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280 Mr. Hamilton uses The Index office in fitting young men to become printers. At this writing he has five apprentices, whose work is very neatly done. His paper has the reputation of being one of the best edited and neatly printed of our religious journals. It contends for the religious rights of its people, while forgetting not their civil and political rights.

Mr. Hamilton possesses great aptitude for business; and being a quick thinker and a ready writer, he always expresses himself in a style that has drawn to The Index a, large number of readers.

One of the best Afro-American papers published in Ohio, and one of the best edited in the United States, is The Cleveland Gazette, whose success has been achieved by the persistent efforts of the subject of this sketch, whom we are proud to record as its editor and proprietor.

Mr. Smith was born at Clarksburg, West Va., January 28, 1863, and is therefore now a very young man. He was taken to Cleveland in 1865, where he attended the schools, finishing his course successfully in 1882.

The next year he devoted his efforts to the study of band and orchestral music. His diligent efforts in the direction of journalism and music have gained for him the place he occupies to-day, "facile princeps:" (as a writer says) among the first colored citizens of Ohio. He is now leader and musical director of the Excelsior cornet band. His musical compositions have found ready sale, especially his song and chorus—"Be True, Bright Eyes."

His life since 1880 has been spent mostly in journalism. In connection with three others he launched The Cleveland Gazette, in August, 1883,—and afterward became sole proprietor. Few Afro-American journals have proved absolutely