The Booker T. Washington Papers, Vol.7, page 242, July 1903, U. of Illinois Press

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The BOOKER T. WASHINGTON Papers have lost character with the white and colored people of Boston, not because they are democrats at heart, but because they have shown a rowdy and vulgar disposition in their opposition to Mr. Washington, which places them among the hoodlums of the population. There were seen two thousand people in and about the church, drawn there by a laudable desire to see and hear Dr. Washington speak. They were honest and intelligent people, among them being many of the clistinguished and respected colored people of Boston, people proud of their city, and zealous for its high reputation for intelligence, sobriety, and for law and order. Scattered among these two thousand people, were Trotter and his henchmen, who had contrived to throw red pepper about the altar before the meeting was called to order, for the purpose of confusing the speakers. As soon as the chairman, Hon. W. H. Lewis, called the meeting to order, the disturbance was begun by one Martin, with hissing by his associates. When T. Thos. Fortune, of New York, was announcect as the first speaker, the man Martin became so boisterous in his talk and action that the audience was thrown into confusion, and the police had to be called in to eject him. lust before Mr. Fortune concluded his remarks, the man was allowed to return to his seat on promise of goof! behavior; but the interruptions continued through the address of Mr. Edwarci Everett Brown. When Mr. Washington was introduced, the five men created so much disorder and confusion that the audience became panicky and riotous in temper. The managers of the meeting then decided to have Trotter and all of his fellow conspirators ejected from the church. A squad of policemen, commanded by a sergeant, was called in, and in the confusion that ensued both inside and outside of the church, arrested Trotter and his sister, and two of his henchmen, and, with handcuffs on their wrists, marched them off to the station house. One was badly cut with a razor, and two policemen were injured, one of them stabbed with a hat pin in the hands, it is alleged, of Miss Maude Trotter. When the rioters were removed, after two hours of confusion, the meeting proceeded in an orderly and decorous manner. At the close of the meeting, Mr. Washington was given an ovation, and was overwhelmed by the crush of people who desired to shake his hancI, and assure him personally of their hearty good will and sympathy.