The Northwest Enterprise

NEGRO ELECTED AND SWORN INTO
OFFICE FIRST TIME IN TEXAS

San Antonio scored another "first," and political history was made in the South, Saturday, when, with Negroes and Latin-Americans consolidating their voting power, G. J. Sutton, 39, well known young business man, was elected to the board of trustees of the San Antonio union junior college district, which includes the San Antonio area, and adjacent rural school districts.

It is the first time in the history of the south that a Negro has been elected to such a post.

SWEEP CITY
Sutton, running against two incumbents, Jesse N. Fletcher and E. H. Keator, led both candidates by a substantial margin in the city proper, the results from its 29 polling places giving him 1558 plurality over Keator and 917 over Fletcher. Sutton tallied 6643; Fletcher, 5726, and Keator, 5085.

But in those suburban areas that have been annexed to the city in recent years, and where racism is highest, Fletcher and Keator rolled up impressive margins. The seven boxes-in Alamo Heights, Los Angeles Heights, W. W. White, Hot Wells, Harlandale, South San Antonio, East Woodland gave Fletcher 2007; Keator, 1936 and Sutton 405.

Apprehensive Until Canvass
But it was not until the official canvass, Wednesday, when Sutton
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Negro Elected
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was official returned the winner, that his backers breathed a sigh of relief, for immediately upon the unofficial announcement, very late Saturday night, that Sutton had defeated Keator by 79 votes, certain elements were thrown into a furore. They couldn't believe that it had happened, that a Negro had been elected, and, for a while, there were indications that the election would be snatched from Sutton if there was any possible way to do it.
In the official canvass. Wednesday, conducted in the basement of the courthouse. Sutton's lead was actually cut, when it was discovered that some Keator votes at Booker T. Washington school-a predominantly Negro polling place -had not been recorded. These added Keator votes cut Sutton's lead to 27.
In the Wednesday canvass, conducted by County Judge Charles W. Anderson and District Judge Delos Finch, this was the only error shown in the returns.
Following the canvass, and the official declaration that he had been elected, Sutton was sworn in by James L. M. Miller, assistant Democratic chairman.
Keator, with the announcement that Sutton was the winner, left the courthouse. He failed to offer Sutton his hand. He declared that he just wanted to make sure that the returns were correct, and added, "Now I'm through."