File:Chicago Bee Front Page SUNDAY, MAY 1, 1938.jpg

English: Last Houston Riot Martyr Finally Released

TODAY’S TALK

MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION "ANTI-SEMETIC” ITS CAUSE THE ANSWER ★ By A. N. FIELDS RABBI MANN was called into a conference a few days ago… the meeting of a white southside merchants’ association. The purpose of the meeting—as stated by a Mr. Roth who was said to be a lawyer— was that “The object of this association is to get rid of Kelly and Dynamite.” He was arrested in his remarks by W. P. Harrison who, in unmistakable language, informed the conferees that, if that was the purpose of the meeting, they had might as well adjourn at once; stating that he understood, “according to letters sent out by their committee that the object was to discuss community … summary of the religious responsibility of minority groups. Regardless of the attitude of this particular association, the Jewish business program in the southside community has had much to do wi^^p5&«*^ng and fettering the Anteiness, civic and moral advancement. The very psychology of those who operate concerns in the community, their unity of purpose in bunding themselves together and preventing Negro people from even renting store fronts on 47th street, except for a limited class of business, indicates that their attitude has contravened Negro advancement. If Negroes have learned to dislike Jews it is because the Jews themselves by their conduct in Negro communities have fanned the flame into lire. The question involved is not an anti-Semitic question; it is fundamentally an economic question. The Negro people are tired of being plundered, overcharged and of times short weighted by a class of merchants whose ruthless business intercourses have already created an anemic condition in the arteries of Negro business life. There are at this moment saloons operated on 47th street between Indiana arid Cottage Grove that should not be allowed to exist in any community. They cater to the lowest type in the community with no thought of those (Continued on page 2, col. 2)

Escaped Lifer Killed Returning for His Buddies CLARKSDALE, Miss., April 28 —When he went back to affect a wholesale liberation of his prison buddies, M. V. McNutt. 33, a lifer, was shot and killed Tuesday by K. E. Jones, colored guard. McNutt had escaped Monday night from the state penitentiary at Parch man. He returned Tuesday, armed to free prisoners at the stockade camp No. 11. Threatens Guard The guard said McNutt threated him with a pistol, in an attempt to force him to assist him in freeing the other prisoners. Seizing an opportunity when McNutt was off his guard. Jones picked up a rifle and shot the prisoner in the stomach. Death was believed to have been instantaneous. McNutt had been committed to the state penitentiary three years ago on a life row for murder

PRESIDENT DR. SHERMAN D. SCRUGGS, Supervisor of Negro schools Kansas City, Kansas, who recently accepted the invitation to serve as the president of Lincoln university, Jefferson City, Missouri. He will fill the position previously held for six years by Mr. Charles W. Florence. Dr. Scruggs will assume his duties July 1, 1938.

URBANA, Ohio, April 28—Dr. Charles L. Hill, dean of theology at Morris Brown college, Atlanta, was awarded the Doctor of Philosophy degree by Ohio State university at the winter convocation, thus accomplishing the record of earning five degrees at the age of 31… Dr. Hill will return to Atlanta in September to resume his duties at Morris Brown college.

BIGAMY CHARGES FACE STEWART HARLEM ROMEO; COPS FREED William Sau Hurt Stewart, New Yorker, whose inter-racial marriage made front page headlines in Chicago dailies and weekly papers last week, found himself in hot water when he was arrested early this week on charges of suspected bigamy… The young woman was taken back to New York, and the next day Stewart appeared before Judge Caplan and asked for warrants charging kidnapping (Continued on page 2, eol, i)

FREE 21 YEARS NAACP Victor in Liberation Fight KANSAS CITY Mo., April 28 —Stewart W. Phillips, the last of the “Houston Martyrs”, the colored soldiers who were imprisoned because of their resentment against the treatment accorded them by Houston, Texas, citizens during the war, was freed from Leavenworth penitentiary April 19. Phillips, overjoyed at his release, sent the following telegram to Walter White, NAACP secretary, in New York City: “Just freed this morning. Am overjoyed and my appreciation knows no bounds. Will write later. Thanks a million.” It is a coincidence that Phillips should be sending his good news from Kansas City, for the campaign to release these men was the high point of the annual conference of the NAACP held, here in 1923. A ieuiuie of the conference was a pilgrimage of all the delegates to Leavenworth prison, near here, to visit the (Continued on page 2, col. 3)

Burns Fatal to Aged Man Believed to have fallen asleep while tending the furnace… Osie Gilmore… He was 65 years old. Death resulted a few hours later at the hospital…

Mortician Vindicated in $25,000 Libel Suit… VICTOR CHARLES CROOK, prominent Chicago undertaker, who was vindicated of libel charges growing out of a $25,000 suit preferred against him by R. R. Reed, executive secretary of the Independent National Funeral Directors' Association. Mr. Crook won $500 judgment against Reed in a counter suit.

Dantz Inquest Is Continued Indefinitely At the inquest held in the death of John Dantz, 5343 Calumet ave, at county morgue, Friday morning, hearing was continued indefinitely pending the apprehension of Ralph Pye, 5034 Calumet ave, wanted in connection with Dantz’s death...

3 Whites Die in Chair for Slaying Negro BELLEFONTE, Pa., April 28 —Three white youths paid with their lives in the electric chair here early Monday morning for the slaying of Floyd Tranon, 38-year-old Negro...

Ralph E. Mizelle; Speaks at Alpha Phi Alpha Forum; assistant attorney in the Solicitor’s Office. Post Office Department, Washington, was the speaker at the monthly Forum of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity last Saturday night, April 23, before a large group of the members. Talking from the subject, “Behind the Scenes with the New Deal’’…

Randolph to Visit in the South WASHINGTON, D. C., April 28 —Following the signing of a wage agreement with the Pullman company last August…

DEAN LEWIS SPEAKS ON By HARRY O. ABBOTT Dean Jesse W. Lewis of Howard university’s School of Commerce …“The Challenge of Business.” …“Bigger and Better Negro Business” campaign

SUCCESS MARKS CLOSE OF 38 URBAN LEAGUE MEMBER DRIVE In a blaze of glory, the Chicago Urban League brought the first phase of its 1938 campaign for memberships to a close…

Chair Goes Haywire; Two Get Reprieve HUNTSVILLE, Tex., April 2— (ANP)—Early last Friday morning at stale prison, John Vaughn, convicted slayer of a policeman. stood before the electric chair, declaring his innocence before the 40 spectators and officials in the death chamber—when suddenly the electricity for the death chair failed. Warden Waid hurriedly called to Chaplain Garrett, standing at Vaughn’s side. “Wait just a minute. The motor is down.” A quick inspection revealed a motor-generator had broken down. The warden phoned Gov. Allred who reprieved Vaughn and another condemned prisoner, Johnnie Banks—convicted of killing a 13-year-old girl—for a week. Smoking a cigar and unmindful of the commotion caused by the interrupted execution, Vaughn said to the witnesses: “I have a speech I want to make to you men. I am being executed to save another man from being executed. I said a prayer today ana I asked God to stop this electrocution, and He has brought warning to man to realize it was against His will ... I fell heir to another man’s crime.” When he had finished the warden led him back to his cell in “death row.”

Hold Funeral of C. W. Williams, Hamburger King Funeral services were held Monday…

Action Is Severely Criticized Four boys, all in their teens, stood before Judge Posanski Monday morning in e nle court, facing serious charge growing out of a shooting in the lobby of the Wat Avenue YMCA on the night of Mar. 4.The shooting climaxed a dance: at the “Y” Despite the evidence presented, the seriousness of the charges against the youths, the fact that they refused to cooperate with police, probation officers and "Y’ officials in connection with the case, Judge Posanski ordered: them released. He gave them until May 25 to tell where they secured the guns used in the affray, and what disposition was made of them. The guns have never been recovered Court’s Action Protested. The court's action was bitterly protested by Howard D. Gould and Joe Jefferson … (Continued on page 2, col. 6)

Kansans Win Fight for Use of Swim Pool

NEWTON. Kans., April 28—On April 15, citizens through the local branch of the NAACP won the first step in what observers believed would be a long bitterly-contested legal battle to compel city officials to admit Negroes to the municipal swimming pool. The Kansas supreme court refused to throw out a suit brought against the city, ruling that there was ground for action bind that the city of Newton must answer in 30 days. Attorneys for the city had sought to have the motion quashed. The Newton branch of the NAACP has retained Elisha Scott, famous Topeka lawyer, as chief counsel. … Built with city funds secured through a bond issue voted at the general election, the use of the pool, the local branch contends, is as much a right of colored citizens as whites, since they also pay taxes and voted for the bond issue for a municipal pool. They are being denied their rights illegally, they contend, in being barred from using the pool.