REV. FINCH RETURNED AS LOUISVILLE PASTOR
HAD ANNOUNCED HIS APPOINTMENT STRONG OPPOSITION PRACTICALLY IGNORED, AND RESULTS NO SURPRISE SERIES OF EDITORIAL-ARTICLES ON THE CHURCH AND THE PEOPLE BEGUN By I. Willis Cole Rev. C. L. Finch was returned to Louisville as pastor of the Chestnut Street C.M.E. Church, at the Kentucky Annual Conference, presided over by Bishop H. P. Porter of Jackson, Tennessee. Bishop Porter will soon become a resident of Louisville. The property formerly owned by the Church Extension Department of the C.M.E. Church, with the Methodist Church, white, holding an equity in the property, is now being renovated and put in modern condition for Bishop and Mrs. Porter. The return of Rev. Finch as pastor is news to the public. Speculation had been rife as to whether he would be returned and whether he should return, not among officers and members of the church alone, but among citizens, who too, are interested in church advancement and community advancement. Rev. Finch had announced two weeks before the meeting of the conference at Winchester, Kentucky, that he would return, and knowing something about the pastor's connections, whatever there might have been against him, there were those who were certain that he knew whereof he spoke at the time he made his own announcement. That is true, notwithstanding the fact that ministers of the Methodist Church do not usually make known the fact that they will be returned although the Bishop in some instances may apprize them of it in advance of the meeting of the annual conference, or the reading of the appointment, usually the last act of the bishop, and regarded as one of the most sacred services or acts connected with the conference. In some cases, however, ministers who think they have a knowledge of where they are to serve the next year, become disappointed when the presiding prelate asks for the singing of "Take the Name of Jesus With You" or some other appropriate song, and solemnly reads the ministers out to their future work in the vineyard. When the appointments were read by Bishop Porter, closing out the five-day session of the conference at Winchester, Sunday afternoon, September 12 there were those in the audience who had made strong appeals to the Bishop against the return of Rev. Finch, and who had reason to believe that he might not be reappointed. And there were others who made known their position to the [Bishop?] but who felt that things [were] "stacked", and [illegible] not [illegible] the Bishop read [illegible] [Louisville?] for the eleventh year. As stated in a petition to Bishop Porter, printed elsewhere in this issue, the opposition to Rev. Finch was not prompted by any personal or selfish reasons, but for the "good of the church" as they saw it. In the main, for its spiritual and moral, as well as its financial advancement, and for the influence which it should have on the general community. II Becomes Public News Anything which becomes public property becomes public news whether it is of the church or of the state. The situation at (Continued on page 4)
New Georgia Terror Charged
$500,000 Suit Filed In Fight To End Segregation In Maryland
Verdict Is Travesty
DEATH SENTENCE CALLED TRAVESTY SAYS PROSECUTION OF MANUEL BASED ON CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE By J. Edward Haycraft What appeared to be one of the most flagrant miscarriages of justice, in the opinion of persons long familiar with jury trials, took place Wednesday when [a?] criminal court jury [sentenced?] [illegible] trial shall St. to death in the electric chair, at his second trial, for the slaying last May of white police officer, Andy Miller. The first trial resulted in a hung jury. According to testimony presented by both witnesses, Manuel ,accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Willie Mae Manuel, Miss Hallie Moore and her boy friend, Walter Barkley, were out on a party the night before the slaying and went to Manuel's room at his mother's home about 5 p. m. On that morning about 10:15 it was testified that there was a knock on the door and officer Miller confronted Manuel when he answered. Miss Moore, testifying for the prosecution, declared that the officer said he was looking for Mrs. Manuel, and was told by Manuel that she would put on her clothes and then come out. A few minutes later, according to the testimony, the officer again knocked on the door and asked the cause of he delay. Miss Moore said that the killing occurred when Manuel attempted to go to his mother's room to talk with her. She said that Officer Miller grabbed Manuel in the collar and a struggle developed when the officer attempted to strike Manuel with his club, and that the officer lost the club in the struggle. She stated that he then pulled his pistol and pointed it at Manuel, who took the gun from the officer and fired two shots. In answer to questions from the prosecutor, Miss Moore stated that the officer had his hands up when he was falling, but that it appeared to be an effort to (Continued on page 4)
Prosecution of Election Day Murderers Urged By The N.A.A.C.P.
GROUP HOLDS-OFF INTERRACIAL PICNIC The proposed inter-racial picnic scheduled for Shawnee Park Saturday, under the sponsorship of the Civil Rights Committee, a group composed of young white and colored persons, was postponed "until after the election," at a meeting Wednesday night, at the Brock Building, where heated pro and con speeches on the subject were made. The general opinion of a large number of citizens is that unnecessary and unwarranted publicity and false and intimidating statements were made about the proposed affair in the first place. A committee of citizens in no way connected with the Civil Rights group met to discuss the question Wednesday evening, and a statement is to be issued to the press notwithstanding the postponement of the picnic. The committee was composed of A. E. Meyzeek, Dr. J. A. C. Lattimore, Dr. J. H. Walls, Rev. D. J. Hughlett and I. Willis Cole.
SPEAKS HERE [Photo] President Harry S. Truman Who spoke to an overflow mixed crowd of citizens at the Jefferson County Armory, Thursday night.
Policeman Resigns; Was Beneath Dignity Not To Arrest Whites
REPUBLICANS TO OPEN IN LEXINGTON The campaign for the Republican ticket in the November election, will be launched in Lexington, Monday evening, October 4, at a place to be announced later. The Chairman, J. E. Kuykendall, with headquarters in the Pythian Building, says that this campaign will be the greatest in the history of the party, according to the report from headquarters, the mass meeting in all Congressional districts will be all inclusive, male and female. Mrs. Ethel Winn, Chairman of the Women's Division, will be guest speaker at central points.
HOLD TRUMAN RALLY AT THE AUDITORIUM An average crowd heard stirring addresses in support of President Truman at Memorial Auditorium last Sunday evening. The speakers were Congressman William L. Dawson and Attorney George L. Vaughn, who made the minority report on the Civil Rights plank which later became a part of the majority, at the National Democratic convention in Philadelphia. The meeting was presided over by Frank L. Stanley, publisher of the Louisville Defender. Mr. Dawson was presented by Mrs. Hortense Young and Mr. Vaughn by Attorney Everett Harris. Music for the occasion was led by Mrs. Addie Duff. Negroes were urged to give Truman both their moral and financial support. Following the speaking a collection was in order and contributions were put in cans passed around by the ushers.
Actor Held on Morals Charge Star of Stage, Screen and Radio; Played "De Lawd" In Green Pastures
Pullman Porters Elect Randolph
Catholics Urge Bias Employment End
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