TWENTY DOLLARS REWARD.

RAN AWAY from the subscriber, near the Lead Mines, Washington county, a negro man named TOM, about twenty five years old, five feet six or seven inches high, and marked down the cheeks in the African manner; was formerly owned by Humphrey Gibson, of Cooper County. Any person apprehending said negro and delivering him to W.H. Curtis, in Boonville, or securing him in any jail so I can get him, shall receive the above reward.

                                                JACOB W. RAMB.

Franklin Missouri Intelligencer. December 10, 1822. Pg. 3, col. 4.

GROSS OUTRAGE JUSTLY PUNISHED

The following extract of a letter relates the circumstances of a recent outrage committed by a negro man in Washington county, and the summary punishment inflicted by the justly indignant community:

Potosi (Washington, Co., Mo.) April 16.

Dear Sir: --I send you the particulars of an outrage recently committed in this county. --The facts of the case are--a negro belonging to a Mrs. ----- of Belleview, [about 7 miles from here] ran away from his mistress about 6 months ago, and, after being out about three months, was caught at the house of a Frenchman, named Lagos, living at what is called the New Diggings, distant about three miles from this place. --He went on peaceably to his mistress’ house, and there being no men living about the place, he demanded what money there was in the house, and got what there was, and then by violence and force committed a rape on the person of his mistress, and took to the woods. He was not heard of for about a week, when he went last Sunday was a week to the house of M. ----- and asked the way to Fredericktown, and as all the men were gone to church a few miles off, he made an assault on Mrs. -----. He says he completed his object, though the friends of Mrs. -----, says he did not. --He then made his brags that he did not intend to let any woman pass with impunity, if he had any chance. The consequence was great excitement, and several fruitless attempts made to take him, when he managed to elude until Monday, when he was then brought to his mistress, and she was asked what she wished done to him, she told the persons who had him to do what they pleased with him. They then appointed five persons to value him, which they did at [illegible] to his mistress. They then proceeded to put questions to the people assembled, what was to be done with him, there were about sixty and they said with one voice hang him; which was done yesterday at 12 o’clock, at the village of Caledonia, 12 miles from here in the presence of some three or four hundred persons. Just before he swung off he confessed his crime, and said that he was instigated to rob his mistress by the Frenchman named Lago, that I named before; and as the law would not recognize this confession of the negro, and this man Lago being a well known scoundrel, the people of that place determined to Lynch him, and this afternoon about 25 of us, (as I was one) went to the New Diggings, and succeeded in catching the old man and his son. They had plenty of loaded fire arms in the house, but we managed to secure them and his wife, who is a real desperado, at the same time that others secured the old man and his son. We then tied them up and gave the old man a decent whipping, and his son a few lashes to remember us by, and after taking away their fire arms, left them, promising to give them twice as much tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock, if they did not leave this part of the country by that time, at the same time telling them we would hang them all if there should be any buildings set on fire, whether we could prove it to be them or not.

{The above summary and just punishment, we discover is disapproved by the “Atlas and Gazette,” by a system of  reasoning that would apply well to Lago; but as to the Negro, we are sure the community and the world will say that the proceedings of the people of Washington county was justifiable--most perfectly so.}

Jeffersonian Republican. Jefferson City, Mo. May 2, 1840. Pg. 1, col. 4.

Potosi, MO
Sam Cook, colored, shot and fatally wounded Emma Shares, a young woman who had refused to receive his attention on account of his intemperate habits. Cook then attempted suicide, but only inflicted a flesh wound in the hand with the revolver. He then escaped. It is believed that the colored citizens will lynch him if he is brought in.

The New York Times, July 9, 1883

Sam Cook, the negro who in a fit of jealous rage, shot Emma Shores, a colored girl, at Potosi, Missouri, last Thursday evening, and then shot himself, and subsequently eluded pursuit, has been captured, and taken back to Potosi. In his attempt to kill himself, after shooting the girl, he fired two bullets into his head, one of which penetrated both hemispheres of the brain. The other passed through one hemisphere and both are now inside his skull. Not withstanding these wounds, from both of which the brains oozed in a considerable quantity, the negro roamed in the woods from Thursday evening till Sunday morning, when he ate a hearty meal, talked rationally, and walked three miles from the place where was captured to Potosi. Physicians, however, say he can not live. The girl still lives but is paralyzed from the effect of the bullet, which entered the back of her head and passed under and into her spinal column.

Daily Freeman, Waukesha, Wisconsin, July 12, 1883

The Governor has commuted to imprisonment for life the sentences of Frank Hopkirk, of  [illegible] county, and Samuel Cook (negro) of Washington county, both of whom were [illegible] death for murder.

Columbia Missouri Statesman. March 20, 1885. Pg. 2, col. 5.

Ed Summers (colored) died last Saturday at noon of consumption. He was in poor circumstances and a collection was taken up in town to defray his burial expenses.This is the second death Potosi, with a population of 800, has had in the past 12 months

Potosi Journal December 15, 1897

Potosi Journal July 19, 1905 - June 16, 1909

The second performance of the Potosi Rag-Time Minstrels last Thursday evening at the Opera House again drew a full house.  In some respects this entertainment was an improvement over their earlier effort.  The vocal numbers indicated more training and the costuming was better.  For an amateur performance, it was quite creditable to the boys who made up the company. 8-23-05

. . . . The colored school had an opening attendance of 22 this year, which is an increase of 6 over last year. 9-6-05

Reynolds is one of the two counties of the state in which no Negro inhabitants are found.  Schuyler is the other. 9-13-05

Charles Murphy, the young colored man, who was charged with having robbed one Sam Aubuchon (also colored) of Mineral Point of something like $300 in gold, some time ago, the latter’s savings of years, was found guilty in circuit court here last Friday and sentenced to three years in the penitentiary. 9-13-05

The four-year-old son of Sam Boyd, colored, of this place, died last Saturday night of typhoid fever. The body was taken to Caledonia for burial on Sunday. 9-13-05

Mr. Austin Green, one of the township’s good colored citizens, was in town Tuesday. 11-22-05

A Bad Fire Averted

            A colored boy, a two-gallon can of gasoline and one of those explosive matches formed a combination last Saturday afternoon between four and five o’clock that threw the town into a state of wild excitement, and which for about ten or fifteen minutes seriously threatened the destruction of a good portion of the business part of town.  The colored boy was James Johnson, who worked in John Beeler’s barber shop, which is located between Connolly’s store and the Independent office.  He had been filling the tank of a gasoline lighting apparatus out of a freshly filled two-gallon can of gasoline and as he set the can down it struck a match lying on the floor and exploded it.  In an instant the gasoline caught fire and filled the whole shop with flames. The cry of fire was sounded and a large crowd of willing workers quickly responded. After about fifteen minutes of sharp work the blaze was extinguished, but the interior of the shop, with all its furnishings, was a wreck. The wind was blowing almost a gale from the south at the time and it looked as though that part of town lying between Washington County Bank building and the corner on which the Company Store is located, was almost sure to go up in smoke. The damage to the building, which is owned by H. C. Bell, will not exceed $100. Mr. Bell has no insurance on the structure. Mr. Beeler carried $300 on his shop fittings, but states his loss is in excess of that figure. F.X. Connolly, whose store adjoins the shop, had his stock more or less damaged by hurried removal. He  had $1,000 insurance on his stock however. Too much cannot be said in praise of those who fought the fire, for it was their action alone that saved Potosi from a serious conflagration. 1-24-06

A young child of Clarence Washington (colored) of this place, died on Sunday last. 1-31-06

Ernest Bryan, the two-year-old son of Ernest and Blanche Butler (colored), and grandson of Wm.  Bryan, one of our well-known colored citizens, died last Saturday night.  He was buried Sunday afternoon, funeral services being held at St. James’ church by Father Canning. 2-21-06

Mr. Columbus Sloan of Caledonia was on our streets on Saturday last. 7-18-06

Edward Booker, the Negro who was at the May term of circuit court on a charge of assault to kill one McCoy, colored, was killed at Herculaneum last Monday afternoon by another Negro named Horace Cates.  The two men were in the same house but in different rooms, and when Booker started to go into the room that Cates was in Cates shot him with a shotgun. The testimony at the coroner’s inquest did not show that a word was spoken by either before the shot was fired. Cates went to Festus and gave himself up and was kept there until after the inquest was held. Constable Charles Grossman brought him to jail Tuesday evening. (Hillsboro Republican). 8-22-06

There was a telephone call here last Saturday morning from Blackwell for the coroner, stating that an inquest was desired on the body of the wife of James Craig, colored, who dropped dead suddenly at her home near Blackwell. Mrs. Craig was between sixty and seventy years of age and died of heart disease as she was picking up chips in the yard.  The case was not considered one for an official inquiry, so the coroner did not respond to the call. 8-29-06.

. . . . The colored school had an enrollment of 25, an increase of four. 9-5-06

The remains of Mrs. Delia Hudson (colored), who died in St. Louis on Saturday last, were brought to Potosi for burial on Monday. Mrs. Hudson was for many years a resident of Potosi. 9-12-06

Dave Townsend, a colored man, died at Farmington on Wednesday last from the effects of being struck on the head with a rock, alleged to have been thrown by George Jacobs, a 15-year-old white boy. Jacobs has been held by the coroner’s jury as accountable for Townsend’s death. 10-3-06

A negro woman living not far from here, whose husband is trying to get a pension, remarked to a neighbor, “There’s gwine to be somethin’ doing’ round this shack when my man dun gets his pension; we’re gwine to build a condition to this old shanty and make it bigger so I can ascertain my friends with more hostility. An’ we gwine to have a big revenue in front de house all kivered with grass and shade trees. I tell you honey me an’ de old man gwine to live in gran’ stile after while we getten long in years.” 11-30-1906

The colored preacher, Rev. Williams, swore out a warrant against Freeman Martin Monday morning, charging that Freeman had disturbed his peace the night before as he was leaving church.  The evidence showed that Freeman and the parson had had a few words, when the parson got a club and threatened to do all manner of harm to Freeman. To this Freeman objected and the parson had him arrested. The case came up Tuesday and was the first that Justice Rasche(?) has had in his court since he assumed the judicial ermine. The jury brought in a verdict of not guilty and Freeman smiled long and loud. – Iron Register. 12-12-06

Mr. A. Casey of Summit, one of our good colored friends, was in Monday to renew his reading matter for 1907. 1-2-07

Anderson Lankford, one of our old and respected colored citizens, is critically ill with a stroke of paralysis. 2-20-07

Anderson Lankford, one of our oldest and respected colored citizens, died on Wednesday last. His funeral took place Thursday. He leaves a number of sons and daughters. 3-6-07

Messrs. J.A. and Arthur Lankford of Washington, D.C., were in Potosi the past week to attend the funeral of their father. These two young colored men compose the architectural and building firm of J.A. Lankford & Bro., of Washington. In the past few years they have carried out work to the value of $800,000. They are natives of our town, a credit to it, and an example for other colored youths. By their own efforts they have educated and equipped themselves for something bigger and better than what satisfies the average colored citizen. They are graduates of the Lincoln Institute and Tuskegee College. 3-6-07

In the public square Tuesday at about 1:30, a negro by the name of Kelly and a white man by the name of Chas. Moore fell out over something and Kelly went home and got his pistol, came back and took two shots at Moore. Moore soon got his big gun and from what we can learn took two shots at Kelly, but did not seem to want to kill him. Finally he made Kelly give him his gun. Then Kelly runs home again and soon appears on the scene with a double barrel shotgun, waiting to get a shot at Moore, but the Marshal appeared and took charge of him. Both parties gave bond and were released. 3-13-07

We understand that the abandoned wareroom of the old screen factory was the scene of a hotly contested prize fight Saturday last. The aspirants ??? honors were Columbus Cooley and Bert Mitchell, two colored lightweights. Some three hundred spectators were in attendance, and for a while the fight was fast and furious, but in the fourth round, Columbus got in his fine work (doubtless something he learned at Jefferson City) and Mitchell was knocked down and out. The backers of Mitchell say, however, that had [he?] not partaken so freely of the flowing beer just prior to the fight, the contest would have had a different ending. – Ironton Register. 4-3-07

The colored people will give a picnic in Potosi on July 4^th. 6-19-07

Among those who have renewed their subscriptions the past week are T.G. Yarbrough, Leadwood, Columbus Sloan, Caledonia, J.P. Declue, Richwoods. 6-19-07

The Fourth of July passed off unusually quiet in Potosi.  Many of our people went to Belgrade, Old Mines and other points to spend the day. The attendance of the picnic given here by the colored folks was lightly attended. We understand that large crowds were present at the Belgrade and Old Mines picnics. 7-10-07

A number of our colored folks spent Saturday at De Soto, where a big Emancipation Day celebration was being held. 8-7-07

At Biggers, near Poplar Bluff, on the Frisco, a lot of Negroes were enjoying a picnic when a fight arose. The trouble ended in a shooting affray in which four men, one woman, a horse, a mule and a pet poodle dog were shot. The dog was killed outright. The others will recover. A stray bullet penetrated a keg of beer belonging to the picnickers, and when the trouble was over it was discovered that the beer had leaked out. The picnic then broke up. 8-7-07

Alex Dunklin, a young colored man who was formerly overseer of the Clear Creek Stock Farm, near Belgrade, was brought to Potosi under arrest on Thursday last by Sheriff Collins and lodged in the county jail. The offence alleged against Dunklin is that he sold property which he had previously mortgaged to others. He was arrested in St. Louis, where he has been working lately. 1-15-08

. . . . Miss Nora Hingston was appointed teacher in the colored school, vice Miss Daisy Lankford. Miss Hingston has been attending the Lincoln Institute at Jefferson City for several years, from which she will graduate at the close of the present term. The board raised the salary of Principal Loomis from $85 to $90 a month. 4-29-08

Mr. Austin Green, of Caledonia, was in Potosi on Friday last. Mr. Green is the pioneer orchardist of this county, and reports that the outlook in his apple orchard at present is favorable for about half a crop. 5-20-08

Our colored brethren who have taken an occasional whirl at voting the Democratic ticket in Missouri, either whole or in part, have just had an exhibition in the party’s state convention as to how the Missouri Democracy regards the colored voter. While the resolution to take away the right of voting from the negro in Missouri altogether was not adopted by the convention, the question has merely been put aside until a more expedient time. Just now even a few negro votes will be welcomed by our Democratic friends to aid them in regaining complete control of the state, and when they have that power we may expect to see it exercised in the elimination of the negro voter in Missouri. As long as the Democrats were confident that their majority in the state was large enough to put it above the menace of losing the state, they felt little concern in the colored vote, but now that an element of uncertainty has appeared as to where it will land when the votes are counted, it proposed to do away with that uncertainty by eliminating a considerable portion of its opponent’s voting strength. Meanwhile it will be interesting to watch how our colored voters are going to treat this proposition, particularly in local politics. 5-27-1908 (p. 1 editorial)

Louis Green, an old colored man 87 years of age, of Farmington, formerly of Washington county, visited in Festus this week. Louis said that he had 26 children, and was visiting some of the in Festus. He wears a 13 shoe and is 6 foot, 2 inches tall and can run a good foot race. – Festus News. 7-29-08

Henry Mitchell and Ed Petit, two colored sports of De Soto fell over a crap game there one night recently and Mitchell pulled his gun and shot Petit three times, wounding him seriously. 9-16-08

. . . . Mrs. Lillie Green will care for [Mr. and Mrs. Geo. W. Clarkson’s] children during their absence [on an extended trip to California]. 9-16-08

Arthur Lankford, colored, formerly of this place, died last Tuesday at the home of his sister at Ironton, Mo., of consumption. His remains will be brought to Potosi and buried here today. Arthur was a son of the late Anderson Lankford, an old citizen of Potosi, but of late years he had resided in Washington, D.C., where he was a member of J.A. Lankford & Bro. He was a young man of exemplary habits and a fine example of what the colored youth can do when he asserts his powers of self application. The many friends of the young man in Potosi regret greatly his untimely taking away. 9-23-08

The colored voters of this place organized a Taft and Hadley club here last week with a membership of 28. The colored voters are getting on to the knowledge that Democratic success in Missouri will probably mean the disfranchisement of the colored vote in the near future, and they intend to quit scratching their tickets for the benefit of local Democratic candidates, who vote to sustain their party in such action. 9-30-08

Mrs. Lou White, colored, died at her home in Potosi last Sunday night from a complication of ailments. She [is] survived by her husband and several children. 10-1908

Ed and Charley Carson, colored, and brothers, of this place, got into an altercation one morning last week which resulted in Ed shooting Charley thru the throat, inflicting a slight flesh wound. Ed skipped out after the shooting. 11-18-08

Ed Carson, colored, of Potosi was captured at Crystal City Thursday by Deputy Sheriff Edgar Marsden, on a warrant from Washington county, charging him with shooting and wounding his brother; and brought here for detention until Friday, when Sheriff Collins arrived and took him to Potosi. – Hillsboro Democrat. 12-2-08

The remains of Mrs. Julia Declue, colored, who died in St. Louis last Sunday, were brought to Potosi Monday last for burial. She was the mother of Frank and James Declue of this place. 2-10-09

Mr. John A. Lankford, the well-known colored architect and builder of Washington, D.C., was in Potosi several days the past week visiting relatives and friends. Mr. Lankford is being boomed for the appointment as supervising architect for the Government under the Taft administration. He is a capable man and has many friends here who would like to see him get the appointment. 2-24-1909

Isom Johnson, colored, died at his home in Potosi Wednesday night, March 31^st, aged 41 years. Mrs. Johnson was born in Potosi and was highly respected by all who knew him. He was an honest, upright, conscientious man. Funeral services were held at the Colored church Friday afternoon, after which he was buried in the colored people’s cemetery, in the northwest part of town. 4-7-1909

The melodrama, “Over the Hills to the Poorhouse,” that will be produced at the Opera House Tuesday, April 27^th, is a five-act play, and pronounced by critics to contain the best leads and the greatest negro characters ever written. The lay will be for the benefit of the Potosi Orchestra. 4-21-09

On the 19^th last, Mrs. Benj. H. Marbury had occasion to go to her writing desk, when she discovered that her watch was missing. The watch was one that her father, who has since died, had given her on her eighteenth birthday, and of course she prized it very much. Mr. Marbury proceeded to cause some clever detective work to be done, and on last Monday the watch was located, and a search warrant was sworn out authorizing the sheriff to search the house of Emma Body (colored). The sheriff found the watch in the possession of Buelah Body, who had worked for Mrs. Marbury as a domestic during the months of December and January last. Buelah was arrested, charged with a felony and confessed that she had stolen the watch. She was admitted to bail in the sum of $200. (Farmington Times). 5-5-09

Blind Boon, the negro pianist, is making a tour of this section of the state. So far he has arranged for no date in Potosi. (1-8-1913)

Richard Manning, one of our good colored friends from out Palmer way was a visitor at this office Tuesday to settle with the printer. (1-29-1913)

Henry Lyons, one of our best colored citizens, died last Saturday after a long illness with Kidney trouble, at the age of 59 years. He is survived by a widow and a large family of children. Henry was an industrious and quiet man and liked by all who knew him. (3-5-1913)

The “Jim Crow” bill has been killed by the Missouri legislature. We mention this not because we expected the bill to pass, but just to remind the colored voter that “Jim Crow” bills are evidences of Democratic statesmanship. (3-5-1913)

Some School Facts

The number of teachers employed was white, male, 31; female, 51; colored, female, 2. The average salary was -- male $47; female $37. (3-19-1913)

Jim Whittenberg, colored, was tried and convicted of felonious assault in the circuit court here Tuesday and sentenced to two years in the pen. Jim has once before done a stretch for a similar offence. (3-26-1913)

“The Clansman” show given here last Friday evening was well attended and all who saw it say the performance was good. (4-23-1913)

Teachers For Potosi School Appointed.

. . . Mrs. Alice Jenkins succeeds herself as teacher of the colored school. (5-7-1913)

Minstrels Make a Big Hit

The Busby’s Minstrels, under the management of J.M. Busby, were here last night and their fine large tent was crowded with people who enjoyed the entertainment. They have a good band, and give a clean show. Mr. Busby is a gentlemanly fellow and his performers are colored people who behave well out of the tent and their acting in the tent is all that is claimed for it. It is worth the money if you enjoy laughing, and who does not? This Minstrel Company will get a large attendance when they return for another engagement. -- LaCross Republican.

This show will be in Potosi, Mo. Saturday, Nov. 8^th. (11-5-1913)

The Journal advertised the Busby Minstrel Show, but as it did not turn up to meet its date here we concluded our advertising bill was null and void so far as gettting the scads on it was concerned. But one day last week we opened a letter, and behold, there was the amount due. We will have to hand it to the Busby people that they are straight in their business methods. The show failed to come here because it was laid up in St. Louis whil awaiting repairs on its cars. (11-19-1913)

Faces Infanticide Charge

Mable Galvin, a colored girl about 18 years of age, who has been teaching the colored school at Mineral Point this fall, about two weeks ago secretly gave birth to a child. Her condition following the parturition was such as she was compelled to call in a physician, which brought to light the circumstances surrounding the case. On searching the premises the dead body of a fully developed child was found hidded in a suitcase. To all appearances the child had been born alive. The girl has since returned to her home at Festus, but Prosecuting Attorney Cooper says he will have her brought back under the charge of infanticide. (11-26-1913)

Louis and George Villars and Mrs. Tobe White, colored residents of Fredericktown, have fallen heir to a fotune, estimated to be above $100,000 through the death of Mary Wood, a sister, at El Paso, Tex. Many years ago the Woods locted in the Texas town and bought a piece of ground there for $350 and never let go ot if. Now the lot is occupied by a national bank building under a lease at $6,000 a year. (2-1914)

Wm. Harris, a colored man living in Farmington, got too much booze on board on the night of February 6^th and laid out on the coldest night of the winter. Next morning Harris was found frozen to death. (2-18-1914)

Circuit Court Proceedings. State vs. Mabel Galvin, infanticide, continued by agreement. (3-18-1914)

On Sunday morning, April 8, the dead body of a negro was found three miles south of Ironton. He proved to be one Joe McDaniel, one of the two negroes who had robbed the Middlebrook post office some twelve days previous, and with whom Deputy Sheriff Geo. W. Marshall of Ironton had a fight in an attempt to arrest him themorning after the robbery. Marshall was severally hurt by a blow on the head from the negro’s pistol, but he contended after he had recovered consciousness that he had shot thenegro, which was proven correct by the finding of the body. McDaniel was shot through the body and died only a short distance from where the fight occurred. (4-15-1914)

The report published last week that Deputy Sheriff George W. Marshall of Ironton had been shot in thehead and seirously wounded by a negro, whom he had sought to arrest on Tuesday of last week, was not quite true. Marshall was not shot, but had been beaten over thehead with apistol in the hand of the negro. He was not seriously hurt. (4-1-1914)

A local Colored dramatic club will give a play, “All a Mistake,” at the Opera House next Friday evening. (4-22-1914)

The drama given at the Opera House last Friday evening by a local colored dramatic club was attended by a good audience. The play, “All a Mistake,” was well carried out by the actors. (4-29-1914)

Otis Vaughn, the well-known colored tonsorial artist was in Potosi last Saturday on his way to Palmer, where he says he will try farming for a while. Otis has been running a shop at Cuba, Mo., for the past eight years, but has told out there. (5-20-1914)

Philip Lankford, a former colored resident of Potosi, was arrested in St. Louis on election day, charged with having induced a negro deaf-mute to vote fraudulently. (11-11-1914)

The colored folks had a picnic here Saturday, which was attended by a good crowd and the affair was generally enjoyed. We noticed some in from other points in automobiles, so it looks like the colored folks are keeping pretty well abreast of the times. (8-12-1914)

Ike Poston, a De Soto negro, lately completed a small table which was made up of 2,700 sepearate pieces of 47 different varieties of wood. He was a year and a half in building it and used no other tools than a pocket knife. One day last week the table was sold to a lady from New York for $100. (12-16-1914)

The number of teachers employed . . . colored, female, 2. (3-19-1913)

Jim Whittenburg, colored, was tried and convicted of felonious assault in the circuit court here Tuesday and sentenced to two years in the pen. Jim has once before done a stretch for a similar offence. (3-26-1913)

“The Clansman” show given here last Friday evening was well attended and all who saw it say the performance was good. (4-23-1913)

. . . Mrs. Alice Jenkins succeeds herself as teacher of the colored school. (5-7-1913)

Louis and George Villars and Mrs. Tobe White, colored residents of Fredericktown, have fallen heir to a fortune, estimated to be above $100,000, through the death of Mary Wood, a sister, at El Paso, Tex. Many years ago the Woods located in the Texas town and bought a piece of ground there for $350 and never let go of it. Now the lot is occupied by a national bank building under a lease at $6,000 a year. (2-1914)

A Correction

A few weeks ago we printed a paragraph stating that the plans for the new Bismarck  high school had been drawn by John A. Lankford, the colored architect of Jacksonville, Fla., who was born and raised in Potosi. This was an error due to a similarity of names, as the  Bismarck school plan was drawn by John A. Lang, a St. Louis architect, who desires this correction. The error came about in this way: We had a plan for a dwelling drawn by Mr. Lankford, and in conversation with a resident of Bismarck just previous to the appearance of the item casually mentioned this, who thereupon remarked, “He is the man who drew the plan for our new school building.” We apologize for the error and cheerfully make this correction. (8-19-1914)

An All Round Monogramist.

A nearby Colored Baptist church that needed a pastor, had a new preacher in the pulpit the other Sunday on a “tryout,” and he squarely told the congregation where he stood, that there might be no difference of misunderstanding later. “I believe,” he said, “in the good old Baptist doctrine of one faith, one Lord and one baptism; and, breddren, I have another one jes’ as good, and it is this: One husband, one wife and one set of chillun.’

(1-13-1915)

Have you noticed how all the colored ladies are wearing their hair kinkless nowadays. There is said to [be] a colored man in St. Louis who is making more money than the President by selling the dope that takes the kink out of wool. (4-28-1915)

Notice to Teachers

The Board of Education of Potosi School District. . . will receive applications from teachers . . . to teacher for a term of nine months the ensuing years, as follows . . . One teacher for the colored school. (4-28-1915)

A FISTIC EVENT

A fistic contest was promoted and pulled of[f] in Potosi one night last week before an enthusiastic crowd of 46 local fight fans, who dropped 25 cents each into a purse to go to the winner. We won't mention any names, but it has been told us that the audience looked like a composite picture of nearly all the law officers in town, with a liniament here and there of an officee in the church. The aspirants for fistic honors were two husky young colored men, Lys Jennings and Wash Declue, and they wore four ounce gloves. The fight was Lys's from the start it is said, and he had Wash hearing the twittering birdies in the sixth round, when the latterquit. The fight took place in one of the entertainments halls here and was refereed by a well-known lawyer. Lys, it is said, did not revel in the enjoyment of the purse long, for when he got home with the money, $8.50, his wife took it away from him. (4-28-1915)

James Cook, a colored miner, fell 165 feet to the bottom of a shaft at Valle Mines last Tuesday and was instantly killed. He was working on top of the ground, when a large boulder upon which he was standing rolled into the shaft, carrying him with it. His body was covered with tons of dirt and rock that caved in from around the mouth of the shaft when the boulder gave way. --De Soto Republican (4-28-1915)

The Potosi colored school held its graduating exercises at the Opera House last Monday evening, with five pupils completing the course. The graduates were Delia Lyons, Georgiana Washington, Mabel Johnson, Etha Jennings and McGready Ennis. A pleasing program was rendered and the ercises were attended by a large audience, including many white people. This school, under the efficient management of Mrs. Alice Jenkins, is doing good work. (5-26-1915)

John Johnson, colored, who drives one of the delivery wagons for the Potosi Mill and Elevator Co., while on a trip to the south end of the county one day last week, lost his pocketbook containing seventy dollars. On the chance of finding it he went over the route again next day and had the good luck to discover it lying in the road between Caledonia and Belgrade, untouched. The day following John put his money in the bank, where he regards it safer than in his pocket. (6-9-1915)

The colored folks out on Lost Creek will give a picnic on Saturday, July 24^th. (7-1915)

Louis Burks, a well-know[n] colored character died at Potosi last Friday, where he had been spending the past two months with some of his relatives. He was 90 years and 21 days old and the father of 22 children, 14 of whom with his last wife survive him. His son, Sammy Burks, who is porter at the San Francois Hotel, went to Potosi and cared for his father the last ten days of his life and brought the remains here Sunday for burial. --Farmington News. (8-11-1915)

Arthur Casey, colored, lost his home by fire about 7 o’clock last Thursday morning, together with most of his household effects. The house was locate don the hill on east side of town. Arthur is now raising funds with which to rebuild. (10-1916)

The colored folks had a dance here last Saturday night to celebrate Hallowe’en, and some of the boys livened up the affair by getting on the outside of too much booze. City Marshal Hensen arrested three of them, James Johnson, Lucien Kelly and Jim Whittenberg for disturbing the peace. (11-13-1915)

Katie Maul, wife of Prince Maul, colored, died at her home in Bonne Terre on January 20, of pneumonia. She was 50 years of age and a native of Potosi.(1-19-1916)

The remains of Harvey Carson, colored, who died in St. Louis on January 11^th, were buried here last Thursday. he was a son of Alex and Ellen Carson of this place. (1-19-1916)

The Willard School, colored, at Mineral Point held its closing exercises last Friday Evening, rendering an extended program. The crowd attending was so large that about a third of it could not get into the hall. (4-5-1916)

The enumeration of children of school age in the Potosi school district for 1916-17 is  . . . colored males, 22; colored females, 25. (5-24-1916)

Woman Causes Death of Negro Boy.

D.E. Perryman was over from Crystal City the first of the week and told of an unusual drowning which took place there Monday. It seems that a family by the name of Neibecker recently purchased a small tract of land that extended back to Plattin Creek. They refused to allow fishing on their land, but Monday some negroe boys started fishing over there. When Mrs. Neibecker discovered them, she took a gun and went to shooting. The boys got so scared that one jumped in the creek and was drowned. A posse headed by Carol Byrd and Mr. Perryman went out to get the body and arrest the woman. She tried to use the gun on them but was not a good shot. A man boarding at the house also tried to interfere, but both were placed under arrest. Their preliminary hearing will be held today. --De Soto Times (5-31-1916)

Joe Carson, colored, is having a small home built for himself near the depot. (6-14-1916)

Mrs. Rachel Bryan, one of Potosi’s oldest and respected colored residents, died on August 2d, aged 88 years. Her funeral took place Friday last, the remains being laid to rest in the new Colored cemetery. She is survived by a son, Wm. Bryan of this place, two grand-daughters and two great grand-children. “Aunt” Rachel was a good woman. (8-1916)

There was a “cop” in town last Saturday in full uniform. He was a De Soto policeman and had come here after a couple of colored hoboes who had been arrested at Mineral Point and lodged in the county jai. They were wanted for a robbery near De Soto. (3-12-1918)

Jim Whittenburg, the colored houseman at the Austin Hotel got an overload of booze on last Saturday night and then made his father-in-law, an old colored man named Mitchell, who lives at Mineral Point, a visit, and the call proved disastrous for all concerned. Whether Jim or someone else started it, we did not learn, but a row broke out and when things quieted down Jim was conqueror of all he surveyed. He had smashed up all the furniture in the house, severaly injured old man Mitchell by breaking a gun over his back, and another colored man named Cook was also hurt. Jim was in jail Sunday morning, and is still there, to answer to charges that have been filed against him. (3-12-1918)

There was a “cop” in town last Saturday in full uniform. He was a DeSoto policeman and had come here after a couple of colored hoboes who had been arrested at Mineral Point and lodged in the county jail. They were wanted for a robbery near DeSoto. (3-12-1918)