A strange thing happened in El
Paso, Texas, Thursday when the col
ored heroes who had been imprisoned
in Chihuahua, released by Carranza,
were returned to the border. Just
read the press report:
"There was a paradoxical side of
the reception arrangements which ap
parently was never thought of. All
of the imprisoned troopers are Ne
groes and probably never before in
history was such homage considered
for the colored race in the state of
Texas, but they were not colored men
in the minds of these patriotic south
erners. They were Uncle Sam's sol
diers. They had taken up arms
against the Mexicans and that in it
self is sufficient to make any one be
loved in this southwest country. Their
color was never considered. They
were heroes, fighters, cavalrymen and
that was enough."
Good!
The acquittal of the officers of the
Riggs National Bank ought to be
pleasing to all decent men. And the
jury deliberated only nine minutes.
This is a deserved rebuke to Comp
troller of the Currency Williams, who
endeavored to have the officers con
victed of perjury. Then four days
later the District Supreme Court held
that Comptroller Williams may not re
tain the $5,000 he imposed upon the
Riggs National Bank. Williams, when
assistant secretary of the treasury, is
sued the famous order segregating the
colored employes in one of the water
closets of Treasury Department at
Washington.
John Skelton Williams, comptroller
of the currency, he of separate water
closet fame, left Washington the other
day and allowed his deputy Thomas P.
Kane, to sign, as acting comptroller,
the new charter for 30 years, which he
was compelled to grant to the Riggs
National Bank of Washington, D. C.
