Chariton 1908: "No drunks, bums or colored people"

I've written often about Henry Gittinger, veteran editor of The Chariton Leader, but don't believe I've ever posted any of his poetry. And, yes, Henry fancied himself a poet. 

Unfortunately, he was not very good, his poems were very long and quite often it was difficult to figure out what in the world he was writing about.

But I liked this one, published on the front page of The Leader of June 18, 1908, under the headline "No Colored People."

Here's the back story --- During late May of 1908, a gentleman named Lee E. Edington arrived in Chariton from Concordia, Kansas, rented Jacob Kull's building on the west side of the square and opened a billiards parlor. A few weeks later, his family arrived and moved into the apartment over the business.

The Kull building was built during 1883 in partnership with Daniel Eikenberry as half of the Exchange Block, Kull owning one of its halves; Eikenberry, the other. It is located on the far left in this turn-of-the-century postcard view of the west side. I'm not sure which half of the building belonged to which. Today, The Office occupies the north half and the south half is being restored after near dereliction.

In any case, Edington posted in his new business a sign that read, "No drunks, bums or colored people," a sentiment that Henry took exception to --- and that was the inspiration for his front-page poem.

There's no doubt that Henry wrote the poem, although he attributed it to the Rev. Preston S. Ervin, the Rev. Charles Carter or James Knox, all respected members of Chariton's black community at the time. Here's the text of the story --- and the poem:

NO COLORED PEOPLE

The new west side billiard hall, which opened a week or two since, has posted the following notice conspicuously on its wall: "Wanted --- No drunks, bums or colored people."

Some of our colored people, who do not even play billiards, feel that it is an injustice to class them with "drunks" and "bums," aside from the disrespect shown to the civil rights bill by this discrimination against respectable colored people.

Accordingly, either the Rev. P.S. Ervin, the Rev. Charles Carter or James Knox had a poetic dream, and the inspiration was measured in poetic feet which runs up into yards, a part of which is as follows, and is founded on the scripture which warns against offending --- the passage being familiar to all Bible readers:

Once upon a time a billiard hall man,

Thought to improve God's holy plan.

So alone in his chamber he seized his cue,

Writing down what, and what not, to do,

Refusing to "table" but pushing the bill through.

For life is a game --- each act is a ball,

So he "pooled" all the issues and chalked on the wall,

"No colored man wanted."

Years rolled along and time went by,

Changes ne're made in earth or sky.

Children were born to the mothers of men.

Commandments were broken --- each of the ten.

As in the beginning, so it was then,

"Let justice be done though the heavens fall.

Still it was seen, fresh chalked on the wall:

"No colored man wanted."

The angels looked down from the courts above,

With souls of compassion and tears of love.

Then a voice was heard from the eternal sphere,

Causing the just to rejoice and the wicked to fear,

"Prepare thy way, the judgment is near."

But no one heard on that awful day,

The voice of Wisdom derisively say,

"No colored man wanted."

Here all men are equal before the law;

No caste or condition dares the lines draw.

All men are judged by what is within,

And not by his race or color of skin,

Or ability of earthly riches to win.

For who would dare stand by the gate,

Denying to any that blessed estate?

"No colored man wanted."

The colored man went about his way,

Laboring and rejoicing from day to day.

He learned well the lessons in experience's school;

He played neither billiards nor pool.

He kept inviolate the golden rule,

'Til he cast his eye on heaven's wall,

And there read the letters tall,

"One billiard man not wanted."

+++

It's not clear how relations between Mr. Gittinger and Mr. Edgington fared after that, but the Edingtons remained in Chariton until March of 1912. At that time, they traded their business in Chariton for a similar one in Sedalia, Missouri, operated by G.M. Whittlesey and his son, Lester, and moved on.