Muncie Post-Democrat, Muncie, Delaware County, 27 February 1925 — Page 2

PAGE TWO.

THE POST-DEMOCRAT.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 192o.

THE POST-DEMOCRAT. A democratic weekly newspaper representing the Democrats of Muncie, Delaware County and the Eighth Congressional District. The only Democratic Newspaper in Delaware Co.

Entered as second class matter January 15, 1921, at the postoffice at Muncie, Indiana, under the Act of March 3 .1879.

Price 10c a Copy—$3.00 a Year.

Office 733 North Elm Street. Telephone 2540 GEO. R. DALE, Owner and Publisher.

that their protection will continue in the event of Hampton s election as mayor. In sponsoring ’jne candidacy of Hampton for mayor, Judge Dearth, Mrs. Gill, Mrs. Moomaw and Mrs. Davis are underwriting a continuance of unbridled and defiant law violation on tl^e part of these two protected colored bootleggers and gamblers.

Muncie, Indiana, Friday, February 27, 1925.

The jury that let Bob Graves get away without conviction for the Franklin Hall shooting was evenly divided, six for conviction and six for acquittal, it is declared. The one woman on the jury, one of the Samples, of course, voted for acquittal. It is declared that one of the jurymen who voted for conviction was told by another juryman that it would not do to convict Bob because he would “be needed in the city campaign.” If this is true there should

be an investigation.

Tudfre Dearth is strong- for the sterilization law and 1 reugiuus lanaucism uy use dowLdf thf fdvk dLlprl b TVIawsrp Pmmtv savs can understand racial fanaticism by itself. I could

WHAT GLENN FRANK THINKS AND WE THINK. I do not want to over-simplify what is manifestly a very tangled issue.. The Ku Klux Klan can not be explained in a sentence. It is the child of medley of motives. There are as many explanations of it as there are communities in which it functions. Here it is anti-Catholic. There it is anti-Jew. Yonder it is anti-negro. Here it is an attempt to find in a gaudy ritual a sense of adventure denied by a drab environment. There it is an honest, but unintelligent, effort on the part of uplifters to preserve law and order by lawless means. Yonder it is the pathetic pranks of folk who feel interiorin reality but superior inregalia. If I may repeat, it is the child of medley of motives. But in one of its aspects, at least, it is an attempt to unite in one crusade Protestant Christianity and the Cult of Racialism, welding the two together in the fires cl fanaticism.

Combination bids will also be re- County and State, has been placed in ceived on the project listed below for the hands of the County Treasurer which proposals will be furnished. ' by said Superintendent of Constru5 and 6, F. A. No. 72, Sec. A&B-j ction, for collection; that any and all Anderson-Muncie road. Anderson to | persons desiring to pay said assess1 mile west of Muncie. Madison and ments and discharge their lands from

Delaware counties—12.129. -.fall liability to

Bids will be received for three ' do so types of pavement—brick, bituminous^

concrete and concrete on the above ' C° un t y Treasurer on

Avenue to New York Avenue I- R- No- 1237-1915, For paving of West Main ‘street from Calvert jAve--

nue to Nichols Avenue.

I- R. No. 1238-1925, For paving of

such assessments, can Calvert Avenue from Jackson street:

paying the same to said to University Avenue. or before the All work done in the making oU

I

in speaking of the feeble minded of Delaware county, says they would not be here if a proper eugenical law had been enacted in Indiana at the proper time. To which we might add that if our forefathers had been sensible enough to

there wrfukfblf no recrultftoday for that"gwa^organfzl- ^ hatev g, e!se Christianity may or may not he, it is, in its

can understand religious fanaticism by itself. I

even

understand a fusion of the two if the religion in question were a primitive religion with a tribal god. I confess, however, that I am at a loss to understand the current attempt to drive Christianity and Nordicism abreast. For

tion (to which Dearth and his jury commissioner, John Hampton belong, the klan, of creating .a retreat for

morons and sub-mentals.

Since the legislature has been in session the time and energy of a great many people has been taken up in securing petitions begging the senators and representatives to refrain from passing this, or that, law. And now Mrs. Moomaw, president of the Delaware County W. C. T. U. has petitioned Governor Ed Jackson to refrain from signing the recently enacted bone dry law. Since Mrs. Moomaw has come out for John Hampton for mayor, it is assumed that John will now seek the wet vote because of the action of his W. C. T. U. patroness in making such an extraordinary demand on the governor. The Marion County Horsethief Detective Association, a subsidiary of the klan, offered to run down the fifteen bolting democratic state senators and the offer was accepted. Merely another idiotic klan gesture. They couldn’t track an elephant in four feet of snow.

Local dailies herald the news, under important headlines, that the Independent Klan of America or, as it is now known, the Afro-American klan, is to hold its second national convention Fere in June, The information reaches the press via the national president, Sam Bloomensquirter. The Star published a list of national “celebrities” who will attend the great meeting. Nobody ever heard of any of them before, but they will be here anyway, according to Sam. Th Star does not state whether they are white or colored. Haystack Jones has positively declined to join the new klan unless he is promised

Sam’s job.

The new bone dry bill will make it possible for sick people, or people who might become sick, to buy a quart of red likker at the corner drug store on the prescription of a physician. The drys who voted that legislature in are now scratching their heads in doubt. >< ,

HOW DID IT HAPPEN ?

listed projects, as shown on plans ! 20th da y of June > 192 5, at the office of said described public improvements and described in Standard Specifica- ' the said County Treasurer in the shall be in accordance with the terms tions for same .... . . j Court House at Muncie, Indiana. and conditions of the improvement wm be furnished 8 '^ coitmctor^by Witness niy hand and th e Seal of resolution, as numbered, adopted by the Indiana State Highway Commis- j thls Court, this the 26th day of Feb. the Board of Public Works on the sion. 11925. above named date, and the drawings, Proposal blanks and specifications! JAMES P. DRAGOO plans, profiles and specifications paTment^^OO per »tfupon S appH”-; p Audl ‘ or ° f Ind. which are on file and may be seen in cation to the State Highway Commis- i Pre P ared by ’ th e office of said Board of Public sion, Indianapolis, Indiana. No re-'^ mer Botkin, Atty. for Petitioners. Works of the City of Muncie, Indiana-

fund for plans returned. Plans may ! February 26 & Mar-6 also be seen at the office of the State ' „

Highway * Commission, Indianapolis,

Indiana.

Contracts will be let t 0 the lowest and best bidder, but the right to reject any and all bids is 'reserved, if any cause exists therefor. Bidders shall file bonds with the bids as provided by law. J. D. WILLIAMS,

Director.

Indiana State Highway Commission. (Feb27-Mar6) 0 NOTICE TO GRAVEL ROAD

CONTRACTORS

Notice

The Board of Public Works has fixed the 17th day of March, 1925, as a dat e upon which remonstrances may be filed or heard by persons interested in, or affected by said described ! public improvements, and on said date at 7:30 o’clock, p. m.. said Board of Public Works will meet at its office in said city for the purpose of hearing and considering any remonstrances which may have been filed, or

In the matter of Certain Proposed which may hav e been presented; said Public Improvements in the City | Board fixes said date as a date for the of Muncie, State of Indiana. modification, confirmation, rescinding#

CITY ADVERTISEMENTS. Department of Public Works.

Office of the Board 212 Wysor Block.

Muncie, ind.

Notice of Improvement Resolution. Notice to Property Owners.

basic philosophy, non-racial or trans-racial. One of the distinctive contributions Jesus made to the spiritual future of mankind lay in the fact that, in the higher realms of the spirit, he wiped out the frontiers that divide races. i*“[ l h And in order to do this he had to pay the price of becoming a renegade to the orthodox patriotism and the orthodox religion of his countrymen. For to the Jews of his time the Kingdom of God meant a religious monopoly, with Judaism as the only stockholder. In the Jews of his time religion and racialism met and merged. It is one of the pretty ironies of history that today the Ku Klux Klan is literally copying the Jews it hates in attemptng to create, as they created, a religio-racialism, and doing it in the name of a Jew who denounced it. For the founder of Christianity flatly denied the Jewish claim to

special privilege.

He said that he had ftever found among Jews such faith as he found in a certain Roman captain. He ventured the prophecy that heathen would come from the ends of the earth and sit down with the Hebrew patriarchs while their own sons would find themselves in the discard. He did the impolitic thing of setting up a Samaritan as a model of human decency and chivalry which he

did not find in Hebrew priest and Levite.

This was rather bitter medicine for th one hundred per cent Hebrews of his time. It was very much as if a California Senator should tell his constituency of the superior virtues of the Japanese, or as if a Georgia Congressman should open a campaign speech with a eulogy on the brotherhood of a negro. With one magnificent gesture Jesus internationalized what had been until then a racial

religion.

One would imagine, therefore, that Jesus would be the last figure in history any one would think of relating, even indirectly, to a movement inspired by race-conscious-ness and dedicated to race-discrimination. But we must try to understand even the incredible when it thrusts itself upon us. And in the Ku Klux Klan we are witnessing the incredible attempt to unite the non-racial religion cf Christianity with the ultra-racial religion of Nordicism.

Notice is hereby given by the Board or postponement of action on said re-

is hereby given ha be i 0 f Public Works of the City of Mun- monstrances; and on said date • will Board of Commisioners of the County j c .^ j nd j aria) jj. j g de si red and hear all persons interested or whose of Delaware, State of Indiana, will a deeme( j necessary to make the fol- property is affected by said proposed the Court House in the City of , j ow j n g described public improve- improvements, and will decide whethMuncie, said county and S ate, re j men t g f 0r 0 f Muncie, as au- er the benefits that will accrue to the ceive sealed proposals for e [ thorized by th e following numbered property abutting and adjacent to the provement of a certain in | improvement resolutions, adopted by proposed improvement and to the said said County by giading, draining | p oarf ] on 24th day of Febru- city will be equal to or exceed the es-

and paving with gravel in accordance

HU w viu 11 ±iArr£iiN : Fanacticism makes strange bedfellows If the Sunday Star correctly reported the case Judge ^

Harry Redkey rendered a remarkable decision last Sat-

urday in the case of Hugh Berry, colored, charged with “associating” with two white women, finding Berry guilty and acquitting the women. Of course the Post-Democrat reporter is not equipped with a bomb proof legal-judicial mind, but we can’t for the life of us understand such a decision. Berry was found guilty of associating with the white women. But since the women were acquitted it is presumed that the white women did not associate with the

colored gent.

For being caught in a compromising position with the two white women Berry was fined the enormous sum of ten dollars and given a ten day jail sentence, and he has appealed to the circuit court. Hugh recently served a thirty-day sentence in and out of the county jail. Unlike ordinary prisoners, Berry was allowed his liberty a great part of the time and he was frequently

REV. HERSEY NOW TELLS ’EM.

Elsewhere in this issue appears an article written by Rev. Harry Hersey, former pastor of the Muncie Universalist church, which appeared in a recent issue of the “Universalist,” a publication devoted to the interests of

that denomination.

Having escaped from Muncie, with its diabolical klan atmosphere, Rev. Hersey, in more congenial surroundings frankly tells what the Ku Klux Klan did to the churches^of

Muncie and other Indiana cjties.

Looking over the stricken religious field in Muncie

there is none who can deny that the klan has all but ruined every protestant church in the city and within the past year the pastors of nearly all the leading protestant

churches here have departed for other fields! The klan simply disrupted their congregations, and

the churches of Muncie, dedicated to God, degenerated

seen on the streets, his thirty days supposed imprisonment | merely into hotbeds of strife. The ministerial association

lacked the courage to use its great influence in seeking to throttle the thing in its infancy, and, as Rev. Hersey says, some of the pastors even joined the infamous organization jirm helped to sow the seeds of strife and dissension Because of its bitter fight against the klan, and its trank criticism directed at public officials, prominent business men and alleged preachers of the gospel for their participation in klan villainies, the Post-Democrat and its editor were bitterly arraigned from the pulpit, in several instances, and the ministerial association became active in

behalf of the local klan administration.

The majority of those who belonged to the ministerial association during the perfervid days of one hundred per cent, foolishness have departed for greener fields but the Post-Democrat is still here and no one, in or out of the

pulpit, dares to say now that it was wrong.

being somewhat in the nature of a huge joke. For three years Berry has imported and gold enough

white mule and intoxicants of various kinds to float a fleet of canal boats, but the prosecutor, sheriff Jnd the courts have handled him with gloves. Berry openly flouts at the law and does not hesitate to declare openly that he knows enough to blow up the ship and that he will start the fireworks popping off if they really fry to do some-

thing to him.

Prior to the election of 1922, Berry was one of the active red light promoters of the candidacy of Judge Dearth, Prosecutor Ogle and Sheriff Hoffman. Booze parties in his blind tiger attended by Hoffman, Ogle and Jury Commissioner John Hampton were of frequent occurrence. Ftfleral agents secured much evidence substantiating the stories of these booze parties and once, when Berry was prosecuted in a manner which he thought to be too severe, he offered to tell the federal orand jury all about his white political cronies, it is declared, but was not al-

lowed to tell his story.

The manner in which Bob Graves and Hugh Berry have been protected in Muncie is a matter of common talk. It is an open secret that they are protected and

screened from punishment by the Billy Williams organiza- Indianapolis, Indiana, until lo-Ma. tion and that they have been assured by John Hampton for the construction of certain high-

the specifications, plans and pro-

file now on file in the office of the Auditor of said County, by and under

the laws of the State of Indiana. Said bids or proposals will be re- >

ceived up to 10:00 o’clock A. M. on i the 28th day of March, 1925, at which

time said bids will be openedThe said road to be improved is

located in Perry Township, in Delaware County, Indiana, and is to be known as the John W. Dotson road

when so improved-

Each bid shall be accompanied by

a non-collusion affidavit as required by law and by a personal or surety bond in a sum equal to double the amount of the bid, to be approved by the Board of Commisioners of said County, conditioned for the faithful performance of the work, and for the benefit of any person or corporation who shall suffer any loss or damage by reason of such bidder failing to enter into a contract to perform such work if awarded him by said Board of Commissioners or to carry out the same in any particular,* or to pay for any labor or materials which may have been furnished to such contractor or to any sub-contractor, agent or superintendent under him, in the consthuction of said work. The sureties on such bond, if personal, shall be resident freeholders of the State of Indian^, one of whom shall be a

resident of Delaware county. Said improvement will be let as a

wkole to the lowest responsible bidder and said board reserves the

right to reject any and all bids. The estimated cost of said work

is $12,700-00.

The time for the completion of said work will be agreed upon after the letting of said contract by said board an'd the successful bidder. JAMES P. DRAGOO. Auditor of Delaware Co., Indiana. February 27 and Mar- 6 &13 o Mrs. Seaman Gets Suspended Term Ft. Wayne, Feb. 27—Mrs- Orel Seaman, 201 1-2 West Berry street, charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of her day-old baby which she left on the doorstep of Dr. C. C. Dillworth, 220 West Wayne street, on the night of January 27, was given a suspended sentence of 2 to 21 years in the Woman’s -State prison by Judge Sol A. Wood. yesterday afternoon in circuit court. Mrs. Seaman pleaded guilty upon the advice of her attorney, Robert ! A. Buhler and threw herself upon j the mercy of the court.

jary, 1925, to-wit; timated cost of the proposed im- \ I- R. No- 1235-1925, For grading provements, as estimated by the City

of North Jefferson street from Ivy Civil Engineer,

street to Centennial Avenue. i BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS, I. R. No- 1236-1925, For paving of Mary E- Anderson, Clerk-

“C” or March street from Wheeling ,Adv. Feb. 27-Mar.6,1925)

NOSEY POLICEMEN! The police Monday night raided the residence of Hugh Berry, a colored gentlemen who frequently trifles with the eighteenth amendment. Hugh was not at home so the police were impolite enough to peek around the premises. One of the bulls looked down the cistern and found a quart jar of mule floating serenely on top of the water. The mother of the owner of the premises was also found to be sitting in a chair in which another quart of hootch was hidden.. This recalls a recent Yuletide incident in which Judge Clarence W. Dearth played Santa Claus for Hugh Berry, who was slated to go to jail the day before Christmas, but on his plea that his old mother was visiting him and that a joyous Christmas party was contemplated in her honor, the judge granted him a reprieve until the Monday following. Hugh’s filial instincts and the sympathetic expanion of a big hearted judge who wanted all the world to be happy on Christmas day, and the alleged felictious exchange of Christmas greetings between judge and prisoner, were made the topic of discussion by local newspapers at the time, it will be recalled. And now the police have rudely disturbed the bedtime story by invading Hugh’s premises and finding the old lady sitting serenely on a quart of white mule! The police have been very unruly of late. Since getting rid of Van Benbow as chief, the present board of safety require the police to. go poking around places where they have no business to go. It’s embarrassing. The grand’jury ought to give ’em another bawling out for bothering our best citizens.

STATE HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will he received by the Director of the State Highway Comnrssion, at the office of the State Highway Commission in the Stat e House, City of

ways and described as follows: 5-—F A No. 72, Sec- A. AndersonMuncie road, Anderson to 2 miles north of Daleville. Madison and Delaware counties—5.704. 6.—F. A No- 72, Sec. B—AndersonMuncie road, 2 miles north of Daleville to 1 mile west of Muncie, Delaware county—6.425-

NOTICE FOR PAYMENT OF DITCH ASSESSMENT Before the Board of Commissioners of Delaware County, Indiana: Slate of Indiana, SS: January Term, 1925 Delaware County. In re Cause No. 306. the petition of Albert L. Davis, et al., for Drainage. Notice fixing time for payment of Assessments. I, the undersigned, Auditor of Delaware county, State of Indiana, hereby give notice to all persons whose lands are assesed for benefits or damages in the above entitled cause that the assessment sheet prepared by the Superintendent of Construction, and approved and accepted by the Board of Commissioners of said

PEOPLE WANT NEWS. The Press one day last week published a long editorial in which it was pointed out that the death of Floyd Collins, an obscure Kentucky mountaineer, caused more interest than the Sullivan mine disaster which snuffed out the lives of fifty-one men. It was explained that mine disasters are of common occurrence and that the case of Floyd Collins was of such a unique character that everybody became interested. Correct. Murders, fires, robberies and mine disasters are of such common occurrence that they are not even regarded as news. It is the unexpected that forms the basis of real news. For instance when a Muncie reader picks up the Press and finds out that a “laborer” has been arrested with a. half pint of white mule on his hip, it creates no excitement. Muncie laborers have become accustomed to being the goats and the people have become so accustomed to the word “laborer,” in conjunction with the news of an arrest for a liquor violation, that it is not news any more. When a chance to publish some real news happens along the Press and the Star cheat their readers by suppressing the story, if it happens to bear too heavily on one of the pets pf the regiment. Thus when Mary Carmichael, prominent in stand pat republican politics, was arrested and tried l here on a liquor charge, it was not regarded as news by the local dailies, but it was real news. The PostDemocrat published the story. That’s the reason people read the Post-Democrat. . They know it is not in the conspiracy to protect higher ups and humiliate our humbler citizens.