St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1956-05-18


department officials and depar
No. Is.
An unwrit,qa policy, app
partment heads mas developed in
TO white and slac.S bed" policy
since the migration OF the de-
partment several years ago.
Some few white firemen viii
not use the same bed used by Me-
gro firemen who relieve them on
duty, and instead insist on hav-
ing special bed which can only
be used by the white firemen ON
duty,
II is understood that the prac-
uce was innaugurated after Lee
roy Coleman. Si3 w Central Av,
was promoted TO fire captain and
assigned 10 fire station 10. His
opposite number, Captain Matt
Rcmackel, commanding the A
SHIFT openly stated that he was
not going 20 use the bed in the
captains quarters provided by the
city II Coleman slept In Il.
Remackel Immediately ordered
an additional bed for himself, an
act which Is apparently not ao-
cording TO departmental regula-
tons. Remackel was so vociferous
about not wanting TO sleep in the
same bed that Negro slept In,
that the practice began TO grow
among some of the rank and file
firemen.
Some white firemen, however,
have never participated In the In
sulting racist campaign, using the
sleeping accommodation assigned
them. Each fireman provides his
own bed linen and blankets. The
city provides the beds and mat
treSaeA,
Capt. Leroy Coleman was on
probation when the problem de-
veloped and he did not bring the
matter to the attention OF his
superior officers, although what
had occurred was known turnout
the community.
Several weeks ago the ST. Paul
| NAACP, through It's president,
Frank Smith, protested TO the st.
Paul FEP commission about the
discriminatory policy both as to
sleeping Accommodations and pol
Icy Of assigning Negro firemen
only TO certain stations in the city.
The NAACP claims this latter
discrimination prevents Negro
American firemen from learning
the various types OF fire fighting
equipment, the various districts
and therefore initiates against
them In promotional examinations,
which are based on knowledge Of
different types Of equipment and
familiarity with the various fire
districts and conditions in them.
After an investigation by Dan
lei JacobowsIti, executive director
OF the st. Paul FEPC and a re-
port. meeting OF firemen as
signed TO station No. IS, was held
Monday, June II.
Present at the meeting were
Asst. fire chief John Barry, dis
trict chiefs Don Loney, Walter
Mayer. william Conroy and
Charles Roney.
Also present were captains Matt
Remackel and Leroy Coleman.
After a discussion Of the prob
lens projected by the FEP In
vesti CATION, Asst Chief Barry Is
reported TO have said that Frank
Smith (NAACP president) and
JacobowskI CFEPC directory are
not running the fire department"
Then following a long discus
sion Chief Barry said that griev-
ances should be brought to the at
tention Of department officials
rather than 10 outsiders"
white Bed" Removed
The special white" bed which
Capt. Remackel had installed In
the captain quarters had been or
dered removed a day or 30 before
the meeting. When Capt. Re-
mackei asked II he could get his
bed back, Chief Barry said, mo.
never"
The discussion at the meeting
also revealed that Capt. Coleman
he'd reported the black bed" in
cident 20 his superior district
chief Walter Mayer, after ne had
served his probationary period.
Coleman said chief Mayer told
him he didn't think the bed situa-
ton was important enough to
make an issue OF IL.
At the meeting II is reported
Coleman said Remackei told him
frankly. Il won't sleep in a bed a
mr. has slept in" Remackel de-
MED he used the racial epithet but
admitted that ne had refused TO
use the same bed Capt. Coleman
used.
II was also charged at the meet
ing that fireman Philip sadowslSy.
a member Of the Jewish faith got
into the station argument about
beds by phoning one OF the Ne
gro members OF the night SHIFT