The Booker T. Washington Papers, Vol.7, page 243, July 1903, U. of Illinois Press

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JULY 1 903 It will be recalled that this man Trotter and two companions from Boston, came near precipitating a riot on three occasions at the Louisville convention of the Afro-American Council, early in July last, and succeeded by their lawless acts and words in coloring the reports about the convention in such a way as to confuse the thoughtful people of the country. It is safe to say that by their conduct at Louisville, and at the Boston meeting of the National Negro Business League, Trotter and his crew have done more to injure the cause of the race in the estimation of the people of the country, than can be overcome by years of hard honest effort. It is high time that the race frown down such crazy, desperate characters as Trotter, and place the seal of their disapproval upon them in such an unmistakable way that he who runs may read. It is worth while to emphasize the fact that Dr. Washington has during the past six months spoken a dozen or more times in white churches in Boston, but Trotter and his gang made no disturbance in any of them; they waited until Dr. Washington was to speak at a church of his own race, crowded by the flower of the race's womanhood and manhood of Boston, to carry out their program of riot and confusion. Why did they not carry it out at some one of the white churches in Boston, where Dr. Washington has spoken during the last six months? ''Professor'' Wm. H. Ferris, the prime mover in the riotous conduct at Louisville, was not present to assist his fellow-rioters in Boston Thursday night, for the reason that he is completely on his uppers in Louisville. It seems that Trotter and Forbes, after using Forbes ''Ferris] for their own selfish ends, abandoned him, and left him stranded in Louisville. Ferris is a type of the tramp who goes South to attend meetings, and to instruct the colored people as to the solution of their problems. It is very pitiful to read the urgent letters he is writing to Boston, entreating his friends to send him even the smallest amounts to assist him to get home. TM Con. 978 BTW Papers DLC. Probably written by E. I. Scott. 243