davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Key West citizen., 1952-10-06
By BILL MEYERS

Among the 5000 people living on
the island of Key West, are about
1000 Bahama Negroes. These
gentle people are worthy of trust:
speak the Queens English as she
would have it spoken. They are ex-
ceedingly devout. Their faith is so
intensely abiding it shines like a
bright light in their faces. know
hundreds of these fine folks, and
am proud to number many as loyal
friends.
l have a deep respect and ad-
miration for their splendid teach
ings to the young;- their gentle
actions, and especially their trans
cendent faith in the God who Great
ed them. Their hearts continually
sing praises, and they seek ways to
help less fortunate brothers and
sisters. l have personally seen
many such incidents.
In Key West they have their own
schools and Churches, and Key
Westers admire them for the above
qualifications. They have equal OPP
portunity for most jobs they are
capable of holding;- many work for
the U. S. Navy. Eleven years on
this exotic island have taught me
that which write, and have proven
the Bahamian Negro to be exactly
as described.
There is something unbelieva-
bly, beautiful which they possess
which escapes the writer;- but he
knows their loving hearts are as
white as Gods driven snow. Their
existence is simplicity itself. They
are an humble people. Many earn
their daily bread by the sweat of
their brows;- they praise their God
from the depths of their hearts.
Because Of their unfailing faith,
mother nature reveals many Sec
rets to the Bahama Negro.
They learn which plants and
trees are beneficial to health, and
they could tell one of many herbs
growing prolifically, that have help
ed make miraculous cures. They
keenly appreciate the slightest re-
cognition, and when their precious
eyes witness a miracle of plant life,
they share their joy.
Listen to Bahama Negro hum
ming as he works, and invariably
it win be hymn of praise. Their
complaints are few and far be-
tween. Would that / could say that
about many whites who bore others
with their endless tales of aches
and pains. No man cares to hear
such for very long, for in the
secret recesses of every heart each
of US bears a Cross and we all
have aches and pains regardless of
color.
In the early 1sOO'S British gentle
men carried slaves from Africa to
the Bahama Islands. Many of these
worked on ships for these Britains
were Sea Captains who owned
splendid sailing vessels that sailed
to all the far corners Of the earth,
Many Of the slaves worked on their
Bahama farms and in their house
holds;- and they always proved
proved themselves absolutely trust
The Key West citizen., 1952-10-06
BY RICHARD ElsKE

NEW YORK R - Industry fol.
lowed a familiar path Of high pro-
duction last week and the sign
posts pointed to weeks of heavy
outrut ahead.
For the moment, the nations
economy appeared headed up a
'one-way street,
Unemployment was close TO the
lowest level since the end Of the
war. The workers were spending.
Business was borrowing to expand
and make more business.
Bank statements continued 70
show money was being salted
away. And retail sales showed
money was being spent too.
A LOT Of the spending was on
paper. This was reflected in con
The Key West citizen., 1952-10-06
The Bahama Negro: Lis Life And Death

With a voice of promise they
come and part.
They sleep in dust through the win
try hours,
They break in glory bring
flowers. bright flowers.
Shortly after the termination OF
the Spanish-American War, 1898;
Anthony Welters, Sr. formed the
''Welters Cornet Band" and for 81
years the band has been rendering
services. Samuel Bastian, age II is
the oldest living member, he joined
the original band at its inception.
Frank H. Welters, son of Anthony
is today's Cornetist. Many of the
band have gone to their reward,
but none are forgotten. They sleep,
most of them in peaceful Key West
resting grounds, and flowers bloom
above their heads; nurtured by the
living members. The band numbers
about twenty. Many are now in uni
form; many in Korea, some wound
ed, others passed on to the great
beyond from whence no man re-
turns. A Bahama Negro is always
willing, indeed anxious to get into
the uniform of these glorious,
United States he loves so ardently,
and he gives his life with fatalistic
joy fighting in the ranks as all good
soldiers do. You, fellow band mem
bers in far off Korea, we your Key
West friends fervently pray for
your safety and home coming; you
are in our prayers, and we hope
fervently, that whene'er things get
too rough; fond memory will carry
you back to your home town, Key
West, and that cheer shall come at
pleasant memories you enjoyed
here. Good luck boys. The home
fires are burning awaiting your re-
turn.
When the Angel with the Flaming
Sword calls a Bahama Negro to
his reward and he is a Lodge men,
ber;- as most of them are;- they
hold a beautiful, expressive funeral
usually Sunday afternoons. The
ladies dress in snow white; shoes,
stockings: long gloves: hat:
white gown: everything in purest
white the men wear dark clothes.
1t takes them almost an hour to
walk five short blocks to the Gene
terry their wonderful band play
ing a Hymn with such solemnity,
tears fill the eyes, Then in solemn
devotion they lay their brother to
rest. Outside the burial grounds
they form in line again. the band
strikes up tune, very lively tune
and they sing, cheer and shout as
they, rapidly 60 home, gleefully.
And we, you and | should not won
der at this; for their divine philoso-
ply is;- their departed friend had
much trouble while on EARTH they
his brethren have done everything
they could for him. now that he
has returned to his Creator, they
rejoice in humble devotion deeply
feeling that all his sorrows are
past.
Just another beautiful. tradition
of these wonderful, lovely Bahama
we of Key West admire
so profoundly.
The Key West citizen., 1952-10-06
Americans Rush
Too Much Saws
Indian Leader

HOLLYWOOD R--The president
of the India Motion Picture Pro-
ducers Association thinks Ameri-
cans rush too much.
"Your country has made Won
derful progress, but why is every
body in such q hurry7" asked
Chandulal Shah. India could use
some OF Americas creative drive,
but America, ! think, needs some.
thing Of India's happy. contented
and spiritual view Of life
He Is one Of group Of movie
stars. producers and technicians
visiting Hollywood TO study tech
niques.
The Key West citizen., 1952-10-06
FLOWERS

They speak Of hope to the fainting
heart. -
The Key West citizen., 1952-10-06
THIS ROCK OF OURS

sILL clBs

isn't house withii half d milel
Secret Meetings
The city commissioners are not
exactly loafing on the job. Some-
times they meet in private and
battle among themselves about
local problems instead Of bringing
the matter out into the open. The
police forces for instance, was the
subject of one such meeting and
not word of the proceedings was
released to the newspaper. Whye
From several different authorita-
tive sources I've been able to piece
together pretty much Of what went
on at that meeting. II seems 20
have been a constructive get-t0.
gether and one that has been need.
ed for a long time. Much of the pre-
sent murmuring that is going on
against the police force would be
stopped if the commissioners saw
fit to announce to the public that
everything possible is being done
to improve the situation with re-
gard to law enforcement.
Secrecy just doesn't register wen
with the average voter.
II a.. a.
The Key West citizen., 1952-10-06
Douglass Says
Ike Surrendered

AEIsSOUI.A. Mont. R.--Sen. Paul
Douglas gD-Tiil told . Democratic
rally Friday night that Gen,
Dwight d. Eisenhower's "surTen.
der to Sen. Taft has been complete
and becomes more pronounced
with every day
The Illinois senator said Essen
hover meekiy signed on the dotted
lire ard agreed that he thought
just like Sen. Taft On domestic is-
sues and that there we're only Of.
ferences 81 degree between them
on matters Of fnreign policy
D0uEIas said he had . personal
aftecsiun for ghe Republican pres.
idenfiai candidate even thcaEh the
eeneral ''gDs ins0 bad company
The Key West citizen., 1952-10-06

cess ahead uSth the eitmax . res
ogs gAgssfrnAs hagfng
f,an ans HrnAxsreea fhe hnxsnsss
regsaag srsAgx. SID sAorveTs -
moxs seess meFe hag st8AftY
sess snan ~ pxwxas wesk hza
x asKx year ANa
The Key West citizen., 1952-10-06

you hate work and admit it, at least you're honest.
OF course there those who like and they beyond
enlightment.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1952-02-15

didn't cat them. Next they bought
didn't eat them. Next they
brought cup that looked as
though it had pudding in it. 1t was
hot and was yellow in color. l
dipped down in it and found meat
mushrooms, and beans. l tasted it
and it wasn't very good but dccid-
cd to eat anyway. | got piece of
meat and it was fish and didn't
taste too bad. Koga was sitting
beside me and he is japanese
American and can speak some
Japanese and he asked me If l
knew what had eaten and | told
him it was fish and he said il was
but the kind it was, was eel so
/ didn't cat any more of that.
Next they brought out beer and
saki. / decided TO try some of this
Saki. I couldn't say l had been to
Japan and not drank any Saki.
Saki is rice wine and is served
hot.
1t is kept in a small clay bottle
in hot water until it is ready to
be served. II is served in a little
cup. | smellcd it and il smellcd
like pcrfumed alcohol but / was
still determined to try it. | tasted
ii and it wasn't too bad. There
was waitress for every two pco-
pie. Then the music started.
There were five Giesha girls.
One was the instructor of Geisha
girls in Sendai, one was the best
singer of the ancient songs that
the Geisha's dance to and the 9TH
or two were the best pupils of the
teacher. Two of them played an
instrument that looked like q
ukulele with handle about three
times as long. She used a pick
that looked like the thing | used
TO scrape the ice off my windows
with. Two danced and the other
one sang. 1t was quite interesting.
These ritualiStic japanese dane
es are very different. They go
through the motions of digging in
coal mine and rowing boat
and shoveling coal and pulling in
the fish nets and a bunch of stuff
like that. The costumes were very
bright kimonos that hung to the
Continued on Page T.0o)
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1952-02-15
Mother of Three Killed In
Route 40 Crash Near Alton

A Columbus mother of three
children was killed Thursday when
an auto in which she was riding
rolled over a 10-foot embankment
on Route 40 near Alton. She was
Mrs. Frances Williams, 81, a di-
vorcee of 275 E. Town ST., Colum-
bus.
Driver of the car, according TO
the Highway Patrol, was Mrs.
Ann Keaton, 25, of the. same ad-
dress. The accident occurred about
q half mile west of Alton.
Highway Patrolman N. j. Nc
Clurg reported that Mrs. Keaton
told him they were enroute to
Dayton and that she was taking
Mrs. Williams there for a busi-
ness appointment.
Mrs. Keaton said she saw a
speed limit sign and applied the
brakes and Mrs. Williams grabbed
the wheel when the car started
skidding. The car jumped the
highway divider, rolled over once
and went into deep ditch on the
south side of the road. The pa
trolman said Mrs. Williams was
apparently thrown from the Car
and pinned beneath it.
Patrolmen and members of the
Prairie Township emergency
squad worked frantically to re-
move the Car from Mrs. Williams
body before a wrecker arrived
from garage in New Rome. 1t
was not known that Mrs. Williams
was dead until the wrecker re-
moved the car from her body.
Mrs. Keaton was taken to Mt.
Carmel Hospital for examination
for possible chest injuries. Mrs.
Williams is survived by two sons,
Franklin Is, and Darrell, 10 of the
Town ST., address and a 16-year-
old daughter living in Maryland.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1952-02-15
Fred Myers Dies
At w. Jefferson

Fred Myers, 81, for many years
a prominent gardner in West JEFF
ferson, especially famous for his
Strawberries, died at his home
there Friday morning after a
years illness.
Surviving are two sons, Robert
of Columbus and Ben Of West
jefferson; one daughter, Mrs.
Margaret Campbell of West JEFF
ferson; three sisters, Mrs. Lulu
Hammett and Mrs. Lilly Ham,
NETT, both of Mt. Sterling and
Mrs. Laura Jones of Cleveland;
two brothers, Edward of London
and Scott, whose address is un-
known; 10 grandchildren an d
eight great-grandchildren.
Funeral services at 2 pm. Sum
day at the Raders Funeral Home
the Rev. c. Durfey. pastor of the
Baptist Church, officiating. Inter
ment in Pleasant Hill Cemetery
Friends may call at the Funeral
home after one o'clock Saturday
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1952-02-15
Driver in Fatal
Crash Indicted
On MansIaughter

Edward S. Bolin, Columbus,
"A driver in the four-car Crash
December 7, cast of London on
Route 142, which cost the hves
of Heber Lombard go, of West
jefferson and William G. kissick,
"a. of London, was indicted on
two counts for manslaughter ny
the Madison county grand jury
which concluded a three-day ses-
sion Thursday afternoon.
The grand jury returned 18
true bills, one of which was
secret and ignored six cases.
More than 40 witnesses were ex-
amined. c. O. Thompson, OF Lon
don, was foreman of the jury.
Indictments were also returned
against Arthur W. Bishop, for
operating a motor vehicle while
intoxicated: II. r. Garrlnger
Jamestown, insufficient funds;
Daniel ]. Krause, Columbus, forg-
ing and uttering; Dale M. Mutt
Plain City, breaking and enter
ing in night season and larceny
William Ernest Wilson, Washing
ton c. H., breaking and entering
in night season and larceny; Car
Wilson, Washington c. H., break
ingg and entering in night season
and larceny; George Cleveland
Denny, beraking and entering ir
night season and larceny; Isaac
Rufus Bowen, failure to stop fol
school bus; Elton Whitney, Var
Vert, insufficient funds; Carl d
Francis, Columbus. released tC
u. S. Marshal January IL, failure
to provide; Dolores RIPPLE
Rhoades, London, grand larceny
Amos Ripley, London, forging anc
uttering; Richard Reynolds, Lon
don, forgery; Robert Jackson
London, breaking and entering ir
night season; Charles Doty
Lewisburg, forgery.
William Ernest Wilson, Car
Wilson, Elton Whitney, II. r
Garringer, Dolores Ripley
Rhoades, Richard Reynolds anc
Robert Jackson, are being helc
in the county Jail for failure tt
furnish bond.
Date of arraignment has beer
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1952-02-15
Overco.at Saves
S.heriff's Skin

Sheriff Orland Hays of Fayette
County thinks well of his over
coat. 1t kept his skin whole. He
was summoned Monday night to
Jeffersonville To check on n
strange car parked near the resi-
dence of young farm wife.
When he reached the scene,
shot gun pellets sprayed his back
and the auto. His thick overcoat
prevented the shot from injuring
him.
Don't shoot. I'm the sheriff"
ne shouted.
Il didn't think you would get
here so soon,' apologized the
housewife. She had fired at a
range of about so yards.
The auto? it belongs to two
high school boys who ran out of
gas.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1952-02-15
JaD1neSe Foods GiUe London
Soldier Unusual Experience

and wood and looked as though
it had really cost a lot to make.
There was small statue OF
buddah and a table in front of
him so that they could put food
there for the spirits to eat on
their journey from here to where
ever they go. We were told that
the house had belonged to a very
rich farmer and he had put the
altar in and fixed the house up
SO beautifully.
We all sat down around the
table including about six guys
from the bank and one of them
had his wife there. She could
speak very good English and she
had relatives in Chicago. We were
served tea in the buddah room
and also some kind of bean jelly
or something that was on a stick
and made out Of beans. / didn't
care much for it. From there we
went back across the bridge and
back up the hall to another room.
1t also had long table in it and
was just as low SO that we had to
sit on cushions on the floor. One
of the first things that caught my
eye was table about the size
Of n coffee table and it was in
laid over the top and up and
down the legs in a very unusual
design of mother of pearl. / would
certainly love to have that.
The table was set with funny
shape dishes and the stuff in side
of them was even funnier look
ing. One bowl had different types
of soshilnie in it. Now soshimie is
raw fish and needless to say
didn't eat any of it. 1t also had
some kind of blossoms and bios
som pickle in it. l ate the little
pickle and that was all in that
bowl. Another plate had a piece
of eggplant, soybean cake and
some kind of little cooked meat
that l asked about before eating
/ found out that it was a little
bird about the size of a sparrow
SO ! didn't eat that either. The
little bird still had the bones ir
it and they were to be eaten too
] tasted the eggplant and the bean
cake and didn't like them SO ]
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1952-02-15

Ecks+ein Joins
Madison Press

Robert Eckstcin, South Madi-
son Road, London, has joined the
Madison Press Company, publish
ers of the Madison Press, The
Madison County Democrat and the
West jefferson News. Mr. Eek
stein will be connected with the
advertising department Of the
company
A graduate of London High
School, class of 1910. Eckstein
saw service with the Army in the
Pacific area during World War
III and took part in the invasion Of
the PHILIPPINES, New Guinea and
Japan, serving with the famous
10th Corps.
Married and with two children,
Eckstein lives at II South Madi-
son Road with his wife, Mavis,
and daughters Connie and Cathy.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1952-02-15
London to Open
Tourney Tonight
At WesterviIIe

London High and Mt. Gilead
open the festivities in the first
Central District Exempted school
basketball tournament Friday
night in the Otterbein gymnasium
at Wcsterville.
Twelve teams are entered in
the tournament, started to cut
down the field in the District B
tournament later this month. Four
teams will qualify for the B meet
ing by their success in the ex-
empted school tourney.
The London-Mt. Gilead game
was billed for 7:3O pm. Friday.
Ma rysville, the Mid-Six CO.
champion for two straight years
and Mt. Vernon st. Vincent test
their skill in the second game
billed for 900 o'clock.
Play continues Monday, Feb.
18, Wednesday, Feb. 20 and Fri
day, Feb. % with the following
schedule:
Monday, Feb. 18
Holy Family VS.. Marion ST.
Mary, 7:30 pm; Worthington VS..
Lancaster st. Mary, 8.
Wednesday, Feb. 20
Columbus ST. Mary VS., winner
of London-Mt. Gilead game, 7:30
pm; Newark ST. Francis VS.. Win
ner of Marysville-Mt. Vernon St.
Vincent game, 8. both winners to
Central District b.
Friday, Feb, %
Granville VS.. winner of Marion
st. Mary-Holy Family game, 1880
pm; Columbus University School
VS.. winner of Worthington-Lan-
caster st. Mary game, 8 pm.
tBoth winners to District b.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1952-02-15
Plain City and
Mt. Sterling in
Contest Tonight

Midway defeated West Jeffer-
son S0-62 and Monroe edged South
Solon 55-51 to stay in the county
cage tournament at Mt. Sterling
Thursday night, The winners play
each ether on the Friday night
schedule. Midway and Monroe
play at Z and Mt Sterling and
Plain City at $50. The latter
game is in the winners bracket.
Thursday night Midway and
West jefferson went on a scoring
spree with Hay sacking "a points
for the losers and Dick Bogenrife
q for the winners.
Monroe led throughout in the
game with South Solon. Il. Sulli-
van paced the winners with is
points and KnisIey and Dorsey
each tailed IA for Scion.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1952-02-15

In recent letter to his par
ents, Cpl. Bob Rowe, former
employe at the Central Ma
tional Bank, London, and the
son of Mr.. and Mrs. Walter
Rowe, 81 East Fifth ST., vlv-
idly describes a Japanese
bankers party for servicemen
he attended in December. Cpl.
Rowe, who is serving at
Camp Sendai, Japan, wrote as
follows:
Wednesday the twenty sixth of
December, / had an experience
that few people visiting in Japan
have a chance to experience. 1t
was the night the bankers had
the party for us. Capt. Dowell,
Mrs. Dowell, 1t. Hudgins, Cpl.
Burton Cpl. Jones, Pfc. Kasdorf,
Pfc. Koga Bud our japanese in
terpreter and myself all piled in
to Capt. Dowells car and headed
for town. II was real rainy
night. We went to what we found
out is the best Japanese restau-
rant and Giesha house in Sendai
AS we walked inside we removed
our shoes and stepped in on the
rice matted floor. There was a
beautifully carved thing like those
things you sit In front Of a fire.
place sitting just as We entered
1t looked as if it was carved
from Cherry. Then VIC walked on
back along a hall that had beau
tiful wooden floor that was very
smooth and kind of red or a little
like mahogany. Then VIC got to a
place where we slipped on a pair
of house slippers and we were
walking along an outside hall way
and up over a little stone bridge
and I could make out pretty
flower garden out in the center oi
The open space then We got to an.
other building and removed oui
slippers and walked in. There was
long wooden carved table in the
center with pillows to sit or
around it. The table was about
one foot high. There was an ante
room at the side of this room and
it contained buddah altar. L
was really something to see. L
was all beautifully carved meta
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1952-02-15
Snow Ends
Mild Spell

London's official temperature
dropped to a new low of Ii de-
grees Thursday night, Weather
Observer Leonard McNeal re
ported.
Sleet and snow in the early
morning hours Thursday brought
total precipitation of "a in
London. Wednesday the tempera-
ture hit a low of 20 a high of Al
A temperature of 56 Sunday
February 10, topped the weeks
weather with a low of 27; Febru-
ary II the thermometer regis
tered 81 and dropped TO 20; Feb
ruary II, it went up to As and
down to %.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1952-02-15

Closely contested games were
on the Wednesday night Iasket-
ball menu in the Madison Count
tournament at Mt. Sterling.
Plain City, the county league
champions and title defenders.
barely noSed out Monroe in the
final seconds of play 48-47 and
Fairfield scored on a lone free
throw in the last rs seconds of
play to wrest the game from West
Jefferson 42-41. II was the first
defeat in the tournament for each
of the losing teams.
A round of losers bracket games
were billed at Mt. Sterling Thurs
day night, Midway VS. West jeff
erson at 700 and South Solon Us.
Monroe at $50.
Plain City in defeating Monroe
Wednesday night made good on
16 out Of q charity toSses while
Monroe made nine out of 20.
Monroe outScored Plain City
from the field 1916 but WIS un-
able to keep up with Plain Cityia
accuracy on fouls. The foul shot
by Taylor with Is seconds to Ee
gave the Scottics the victory.
The winners led all the way, cx-
Ccpting in the final minutes OF
play when the score was knotted
several times.
In the Fairficld-West JefferSop
game a foul shot by Wilson witi,
45 seconds to go proved the WIN
ming point. Fairfield lighted uF
in the last half after trailing TT
and 1916 in the first two guar,
tcrS.
The lead changed hands severaI
times during the contest. Murrs
was high for the losers with II
markers while Elliot and Bartor
tied for the winners with IL each
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1952-02-15

and the driver was trying to back
the truck when il y as hit by the
train at the left front wheel. Mrs.
Arthur was thrown out of the
truck and dragged by the train.
Both the w. f. Lukens and
Schlcchty-Fichner ambulances re-
sponded to the emergency call.
Injuries suffered by Carl were
undetermined, according 10 first
reports. Investigators of the ac-
cidcnt indicated that they did
not believe him to be seriously
injured.
The mother and son were be-
licVed to have been shopping in
London just before the accident
occurred.