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| Jury Finds Theater
Employee Guilty
Violated Law of State When He Drew Color Line Source: Chicago Defender 2 December 1916, pg. 1. William Tooher (white foreigner), a fire guard, employed by the Franklin theater, owned and controlled by citizens of the Hebrew race, people who themselves are discriminated against and disfranchised in various places, was found guilty by a jury of twelve honorable, upright, decent and fearless white citizens before Honorable Samuel H. Trude in the Municipal court of the city of Chicago on Monday, Nov. 27, after a hotly contested trial. Professor A. T. Donald of 3652 Calumet avenue, an eminent chiropolist, and Miss Jeanette McGhee, both being persons of color, after having purchased their tickets of admissin, applied at the entrance and were refused admission on account of being persons of color. Although being insulted, they quietly left the theater and secured a warrant of arrest for the doorman, William Tooher, who had informed them that the rules of the theater restricted members of the Race to the gallery. Professor Donald, after informing the special representative of the Defender that he had retained an attorney to assist in the prosecution who for some reason on the eve of the trial informed Professor Donald that it would not be necessary for additional counsel, withdrew from the case. But the Defender, realizing the magnitude of the situation, called in one of its attorneys, Richard E. Westbrooks, of the firm of Ellis & Westbrooks, general counsel of the Chicago Defender, and as special state's attorney, after a vigorous and hotly contested trial, the jury brought in a verdict of guilty in manner and form as charged in the information. This is a demonstration again of the upholding of the law and the maintaining of good order that has been demonstrated continuously by State's Attorney Maclay Hoyne and his efficient assistants, who, as in this case, were called upon to prosecute a violator of the law, apparently white, for discrimination against a lady and gentleman of color. The judge will pass sentence next week, it being withheld to amend bill of prosecution, so it will read that complaints are citizens of State of Illinois and the United States, which was omitted in the bill. This will have no hearing on the case. The Defender has continuously waged an unrelenting war against race prejudice and discrimination and is ready at all times to see that those who indulge in the nefarious and diabolical conduct of denying to any man on the account of race or color the full and equal enjoyment of the accommodation, advantages, facilities and privileges of public places and in violation of the law, are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and with juries composed entirely of white men, who on their oaths are sworn to uphold the law, finding guilty one of their own for its violation, gives to us hope and encouragement not only to be better citizens, but to see that all others within this jurisdiction continue to be law-abiding citizens and desist from its violation. |
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Page authored: 18
February 2000 -
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