Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 291, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 December 1919 — SEEK TO OUST W. B. AUSTIN [ARTICLE]

SEEK TO OUST W. B. AUSTIN

SOUTH SHORE CLUB ASKS RESIGNATION OF FORMER RENSSELAER MAN.

William B. Austin, for many years a resident of this city but now of Chicago, is in dire danger of losing his membership in the South Shore- Country club of Chicago, ac-. cording to an article in today’s Chicago Tribune. All because of the fact that he sold a residence property on Grand Boulevard tosßegroes against the wishes of the residents of that district, some of whom were business and club associirtes of h’.s. The Tribune article, of the front page variety, follows: “The race problem stalked through the portals of the South Shore .Country club yesterday, leaving in its wake a row that threatens to assume serious proportions. “A committee of members, who are also residents of Kenwood and Hyde Park, opposed to the influx of negroes in their districts, called The Tribune from the offices of the Kenwood and Hyde Park Property Owners’ association, announcing they had started a move to expel William B. Austin; lawyer;' banker, former - president of the Hamilton club, ana owner of property at 4801 Grand Boulevard, occupied by negroes. “George J. Williams, active in the neighborhood organization and the country club, declared that charges of ‘conduct unbecoming to a gentleman’ were filed against Mr. Austin during the day with W. j. McWhinney, secretary of the South Shore Country club. “Austin was reached at the Virginia hotel. .. “ ‘No, I hadn’t heard a thing about it,’ he said. ‘lf charges were filed I wasn’t notified.’ “ ‘They claim you sold and rented your property on Grand Boulevard to negroes,’ he was told. “ ‘Well, I did. In October, 1.918, I sold a building at 4404 Grand boulevard to negroes and I rented another residence at 4807 to colored people. But I didn t know at the time that there was any objection. I-had been fooled statements of a real estate man. I “ ‘Are you going to fight the charges i “‘Certainly I am,’ he declared. ‘lf they expel me for this they will i have to fire some of their best I members, because I know of plenty who have done the same thing. “Williams declared that among those signing the charges were T. jj Cross, Michael Fitzmaunce, 1. A. Harney, John P. Bowles, George Adams, William Daniels, Patrick Lawler, John W. Snyder, and Harry Benedict. . ——— £ _ “The controversy is the latest angle of a trouble which had been featured by the bombing of Austins home at 102 Bellevue place on June 16 and the property owned by him and occupied by negroes aV 4807 Grand boulevard last spring.