tc adjust the brim of
his hat. He was heavy man, with broad
face; and while he was past expert at strad-
ding fences, there was still in him something
- if only a. memory - of the dim past when
he was young and able to stand on his own
two legs. He worded his reply carefully. Il
Evening star., 1941-05-11

'All right" the stocky man said briefly.
Smiling, the Boss stepped forward. Whats
wrong here? What's the trouble. Officer?"
Good morning. Mr.. Spickard!" the police
man said, Strengthening He had no love for
the Boss, but he was realist and he had
family. You see sir, this man - Greers
his name i he's blocking the sidewalk with
his lumber. was advising him that according
to city ordinance number eleven-seven-
teen"
"All right, Officer; I'll handle this" the
Boss said. and turned his'smile on the stocky
man in overalls. Doing little building Mr..
Greer"
Greer nodded curtly. Yes
"A bit of remodeling, looks like" the Boss
said genially, turning on his charm.
4HE stocky man nodded, and with the
handle of the hammer in his square hand
pointed at the old-fashioned frame house
jacked up on blocks. Going to fix the place
up into little apartments. Figure can make
nine apartments out of the old house - small
and cozy for the modern trade Going to do
it all myself, figure - every tap of it, I'm
pretty handy. I've saved up for long time
Greer thawed as he told this. as man will
when speaking of dream. He was fellow
somewhere around sixty stopped bit from
a lifetime of hard work, but possessed still
of powerful strength and vitality. 1--we fig
ured on it long time" he said. "A mans got
Evening star., 1941-05-11
II AShort Story Complete in This Issue

ASAo'' Story Complete in . This Issue
~ HERE was nothing personal in Boss
Spickard's persecution of the man
d Greer. At least not in the beginning
For Boss Spickard was man with great
heart, always eager to do favor. He would
do favor for man if he had to smash him
first to make the favor necessary.
Pull up here" he ordered his chauffeur,
that morning when it all started
but they're waiting for us at the City
Hall, Ed" the mayor said, beside the Boss.
They can wait. Never forget the little
man," the Boss advised, getting out as the
limousine stopped. 1t was fine sunny morn
ing, and the Boss was in mellow mood
Only yesterday the opposition paper, facing
bankruptcy, had discharged its crusading
editor, man named Plym. and was now
ready to accept favors from the machine.
Boss Spickard now had this city in his pocket.
The city controlled the county, and the
county, the state. But the Boss would never
get too big to pick up a single stray vote
and now as he stood in the sunlight immacu-
late in his pin-striped suit, gardenia in button
hole, he smiled in anticipation.
A pile of lumber was on the sidewalk, be-
fore lot on which was big old-fashioned
frame house lacked up on blocks A big
policeman was telling short, stocky man
dressed in overalls: Get this stuff cleared off
the sidewalk, right away"
Evening star., 1941-05-11

from the Boss to the inspector The mans
solid face was expressionless, but there was
sullen spark deep in his eyes, He closed his
code book with snap, rammed it in his
pocket, and strobe to his big box of tools.
Out of it he took twelve pound sledge and
began attacking the green concrete. Embar-
raised, the Inspector looked at the Boss
Tight Tipped the Boss wheeled toward his
limousine.
wait minute, Greer, " the Inspector said.
Maybe if you had talk with the Boss -"
Greer rested his hands on the handle of the
sledge.
"I1l build according to code" he said
/ HE Boss was busy man, but he found
time to drop around to Greer's place occa-
sionally. Greer made new foundation and
lowered the house upon it. Then he started
making his nine little apartments out of the
old mansion. He worked hard but his prog
ress wasn't fast. Much of the work had to be
done over. A small SUBJ section of the electri-
cal code caused him to rip out the armored
cable he had installed and replace it with con-
duit. And there was the plumbing code. Greer
put in his bathrooms six times, and tore them
out six times. Finally the Inspector admitted,
the seventh time, Il can't see anything
wrong"
What with one thing and another, it took
Greer longer than he had figured on. 1t was
two years and month before he was ready
to apply for an occupancy permit.
During these two years, the Boss had con-
solidated his position. With the state firmly
in his grasp, he was looking into the future,
and toying with an idea that took his breath
away. He could make man or break him.
Any man. What greater victory than to make
a president? This breath-taking idea was
something the Boss never uttered aloud; but
his eyes cleaned as he looked into the future.
Maybe not next election, or the next. But
begin building -.
CONTINUED on pose 13)
Evening star., 1941-05-11

The Inspector didn
meet the stocky mans
eye. ITS there in the code
book. In black and white.
Eight-inch foundation"
Greer got the blue
bound code book from his
overalls pocket, and stud
led it. When his eyes came
up, he saw the Boss had
arrived. The big Limousine
was at the curb. and the
Boss, immaculate in his
pin-striped suit and gar
denia. was surveying the
foundation and beaming.
Mice work, Greer" the
Boss greeted. Fine. close
grained ooncrete!!"
But a half inch shy"
the inspector said. Il hate
like the devil to make him
bust it out. But what can
| do?"
We'll, there might be a
way out" the Boss said.
Drop around to my
Office, Greer, and we'll
talk it over.
Greer looked slowly
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-29

ing above the mud on eght-foot piles stood
a forlorn, disintegrated six-room house. The
only landscaping 10 break the muddy monotony
was considerable pile Of rusty tin cans, bot
ties and other rubbish strewn around by the
kitchen door.
1t was obvious why this junk pile was in
this particular spot II was impossible 10
throw anything out of the windows or to see
anything out of them for that matter. The
panes sash and all had been removed and
doubtless sold for the price of some Of the
cans and bottles The blind eyes Of the house
had been closed permanently by mailing tin,
boards and. the like over them.
Faint traces of what had once been coat
Of paint and patches of moss cling'rg to the
rotting roof were the only color notes which
relieved the melancholy drab Of this depress-
ing and sinister human habitation. Directly
overhead floated hopeful buzzard
Them windows weren't no good nohow,"
il was later explained. IF you looked out you
didn't see nothin' worth lookn at an if they
was open the only fresh air that come in was
full Of mud-stnk and mosquitoes"
At the sound of squashy footsteps APP
preaching the house, the kitchen door opened
and Adolph gasped in an awcd whisper:
That's him"
The man who emerged and descended the
riCkcty steps was certainly mo- Dracula in
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-29

hardened criminal had he been lying. But
Adolph stood the test Convinced that at
least wrong situation of some kind existed,
Sheriff De Breton made up a party 10 ac-
company him a trip Of investigation. They
studied their maps and planned to 90 in two
automobiles.
You can't get there in, no cars Adolph
told them.
This shows a road leading down to the
lake" said the Sheriff, pointing to his map.
That amt no road" Adolph insisted. IT'S
just two deep ruts in the mud. Nothin but
wagon with high wheels can git through. But
you have to go that way becuz that's where 1
hid his boat II anybody found it, l dunno
where we will git another one. hid it quite
a piece from the ruts, an I walked back TO
the ruts through the water SOS he wouldn't
see no footprints in the mud. But he's right
smart-an' allus finds out everything, so
dunno. / hope he amt hurt nom and the
kids becuz run away"
THE party found the last leg of the journey
to be horse and buggy proposition indeed
They were fortunate in finding the boat where
Adolph had hidden it, probably because the
a-seeing he" had no way of getting over
from Cow Island to recover II. Evidence that
the boy had been telling the truth accumulated
as the expeditionary force landed. There, ris-
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-29
Bv LOUISE V. ARMSTRONG

II Is my belief Watson" said Shcr-
lock Holmes, that the lowest and vlest
alleys in the city, do not present a more
dreadful record of sin than does the smi-
ing and beautiful countryside. The pres
sure of public opinion can do in the town
what the law cannot accomplish. There
is no lane SO vile that the scream Of a tor
tured child or the thud Of a drunkard's
blow, does not beget sympathy and indig-
nation among the neighbors. and then the
Whole machinery Of justice is ever so
close that word of complaint can set it
going"
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-29

for the old stove and the kettles they had
where's your father, sonny"
He died mos two years ago He was
a-workin on a building that was goin to be
a hospital. We thought 1t was sunstroke but
the doctors said it was somethin' different
don't remember what"
How did you and your mother and the
other children get mixed up in this affair"
He made us" the boy said with a shud-
der. us kids was scairt of him He allus
looked at so funny it give us the creeps.
l reckon my MON kinda scairt of him
too-but he kept a-tallIin and a-takin 1
dunno. He kept a-sayin we'd gotta GO An
bym by l guess nom got to thinkin mebbe
he knowed best. An anyhow we didn't have
no money, an there was hardly nothin else
we could do"
FURTHER questioning brought out the in
! formation that he" the mysterious old
mantle tyrant Of Cow Island-was former
resident Of Poplarve, one Joseph w Walker,
s. years old. He had been a sharecropper.
He and his wife an old woman who was allus
asmilin kinda queer-ike" lived on farm on
the outskirts of town.
They were next-door neighbors to the
much of them before "pappy" died. After the
funeral the old man began coming over to the
Davis house. He invited the widow and chill
dren TO move TO his place and share his
farm. His invitation refused at first, but
he kept "a-talkin'" and finally the Davis fam
lily did go over TO the Walker farm TO visit
and to help with the work.
Walker fed them generously and treated
them kindly The visits had continued Then
a few months later-Adolph was not sure
why they had all gone away together.
Walker had said they were going to find some
place where everything would be better but
once they had left home and wandered away
with him things did not get better but kept
getting worse and A
The officers Of the law led the boy back
and forth over his fantastic story. asking
shrewd questions which would have trapped
bv American Weekly Inc Great Britain Rights RE
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-29

back country, might never have been known
had it not been for the bravery of sixteen
year-old Adolph Davis. the big brother" of
the family involved in the tragedy.
ONE morning policeman in Baton Rouge,
~ Louisiana, suddenly accosted he was
walking along his beat found himself looking
down into the terrified eyes Of ragged
dishevelled boy. who looked as if he had
stepped out of the cast of Tobacco Road"
AN old mans got my MON and my little
brother and my two sisters prisoners on an
island in a house on stills. l don't care what
he does TO me. I'm gonna tell" the boy
blurted out. Take me TO the Sheriff."
Adolph was escorted to the Sheriffs office
The deputies were skeptcal at first as to the
truth of his story, but the boys pathetic
nestness and his obvious terror of the mys-
FERROUS he" from whose persecution he had
fled, finally convinced them that they had bet
ter look into this affair. Could it be possible
they wondered, that this boy actually was a
fugitive from slavery 1t certainly sounded
"fishy' but
Go on with your story son." they said
A DOLPH told them that he had tried 10 get
~ back to Poplarvile, Mississippi his little
home town. Uncle Sam Davis was there and
maybe he would help. But Adolph got lost
and to his dismay, found himself in the big
Louisiana city, the only real city he had ever
seen All this was incidental, however.
What really mattered and the boy stuck
10 his story in spite of kindly but persistent
questioning that his widowed mother
and his brother and sisters were on Cow
Island, no mans land Of some 20 900 acres
of mud fats in large lake the vaguely
drawn border between Louisiana and Misss-
spp place SO desoate and God-forsaken
that IL was referred to in neghboring counties
as East and West OF the law"
He made us go there" Adolph insisted
"An he beats us, an makes us work and work.
an ne don't give us hardly nothin TO eat"
The Shern's deputies were surprised to
learn that anyone had ever built house and
tried 20 live on this dreary waste of mud
Negroes had lived there Adolph said. but he"
had made them get out of the house and leave
the island
did this man who took you there pay the
Negroes TO vacate the house ?" Adolph was
asked.
No. ] don't guess So" said the boy Il
heard ON sayin they was glad 10 cit their
feet outa the mud But he give EN- a dollar
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-29

SO primitive that policing given
area presents the most complex
problems The city cop" in a
tough district may encounter
Gravcr dangers. but at least he
has no difficulty getting around
his beat dit is comparatively
easy for him TO observe what is
going on. But the rural worker.
good or bad, cannot be omnis-
cient. In the cabin hidden deep
in the forest, on the desolate,
lonely farm, the scream of a
tortured child or the thud of a
drunkards blow" is seldom heard
by the person who could come to
the rescue.
Throughout the length and
breadth of the land children Of
the forgotten back country suf-
fer their ordoals -Hnlveo n -
most of the enlightened pun'i" -
very unique case of this KIND ,las
recently come To light in the
South.
If Sherlock Holmes were in
vest g ting rural
America he certainly
would bC reused from
the dreaded boredom
which had always
been his curse, and
inspired to his best
efforts upon discov-
ering that a widowed
mother and her four
children were being
held on a remote is
land in a Mississippi "A
lake by a mysterious
old man.
The history of this ~'s>s~'ss4
strange and terrible
episode taking place
i'm the W i derne ss,
safely hidden from observation an
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-29

safely hidden from observation and investiga-
tons as are many sordid dramas Of the
back country, might never have been known
had it not been for the bravery of sixteen
year-old Adolph Davis. the big brother" of
the family involved in the tragedy
The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-11-21
WATER1oWN UuEoponaont Ars stephen cansy Phone wassrsSwn ioae
Church Women Name
 Chicken Pie Aides
Congregational Event Set for December S-Marian
 Gillette Scavenger Party Hostess

at Columbia hall tonight. A pro. gram including one-aot play The Thirteenth Degree" will be present. cd before an audience, which 1t Is expected will include many mem- bers of various visiting Oranges,
 Memorial Mass
 A memorial requiem Mass for the repose of the souls of deceased members of st. Johns Holy Name Society will be sung at 8 o'clock to- morrow morning at st, Johns church,
 Legion To Meet
 A regular meeting of Leroy c. Woodward Post, American Legion, will be held in the Legion clubroom at 6 o'clock tonight,
 Personals
 Mrs. Arthur w, Mitchell, wife of Congressman Arthur Mitchell of Washington, D. C., is spending e few days ct the home of her sister Mrs, Roderlck Fitch and Mir, Fitch of Washington, D. 0,
 MT. and Mrs. Fitch are also en. tertaining their daughter, Mrs. Will son T, Adams, the former Miss Elsie Fitch.
 Richard Valuckas, small son of MT. and Mrs. "Sparky" Valuckas, who has been q patient ct the New Haven hospital for tho past two months, returned to his home on Sunset avenue, Wednesday evening,
 Edward Cantield of the U, s, Army, who recently visited his mother, Mrs. Edward Canfield of Catherine avenue, has returned to the Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aber- deen, Maryland, where he is sta. toned.
 MT. and Mrs. Herbert Dayton, their daughter Miss Thelma Day. ton and son Truman Dayton, spent Thanksgiving at the home Of Mrs DNyton's sister, Mrs, George B, Hitchcock in Easton.
 MT. and Mrs. Edgar Moherg of Highland avenue, entertained for the holiday, MT. Moberg's mother, Mrs. Henry Moberg of Worcester, Mass, and Mrs, Moberg's mother, Mrs, Annie Hannington Of Newtown,
 MT. and Mrs. Bronson Lockwood of Litehfield road entertained yes- terday for Mrs, LoeRwood'S brother, MT. Robert Porter, Mrs. Porter and their daughter Jean of Larchmont, N, Y.
 MT. and Mrs. Loekwood's daugh- ter Barbara, who Is at school in Mass saehuSettS is also ct her home for the holidays,
 Mrs, Raymond Gillette of Llnkaeld road has had as c recent guest, Mrs George Nichols of Bridgeport,
The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-11-21
ToRRlNGToN Correspondents James Markham. ss Pyhan Avsnus> Local Car Overtulns In Bristol, One Hurt
Mrs. Mary Constantine WrenChes Shoulder But Illus.
 band and Son Escape Without Injuries

injuries suffered last Friday when he accidentally fell down stairs of the Alhambra building, according to Medical Examiner H. B. Hanchett.
 He was born in Torrington and lived here all his life. He vas Q social member of Court Washington, Foresters Of America. Surviving are three brothers, William. Patrick and Daniel; two sisters, Mrs. Thomas Dwyer and Mrs. Robert Smith, and several nieces and nephews, all of Torrington.
 The funeral will be held Saturday morning ct e:S0 o'clock from the QleeSon mortuary, to St. Francis church ct Q o'clock. Burial will be in old st, Francis cemetery. Friends may call ct the funeral home this afternoon and tonight.