NEGRO DELEGATES BARRED OUT

1896 Republican Convention.

Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, June 9, 1896.

NEGROES BARRED OUT.

All St. Louis Hotels Closed to Colored Delegates.

HEAPS OF TROUBLE BREWING.

Unless Other Arrangements Are Quickly made the Colored Men Will Not Be Able to Find a

 Reputable Place to Eat or Sleep.

   ST. LOUIS, June 9.—What shall be done with the colored delegates and alternates to the national Republican convention is a question which is puzzling the members of the national committee who have arrived here as well as the Business Men's League which secured the convention to St. Louis.

   Every hotel and boarding house has come out flatfooted and declared that it will entertain no negro guest or customer. Money is no object. Threats of prosecution have had no effect and from the present outlook it would seem that unless tents are secured the colored men will have to go hungry and unhoused.

   "I am thoroughly disgusted and discouraged," said National Committeeman J. G. Long of Florida, in speaking of the matter. "I have been looking all day long for a hotel, boarding house or café that would admit the negroes, but it has been a fruitless search. I even went so far as to try to charter a steamboat, but when the owners learned for what purpose it was wanted, they found an excuse for refusing me the use of the vessel. It is the first time in the history of the Republican party that such an embarrassing predicament has arisen."

   When asked what the national committee would do in the matter, he replied:

   "I have consulted with the members who are here and we have decided to offer a resolution as soon as the committee meets condemning the hotel and innkeepers and providing for the setting aside of a fund for renting a hall in which cots shall be placed for the accommodation of the negroes who may come to the convention. We will also request the employment of cooks, etc., to supply them with food. This trouble has been brewing for nearly a week. A number of days ago it was learned by the Business Men's League that some of the leading hotels had been cancelling agreements with certain state delegates when the landlords learned that negro delegates were numbered among them. It became so apparent that the negroes were being discriminated against that the league issued the following manifesto:

   "The Business Men's League, when in Washington securing the national Republican convention for St. Louis, promised that colored delegates and members of the national Republican executive committee should receive the same recognition from the hotels that any other delegate to the convention would receive. With this it was implied that the citizens representing the city, for securing the convention, would ask and endeavor to induce public places, hotels, boarding houses and bathrooms, at least for convention week, to accord to the reputable and respectable colored men who will come here representing their sections and their people in the Republican party such treatment as any reputable and respectable person should receive. It is not believed that a great many would want to accept the privileges, but it will be very humiliating if one of  them with their colleagues and friends, or alone, should present himself in any public place and be refused admittance or service.

   "It is hoped, expected and desired by the gentlemen representing the citizens who secured the convention that all will endeavor to meet the situation as justice and propriety require. Any parties failing to reserve accommodations will please report to the general hotel committee, C. C. Rainwater, chairman, or the bureau of information."

   When the hotel men read this they were wrathful. They said it was an invitation to the colored delegates to prosecute them for damages. They went to the league committee on hotel accommodations and made a vigorous protest. Concerted action then followed, with the result that the negroes cannot find lodging places or even a reputable place to eat.

   Major C. C. Rainwater, a member of the Business Men's League and of the local entertainment committee, is quite as much displeased with the turn affairs have taken as any member of the national committee.

   He, with several other members of the local committee, has been hunting for a place to entertain the negro delegates, but without success.

   Perry Heath and ex-Congressman Thompson, who are here in the interests of McKinley, are quite as much disturbed as the national committeemen. They have been in telegraphic communication with Marcus A. Hanna all day, but as yet no solution of the problem has been reached.

   In no former Republican national committee has the committee had so heavy a duty to perform in making up the roll for the temporary organization as the present committee has before it. There are 158 contested seats from 15 states and one territory, and of those, the entire delegation is contested from five states and the territory of Arizona. The committee as a whole will commence the hearing of the contests Wednesday forenoon and the indications are it will hardly be able to finish them before the end of the week.

   Many of the conventions that resulted in contesting delegations were marked by violence. In several of them police had to arrest the participants for assaulting and beating the chairman, and the feuds that grew out of local rivalries have been transferred to the national arena to be stubbornly fought out by the principals, who have come determined if possible to return home the recognized leaders of their respective bailiwicks. The bitterest of those contests come from the South. The hearings before the committee will be semi-judicial. All of the contending parties have come here prepared with printed briefs and affidavits as to their regularity and right to recognition, and each case will be presented by special counsel selected from the bust speakers among the respective factions.

   It would be hard to predict who will be selected by the national committee for temporary chairman of the convention.

   Among the men who have been mentioned, however, are ex-Governor Merriam of Minnesota and H. Clay Evans of Tennessee, a candidate for the vice presidential nomination. Mr. Evans is also talked of for permanent chairman, as also are General Grosvenor of Ohio, Senator-elect George T. Wellington of Maryland, Senator Foraker and Mayor John A. Caldwell of Cincinnati.

   Word was received from M. A. Hanna that he and his party would leave Cleveland at 1 p. m. today and arrive here at 7 a. m. tomorrow. By that time it is expected that the Republican national committee will be here, as it meets tomorrow morning. It is probable that Thomas C. Platt of New York, Senator Gear of Iowa and Joseph Hanley of Maine will also have arrived by that time.

ORGANIZATION EFFECTED

Of the Subscribers to the Baseball Fund—A. H. Place, Manager.

   A meeting of the subscribers to the fund for supporting a baseball club in

Cortland was held at the office of Edwin Duffey last night. Considerable discussion took place and all were unanimous in the opinion that Cortland should be represented on the diamond this year by a first-class team. We have some excellent baseball timber here and with one or two outside players can place a team in the field that will compare favorably with any in Central New York. The personnel of the team has not yet been decided upon.

   Organization was effected by electing the following permanent officers:

   President—Edwin Duffey.

   Vice-President—E. E. Mellon.

   Secretary and Treasurer—Hubert Maine.

   Manager—A. H. Place.

   Directors—James Dougherty, M. B. Ingalls, T. H. Dowd, C. W. Stoker, B. F. Taylor.

   Manager Place will at once arrange for games with strong teams and the first one will be at the fair grounds next Saturday probably with the Watsons of Weedsport.

Police Court.

   Two foreigners were brought before Police Justice Mellon this morning on the charge of intoxication and disorderly conduct. The first was an Italian named Mike Gutchess, who was discharged with a severe reprimand. He seemed very thankful and went on his knees before his honor. After his discharge he shook and kissed the hands of Chief Linderman and Officer Edwards who seemed to receive the courtesies with becoming dignity.

   The next was a German who gave his name as Charles Rister. He could speak very little English and Adam Tice was sent for to act as interpreter. Rister wanted to go to Auburn and so it was thought best to turn him over to the poor authorities for transportation to Auburn. Rister said he had been working for a farmer six miles west of here at $2 per month and had only thirty cents in his pocket.

Wheelmen on Main Street in front of the Sager block and Dexter House.

THE BICYCLE PARADE

Which Will Occur in Cortland on Tuesday Evening, June 16.

   There seems to be much interest in the idea of a bicycle parade through the streets of Cortland next Tuesday night, June 16, and so far, as heard from every one, inclined to turn out and join the procession. It is to be hoped that all riders will do so and give every one an opportunity to see how many wheels there actually are in Cortland and how they will look all together.

   The matter has been discussed by those interested in the project and some slight changes in the formation of the line have been recommended. To facilitate the formation of the column it has been thought best that the meeting place be on Church-st.and that all gentlemen and ladies who would like to ride together or in groups should meet in front of the First M. E. church. This division will include all husbands and wives, fathers and daughters, young men and maidens, family companies, all ladies unattended who would like to ride with other ladies.

   It is further decided that all members of the Normal faculty and all students of the school meet upon the Normal grounds and be ready to fall into line as the second division.

   The teachers and students of the public schools will meet on the Presbyterian church grounds and fall into the line as the third division.

   The C. A. A. wheel club followed by the Y. M. C. A. wheel club will meet on the Baptist church grounds and constitute the fourth division.

   Farther north along Church-st. it is requested that all the business men, all the employees of all the factories and all the boys meet and form a division by themselves.

   It should be understood that this is only a general suggestion for the formation of a line and that no one need feel bound to ride in a particular division if for any reason he desires to ride in another one. The only desire is that every rider will join the line somewhere and that all will be on hand.

   The procession will be headed as formerly stated by Messrs. C. F. Thompson and R. H. Miller and the line of the ride will be announced soon.

Buck & Lane was located in the Standard block on Main Street.

BREVITIES.

   —Mr. L. W. Aldridge yesterday placed a neat new Mosler safe in his optical store in the Graham building.

   —Rev. S. J. Parmiter has been engaged to preach for the colored people's society in Collins hall until a regular pastor can be secured.

   —There will be a meeting of the Y. M. C. A. Wheel club at the parlors this evening at 8 o'clock. All members are urged to be present.

   —Cortland's musical festival ended on Friday evening. It proved a grand success and was liberally patronized.—Binghamton Republican.

   —On Wednesday evening of this week there will be a lecture in Collins hall for the benefit of the colored peoples' society of this place. Admission 10 cents.

   —The Cortland City band will give a serenade concert on Main-st. Thursday evening, June 11. Some of the latest and best marches of the day will be rendered. Don't fail to hear them.

   —Mrs. Lucy R. Beach died very suddenly at an early hour this morning of heart failure at her home, 64 Tompkins-st. The funeral arrangements have not yet been made, but the funeral when held will be private.

   —It is surprising how little common sense some people manifest in tying a horse to a post. Just before noon to-day a pair of horses were left on Main-st. tied in such a careless way that they would surely have started off had not an obliging clerk at Buck & Lane's gone out and fastened them more securely. Fly time has arrived and horses are driven half crazy by fly bites on these muggy days. Too great care cannot be exercised in fastening horses and even then they should not be left unprotected for any length of time.