CIVIL RIGHTS SCRAPBOOKS

MISSISSIPPI EVENTS

3.10

VOLUME III PAGE 1 THROUGH PAGE 47

Memphis to Jackson march; Philadelphia slayings reopened by Justice Department; eighteen charged with slayings; seven found guilty. /VMississippi to investigate. They were led hy .Tamers H rights leaders, he said, but the 1 Meredith, Ihe slender, intense true issue is that "exery inch of Abernethy said that when they arrived back in this country is controlled by the Washington they released indij^nant reports to their Iman who is a hero figure lo ;Mississippi Negroes, and by a .systi^m of white supremacy." respective constituencies "and returned as conquerms iclustor of national civil rights The National Association for horocvs to fill The Congressional Record with extended leaders who included Martin Ihe .\d\ anc(Mnent of Colored lamentations on what they .saw and heard in poor little l.uther Knig. People was ousifni fiom the fi­ ole Mississippi." Meredith applauded nal proLiram h\ ihe olher civil .Ml of them spoke, but only ri!:hts groups ;t1 ihe last minute "It Is quite strange that these Washington civil Meredith drew a great response on the ground that it did not rights experts, the news media and all, are this very from the crowd, whieh couldn't lend sufficK'nt supimrt in the day so quiet in the face of all the racial trouble, hear half of what was going on march. at the flatbed truck which l.oungin'-: nonchalant 1> i^< he incidents and riots, looting and shooting in Chicago, watched the speakers. Charles Cleveland, New York and Sacramento, Calif." served as the speakers plat­ form. K\ers state field director for In his address on the House floor, the Mi.ssissippi the NA.\rP, sairl he didnl mind •ilu fear that grips the being excluded rongressman said th.d several Negroe.s' have lx>en Negro in .Xmerica to his very It's all right." he said. "I'll 1>^ killed in Northern cities within the last few days and lx)nes must l>> erased if civil here when they le all gone." nothing has be<'n said by President .lohnson or Atty. rights are lo be won. cried K\er,s said Ihe crowd was Cicn. Nicholas Katzenlxich who "had been so \'ocal" in 'Meri'dith. quiet because nutst of thus*' the Meredith shooting. Peojile on the perimeter mill- l)re.sent were "pot)ped" by thej led alHiut restlessly as the long walk under a '^conhing; Furthermore, he said none of the congressmen who pleaders steppefore the speech­ Those overcome by heat and es ended. humidit>- included Pennsylvania intervene, and none has demanded a new civil rij^hts The crowd dispersed quietly Supreme Court .lustu-e \Iichael law. after the final words, streanum: .\. Musmanno. 68, of Pittsburgh. He walked the entire ronie ••COMP.MIE^THIS, Mr. .Speaker." Abernethy said, back homeward in nrge groups today, bul had to 1H> hclpj'd off "with the abuse that was heaped upon Mississippians but nol marching. the speaker's plat tot in. where when a Negro got sprinkled with bird shot, not by a Hits White .Supremacy he sat among the honou'd guests. Mississippian but by a Tennessean. In his brief talk. Meredith "What is the matter with you civil righters around I said the whites oof Mississippi 'Chanting "black power." a here? You are so quiet over the riots and killings of the are basically decent but "thert* crowd of militant Studtnt Non-. hour in the Northern and Western cities. Why don't you is a thing in Mississippi that is violent Coordinating Conunitteej demand federal action, federal intervention, more preventing white people from workers moved truculently mtol federal laws? tx'ing decent." i the lead as the column, 20 "We are anxiously awaiting. And listening, listen­ abreast, made the last mile. ing, listening." "That thing is white suprema­ c.v. The purpose of the march No serious incidents were re- that I started three weeks ago IMirted along the eight-mile toda. ,y, was to point up and route from Tougaloo College t(» challenge fhe thing at the base th«» Capitol. Tennx'i'idures were of the system -- fear. A foar in the low 90s City }>olico Jhat grips the Negro in America swarmed along \ho route. to his very Iwne.s." : The majority of volutes Meredith pointed out that he Iwatching near the Capitol were was shot on the .second dav of impassive. They included 50 his march "but as you can" sec Ku Klux Klansmcn wearing here, that didn't end a thing " green pants and shirts, with white ties and white belts. Little American flags flut-j U'r(>d in the hands of the march­ ers. Many whites among groups clustered at intersections waved Confederate flags. It was the 22nd day of the [march, which was started in Memphis. Tenn.. by Meredith.! the slender Negro who broke the racial barrier at the University of Mississippi in 1962. /. MARCHERS PLODDED ON\V\RD TIIR()UGH'1iA*iN°~"""°' """'""' Photographer made unusual piciuire Ithroug h windshield ot car iVlarcners prepari /.ts e for Grenada parade ftn ^ i4 (•/ BY GEORCiE Ml Ii: Meanwhile at Ripley today News slaff writer Circuit Judge Walter O'Barr Today's march got under GRENADA. Miss., June 14 denied a reduction of S2.1.00I) way shortly after tents were — Footweary civil rights bond for Aubrey .lames \or- struck at Enid Dam and marchers trudged into Gre­ vell charged in (he ambush marchers were hauled b\ shotiiing of James Meredith. nada today, prepared to pa­ tiucks and cars lo the srot at rade through the downtown N(;r\ell, 41, Memphis, uncn- wuich Monday's nuirch halt­ district before launching door- ployed hardware salesman, is ed. A good camp site, the to-door, county-wide voter charged with assault with intent registration drive. to kill and has been in jail since F.nid Dam localion has been the shooting. used Iwo ii'gliSs in succession Both state and federal as the marchers have been authorities were frankly ap­ Norvi'll, arrested hy two prehensive as some 175 highway patrol criminal inves­ cairriei d in vehicles to and marchers, now dishevelcfl and tigators minutes after Mere­ from their march slopping dirty after four overnirht dith was felled by three shot- and s\art ing place. campouts. approached the EAHLV TOD.VY the luanh city limits. gun blasts as he marched leaders were undecidiHl as to along li. S. 51 three miles Tension flKuratlvely crack­ where the two big tents would south of Hernando June 6. has be pitched. Three possible led along Grenada streets. made no public statement lined since early morning by sites, including Ihe Grenada since the shooting incidcmt. A Lake shoreline, were being whites and Negroes awaiting patrol source said Norvell told arrival of the marchers. Most considered. of those waiting are merely arresting officers he had "been squirrel hciting" when There was some indication curious. the march route might be a hail of shotgun pellets changed and veer westward, But, according to a highway struck Meredith. into the Delia country. patrol criminal investigator, Grenada has "three or four Later, however. DeSolo She­ hotheads" capable of trigger­ riff Lee Meredith claimed ing an incident—which para- Norvell had admitted shooting d 0 X i c a 11 y march leaders the 32-year-old Columbia Uni­ would welcome. versity law school student and Ole Miss graduate. The sheriff Since leaving Batesville did not discuss details of Saturday, march ranks have Norvell's alleged statement. seemed to thin out. Approx­ imately 125 persons, most of Norvell's attorney claims these hard core civil rights the $25,000 maximum bond set activists, hiked 15 miles Mon­ by a DeSoto County justice of day, the smallest number the peace is excessive; that counted since the march loft the normal bond for an "as­ Senatobia last Thursday. An sault with intent" charge is incident here today would $2,000. r^focus national attention on tWe march, one of its leaders a admitted privately Monday. ^V/c-i^c ^ But March Isn't Helping— •'^^'-^ ^'^r^ Mississippi Negroes Making Gains BY BRUCE BIOSSAT en desegregation in some places before Medicare takes effect WASHINGTON where people said it would •luly 1, only 17 of Mississippi's The Mississippi the civil never happen." 1.32 hospitals had signed up for rights marchers are plodding participation in the program as FOURTEEN ^Negroes attend­ of this writing. through has changed signifi­ ed the University of Mississippi cantly on the On the school front, dissatis­ (Or Miss) m the 1965-66 year, fied whites are turning more racial front. and 30 are enrolled in Summer But the march­ and more to private schools lo sessions. It was here, of course, avoid desegregation. ers are having that .lames Meredith, initiator very little lo do of the present march, broke the While Negro registration is with it. color barrier in 1962. up, only 35,000 of 132,000 VOICMI in recent primaries. Democratic Veteran ob­ This .\utumn, the first signifi­ servers in the party leaders are heaiing that cant introduction of Negroes to Negroes next year may win state say the public school teaching rosters state legislative" SCMIS in as march proba­ will occur in desegregatcnl bly will pro­ schools. It will be a tough many as four counties, but Ihey duce only a hurdle for many white parc^nts are not publicly acknowledging negligible ad­ to get over. the changing prospeci. vance in Negro voting registra­ On the job line, many changes * >K * tion. They even suggest that, have taken place. In the year SYMBOLIC of resistance at left to themselves, Mississippi since the non-discriminatot'\ hir­ the political level is the fact Negro leaders like Charles ing provisions of the 1964 Civil that today former (lov. Hoss Kvers of the NAACP miuht well Rights Acl took effect, mosI Barnett. .stout .segregaticmisl. is produce better gains. manufacturers have employed the overwhelming bet for the Since the Voting Rights Act of more Negro help and upgraded 1967 governorship nomination. 1965 took effect, some .'?n.000 what they alreaciy had. Business His candidacy got a whopping additmnal Negores ha\e regis­ leaders and organizations labor­ boost from the Alahania tered in Mi.s.sissippi—lifting the ed hard to make the changes primary victory of Mrs. Lurleen total to 132.000. By one esti­ acceptatile. Wallace, wifc^ of (iO\. Cteoige Wallac-e. mate, the figure may rise lo Industrial plant facililies like 175,000 by the next statewide rc^staurants are dos(>gregated. Barnett talks Wallace for election in 1967. Similar hiring c-hanges are president m 1968 There are olher chang<\s All noted in retail stores and olher Business leaches Pent on but a score of Mississippi's 149 establishments. Buses are inte­ promoting a changing Mississip­ school districts have indicated grated. pi image are united in s(>archir.'4 compliance with Federal guide­ desp(>rately for an alt liaxc .\c'cording lo one observer: are being seriously resisted. none. But e\'en if lu> is plcntcd "The situation can he describ­ too. again, the ediu ated guessing: is ed as t'ood. healthy tokmism . . . Though the figures max that Mississippi will go oi> Mississippians have undertak­ change some m the fmal days changing.

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END OF MARCH—James Meredith speaks to a , throng of marchers in Jackson, Miss. (UPI Telephoto).

March Ends In Rally ^ Marchers to rally t^K. in '63 death BY GEORGE METZ .\ND TOM LANKFORD News staff writers BELONZl. Miss.. June 20—Civil rights marchers trooped out of Belzoni today as thev made plans to travel by car tonighi toi a rally at Philadelphia where three civil rights workers were killed three years ago. . Philadelphia is about 85 miles southeast of Belzoni. Rooeri GreeLeadershin of pth eConferenc Southerne Christiasaid thant ARVl'.DON CLAIMED they, while the march continues Tues­ were firsi SIOPIKMI OU Saturday day to Jackson another march and then again on Sunday. ! will be staged in Philadelphia. Sunday niulit to o 1 - w e a ry' Sunday more than 1,000 lo­ marchers, after tnidgimi somej cal Negroes Joined marchers 1(5 miles into Belzoni, cami)ed mi outside Belzoni blocking High­ the shadow of a Negro church.! way 7 for a half-hour im­ The area immediately was seal­ promptu rally. ed off by highway patrolmen and loc-al law enforccmenl offic­ "From now~l»n^ it'7 not" ers. Highway |)atrolm(Mi. who going to be all blacit blood. had temporarily been reduced; We are going to get some of in strength, were swiftly beefed' that white blood," Willie up again over the weekend. A crowd of white men and Ricks, a Southern Christian boys increased on the perimeter Leadership Conference staff of the cainp site Sunday, mosth worker, shouted from the top waichini; the proceedings, with »it a car parKWi in the middle liltle hecklinu. However,when a 1 of the highway. highway patrolman, \V L. Joyn- er of Meridi.an, stnpped a camp­ er truck at a roadblock leadin'i V^ tht hujg liiu' of marchers into Ihe camp, whites and trekked lo Kel/.oni. white Negroes nearly collided. MUlths wave

,,>.Kl near Belzoni Saturday r '' ir ck. he said, was^ equip- The. « tv, 1 siren and men. KltiK^ themselves as law- en Uirealened to arrest them f thev did not leave town. '^ ll7 said the men, wearing ..;;,* ''the size of a m^\- r" '^'askcil the driver of the.r «• hP had a commercial

e^ly was made. >V- ^Rights' groups criticize judge

By Ray Jenkins Senate Judiciary Committee—recommended though Negroes made up one-third of the Special to The Christian Science Monitor his old friend and supporter for a federal population, Judge Cox held that such statis­ judgeship. tics had "no probative value" in proving t "^M iy ( ^ 1 /' -*' Jackson, Miss. that discrimination existed. The Fifth Cir­ Mr. Cox's credentials seemed impeccable cuit later reversed Judge Cox's decision as It was through a curious twist of irony that in a state where lawyers are traditionally "clearly erroneous." President Kennedy's first appointment to from the conservative mold. He had never joined the White Citizens Council during a Ckintenipt case reversed the federal judiciary—Judge William Harold period when anyone in public life in Missis­ Cox—should come under such sharp attack sippi was under heavy pressure to do so. In one of his most celebrated cases in from civil-rights groups. And the American Bar Association had pro­ 1964, Judge Cox sought to have a contempt proceeding brought against a Negro wit­ Probably no other federal judge has been nounced him as "exceptionally well quali­ fied" to sit on the bench. ness in a voting rights case and when the more heavily criticized for civil-rights rul­ United States attorney at Jackson, acting ings than Judge Cox during his five years on He quickly became known as a judge who under instructions of the Justice Depart­ the bench. Next September, Judge Cox will almost always supported the position argued ment, refused to prosecute the case. Judge once again be in the spotlight when he pre­ by the state of Mississippi in civil-rights Cox cited the attorney for contempt and sides over the trials of Sheriff Lawrence cases. He was also noted for biting com­ ordered then-Aclmg Atty. Gen. Nicholas dcB. Rainey of Neshoba County and 17 other ments from the bench. In 1961 he referred Katzenbach to show cause why he also Mississippians on charges of conspiring to to the Freedom Riderfe as "criminals" should not be cited. On appeal, the Fifth violate the civil rights of three civil-rights whose only purpose in coming to Jackson Circuit Court immediately enjoined Judge workers who were murdered near Philadel­ was to cause trouble. Cox's contempt order and later reversed phia, Miss., in 1964. Lawyers found it difficult to get around him outright. William L. Kuntsler. a New York attorney the rules of his court. He once enforced a •who has handled numerous civil-rights cases rule that a local lawyer must sign all papers Today, Judge Cox presides over the United in the South, wrote in a recent book that filed in his court—a rule that worked much States District Court for Southern Missis­ Judge Cox had "one of the worst records in hardship on attorneys who came from out­ sippi from a courtroom in Jackson which the country in civil-rights cases." side the state to handle civil-rights cases. has a mural depicting white men dispensing Leon Friedman, another New York at­ In an extraordinary directive in 1964, the torney who specializes in civil liberties, said Fifth Circuit appellate court instructed justice and running industry while Negroes in a recent book that Judge Cox often acts Judge Cox that his court could not "close its happily pick cotton in fields on the banks as "an extension of the state's repressive doors" to litigants by enforcing this rule. of Ole Man River. (The mural, painted long machinery." In 1963, disciplinary proceedings were before Judge Cox came to the bench, was begun in Judge Cox's court against R. Jess Rebuked by jiiilges Brown, one of four Negro attorneys in Mis­ a WPA project.) sissippi, on the grounds that Mr. Brown had Nor have Judge Cox's critics been confined Subtle cbanjio detected to attorneys who advocate civil-rights appeared in a desegregation case without causes. On at least one occasion, his senior authority from the plaintiff. He is a tall, thick-set man with heavy judges on the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Ap­ features and he rarely smiles. He speak.s in peals sternly rebuked the Mississippi jurist 'Discretion abused' such low tones that lawyers in his court for abuse of authority. When it was proved conclusively that Mr. have difficulty m hearing him. He is a man The object of all this scorn was reared in of strict personal habits and neither drinks Brown had been authorized, the charge was nor smokes. the village of Indianola, in northwest Missis­ dismissed but heavy costs were assessed sippi, just a few miles from Sunflower, the Close observers of his court say they de­ home of Sen. James O. Eastland, who was against Mr. Brown on the grounds that he tect a subtle, yet perceptible change in Judge Cox's college roommate when they had not demonstrated his innocence before Judge Cox's handling of cases in his court. were law school students at the University the hearing. In a reapportionment case, it was noted, he of Mississippi. In reversing Judge Cox's order, the Fifth argued for a strict application of the one- Following his graduation at Ole Miss in Circuit observed there was "no justifica­ man, one-vote doctrine which has met with 1924, Judge Cox established law practice in tion" for assessing the costs to Mr. Brown much criticism in Mississippi. Jackson, the state capitol, and in four dec­ and "the district judge abused his discre­ "Perhaps," said one observer, "Judge ades built a reputation as a methodical, tion in doing so." Cox is becoming aware that his opinions bookish lawyer who specialized in civil law In a voting rights case, when government will be studied by future generations. He is, and corporation work. attorneys showed that no Negroes were after all. proud of his legal scholarship. He's He came to be regarded as a "lawyer's registered to vote in Clarke County even a real stickler for the law." lawyer" with more than a passing interest in politics. Though he was identified w-ith the Dixiecraft element of Mississippi politics, he served for a number of years as Hinds County (Jackson) Democratic chairman and in 1952 was a Democratic presidential elec­ tor. Strong Eastland backer Twice he handled Senator Eastland's local campaign for the Senate, and when the Democrats regained the White House in 1961 Senator Eastland—then chairman of the James II. Meredith, who began the 22ft-mile trek from Memphis, Tenn., to Jackson, Miss., acknowledges plaudits of crowd. Mr. HIS g,oal Meredith stands on speakers' platform on the grounds of the State Capitol in Jackson, readied ^^^ ^M^^^scen e of the massive rally which wound up the demonstration.

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BAD MOMENT FOR SMALLEST MARCHER . . . Mark Johnson, 3, son oi Canadian Newi staff oholo—Hovwood Poravicinl This was primarily the object of his pilgrimage back to < O. S? 3* 0-" 2.K 7T OFFICER DEMANDS MARCHER'S CAMERA Mississippi: To demonstrate his belief that fear must he 2 S- 5" :3> . . But unidentified college professor refused 3 ^^ shunted aside in the struggle for voter registration. Meredith ^ 3- ~ tn ft: ^. said he felt Mississippi Negrws had not registered in large •£—'... c number, simply iM'cause, In his words. "They are afraid lo go c" '^ ST — BY GEORGE METZ and TOM LANKFORD to the Courthouse." l-r- 3 c ;:? <^ sy) (—"3 News staff writers . re . 3T BATESVILLE, Miss.. June 11 — Civil rights marchers TODAY. SOME 300 M.\RC11F:RS guarded by dozens of •-I V. ^ rt 3 3. moved into the realm of Ku Klux Klandom this weekend, with cn • '-» highway patrolmen. Federal Bureau of Investigation special 3- T danger possible in every twist of the narrow, asphalt highway agenls and local law enforcement officials, hiked southward >-*• tn ~- 5 ^ 3- S- y ^ - -' - leading to Jackson. near (Grenada. ro • 5^0 No one knows how many times the march leaders may Despite this protection, danger still existed — and wears t3 3 a: <' 3- "" ?• 3 -y. have been, or will be, in the telescopic sights of high-powered many faces. It was a heavy tinick whipping within inches of the c cs. t; rifles, but tangible uneasiness prevails along the column. marchers at Como. It was an angry fami wife near Sardis. who ~, 4 rj j; (J-; -. kl c/l Violence could strike over the next hill, al the next town, or threatened marchers when they paused for a rest stop in a 3r " ^ •y E from dense woods lining some lonely creek bottom along U. S. peach orchard — and almost ran down several newsmen and ~ c — 51. highway patrolmen with a car. 3- a: j: ^"^ g Ahead lie strongholds of at least four KKK klavems — at And later at Batesville. when a marching college professor ar Winona, Vaiden, Duranl and In Madison County just north of left the line to photograph an elderly city policeman and (^ j; = 3- c/; Jackson. A«ked where trouble was anticipated, a highway faced a poised billy club. t0^3 ;:-!i yi c patrol official snapped, "From here on." yi -. ^ Danger also lurked behind stares of hostile whites, who t3^ re "3 gathered along U. S. 51 and will continue to gather to watch 3=^ HE DIDN'T ATTEMPT TO lllDF. his concern and a the passing procession. — — ?• creeping fear that despite every precaution now being laken lo 3 ft: C 3" H- rt) It is because of what highway patrol criminal investigator .^ 3 rt> — protect the marchers, trouble could occur at any moment — J. D. Gardner called "hotheads" — persons capable of suddeQ O ro ts irrational violence — that law officers expected trouble. 3 3" just as unexpected violence greeted James Meredith Monday at I!^" »•*» "* :/» 3 o =r HeiYiando. "THREE OR FOUR HOTHEADS could give us trouble at Meredith, now recuperating from superficial shotgun pellet Grenada," Gardner said. He quickly added that further soulh. wounds, plans to rejoin the mass march next Friday, June 16 Winona, Vaiden and Durant had active Klan klaverns. A — with'his New York doctors permitting. highway patrol district inspector, asked if area Klansnien Today's civil rights march, however, is a far cry from might provoke an incident, replied, "You can't tell. You've got what Meredith originally envisioned one week ago when setting some real oddballs in the Klan between here and Jackson." out from Menpphis's famed Peabody Hotel on a 213-mile trek Civil rights marchers themselves seemed anxious to through North Mississippi. The 32-ycar-old Columbia University provoke incidents. They have heckled patrolmen, continually law student, the first Negro enrolled at Ole Miss, had walked halted their march to lodge complaints, and often ignored southward shielded only by his personal courage. orders ot officers. Friday^ night, they ignored the Highway Patrol's suggestion that they not camp out inside Batesville's city limits. A patrol 7 Hlft liirmi

King returns to seething Philadelphia BY C.EORC.K METZ , News staff writer I PHILADELPHIA. Miss.. June 24 — Marlin Luther Kint: Jr. returned to seething Philadel­ phia loday with civil rights marchers who were involverl in a clash with police in Canton Thur.sday night. King, 7S Negroes and a hand­ ful of whiles arrived at Ml. Nebo Church shortly helore noon in preparation for a march on the Neshoba County Court­ house where they planned to hold a memorial service for three young civil rights workers slain near here in 19fi4 In contrast to Tuesday's stormy greeting by whites and lack of police protection. Philadelphia authorities had a parade permit and police es­ cort ready for the seven-hlock walk from church lo court­ house. Associoted Press wireohoto RIGHTS MARCHERS NEAR JACKSON AUTHOR ITIKS .\r Canton ... Here's route taken by Negro group Thursday had three camp .>^ites for the Memphis-to-J ackson vot­ er registration marchers to use. Instead they attempted to pitch tents on a schoolground which had been closed to Ihem, and were driven out hy tear j:as or dragged away. This was confirmed in a White House statement at Wash­ ington quoting Atty. Gen. Nicho- llas Katzenbach. i Gov. Paul B. Johnson promis­ ed in advance of the second, Philadelphia march attempt that "come hell or high water," order would be maintai-ied. About 50 highway patrolmen were reported in the vicinity This time a parade route of Philadelphia. was laid out and a permit issued in advance of King's ONLY SEVEN blocks sepa­ arrival. Neshoba County rate the Mt. Nebo Church in a authorities also had agreed to Negro section from the Court­ permit the demonstrators U) house in downtown Philadel­ hold the memorial service on phia. Anyone going that way the Courthouse property itself. walks down a dirt road, across M.ANY PHILADELPHlANSi the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio I frankly had hoped that the civili Railroad tracks, and turns to-i rights marchers would become ^ ward the approach to the Court­ so involved in Canton that they, house. would leave Philadelphia alone j Officers headed by Deputy today. I Sheriff Cecil Price blocked King But arrival of the denionstra-| and his followers from the tors dispelled that hope. , Courthouse lawn Tuesday. With Meanwhile, a small task force] little police protection, they of the marchers continued to-; were cursed and struck by ward Jackson, where they planj I whites and cherry bombs were to hold a rally on the steps of i thrown into their ranks. I the Mississippi State Capitol! Sunday. I

^. //•/^ &lyij ^/ WWMWBWaW!*"""**"' REFUSED THREE CAMP SITES

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TEAR GAS BILLOWS AS POLICE FIRE ON MARCHERS' TENTS ... Camp site in schoolyard at Canton is dispersed 3 Cant on &y)await h^m-JkHf s hloyd .McKissick, national director of the Congress of "My baby, my baby." she I Racial Equality, and Stokely screamed, as she ran from Carmichael. head of the mili­ the grounds with the child. tant Student Non-Violent more trouble Coordinating Committee, de­ A while man. who covered his face wilh a handkerchief, clared Negroes are tired of \Wwr''' ""' ''''' '^^'^'<»»«•>• N-s staff wr.i,e..s took the child in his arms on running and asked the crowd said civil vL"''''""^ spokesman in Wa.shinslon fodav the edge of the schoolgrounds. to follow them. "Gel that tent down," an No officers were at the in Can on TH 7"''''''' '^'"^^^^'^^^ ^^ ^''^^^h vv.lh pohce officer ordered. His men schoolgrounds after marchers Offered hcm"'''H'-' "'"'' '" '^"^^^'''"^ ^^^^'^^ ^'^"^P '^'^-'^ yanked the proi)s and the tent walked 10 blocks from the oftered them and tnstsfinff on using .schoolground.s thai collapsed. Hundreds of gassed courthouse to the banned tent wero barred. people were trapped under the site, where leaders posed for pictures erecting a tent. When they attempted to pitch canvas until officers 15 min­ utes later lifted the lent and They had climbed on top of tents on the grounds of a .\( ;ro Ijodily dragged lliem off the a banned truck and were school which was (•|()s<'d lo site. ' singing freedom songs when them, they were dri\en avvax Ihey dragged white and h\ more than 150 helmeted and ^1 tear ,-.;HS bnri age or forcibly .\egr<» men and women by their hair, clothing and limbs. armed officers arrived on the THK M.\RCIIKRS led bv Mar­ dragged from he [)reniis(>s. tin Luther King Jr. and other Others were kicked and jab­ fringe of the schoolgrounds. natioiial figures of the nvil bed by officers armed with Carmichael, snatching a rights movemenl vowed they shotguns, rifles and subma­ microphone from King and would make another attempt to chine guns. Hosea Williams of Southern camp on the school grounds A Nev\sv\eek photographer. Christian Leadership Confer­ today after returning from a WHILE M.XRCHERS parad­ Bob Ellison, was hurled to the ence, shouted. "The time for planned memorial service al ed through city streets in a ground by a city policeman as running is over. We are going Philadelphia. Negro section until midnight, he snapped pictures. The of­ to have a meeling here and In Washington. Deputy White hundreds more highway patrol ficer wrestled for Plllisons we are not going lo let state House press secretary RohcMt and State Conservation Depart­ camera until he was ap­ truoixMs or anybody else run H. Fleming said President .lohn­ ment officers rushed lo Canton proached by U.S. .\ssl. .\tty. over us." (a-n. John Doar. Ellison main­ son had talked Uiis mnrnins: and stood by near the Madison King called for calm and with Katzenbach alK>n1 the County Courthouse, tained possession of his cam­ era. McKissick asked the demon- Mississippi situation, 'and uas These developments formed strat(»rs to sit. saying. "If assured that order is hems the setting today at Canton, anybody goes to jail, we all as the out-of-state Negro and DO.XR. HIS assistants, and maintained there." FBI agents v\,>re im the scene are going to go." I white men and women and A prayer was begun as Fleming said .lohnson was i numerous local Negroes were as observers. Doar shouted to told by Katzenbach that the his assistants to interview Negroes and whites locked gassed, kicked, dragged and their arms to fonn a human violence at Canton ensued when I thrown off the school grounds N'ietims on the spot as he saw the marchers, offered ttnce them kicked and dragged by chain m front of the canvas, sites to pitch their tents, chose I Thursday night. and others began erecting the The first tear gas barrage lawmen. one which had not been appro\ - Other photographers said tent. ed for that purpose struck a van truck on top of j which Martin Luther King Jr. they were roughed up and "YOU CANT be allowed to More than 2,000 persons their cameras snatclu*(l from were driven off or lorcibly and other top civil rights erect that tent." R. L. Go? leaders were standing after them by offieeis. city attorney, said o\er i removed from the .McNeul Three civil rights viciims of Elementary School grounds they had made speeches and microphone. ordered that tents be set up. gas explosions were cared for ".Ml right, patrolmen, do hy tear gas barrages and at a Catholic eonvenl. while a heavily armed state, comity The Negro leaders jumped your job." he said when the to the ground and hurried into number of others were treated tent props were brought in by and city officers. elsewhere. demonstrators. Charles Snodgrass, a Highway a nearby housing project, coughing and rubbing their Earlier in the day. 11 civil Calmly and delil>erately. Patrol officer, said officers rights leaders were arrested their shotguns clicking as would not allow tents to be eyes. The gassing began after one and charged with trespassing shells were pumped into the pitched there as long as the when they attejmpled lo pitch chambers, the highway patrol­ School Board denies permi.s.sic n. tent was partially raised. The tents on the schoolgrounds in men marched two abreast Negroes and white marchers HIGHWAT^FXT R O L offi­ across a corner of the grounds with them fell to the ground j advance of the marchers plan­ cers had been escorting march­ ning to camp at Canton on and formed a perimeter ers demonstrating for voter after a heavy cloud of smoke their way to Jackson. around the tent site. registration by walking from covered the area. The seven Negroes and four The officers put on gas Memphis toward Jackson, and After the first gas barrage, while men later were released masks as demonstrators sang. local authorities had protected many ran from the school- under bond. "We .Shall Not Be .\fraid." them from physical harassment. grounds. Hundreds of others Before marching to the \ tear gas sh(Ml was hurled March leaders Thursday fell to the muddy ground and schoolgrounds in the second directly on the truck where night urged Negroes to stay officers hurled a second bar­ attempt to pitch camp there, King stood. It seemed to away from their jobs and the rage of tear gas. more than 2,000 persons con­ sound the signal for dozens downtown area, except to verged on the Dourthou.se in more gas projectiles to he register to vote at the Court- SOME OF the hissing mis­ launched into the screaming the largest demonstration yet throng. house. siles struck demonstrators in the march that was begun March leaders also criticiz­ and burned their clothing. June 5 by James Meredith. Before the cloud of tear gas One shell landed under a cleared, the Negroes again ed President Johnson and the The crowd cheered as three formed ranks and marched in federal government for failure Canadian mother, who cover­ of the nation's top civil rights two lines lo the gymnasium of to provide protection. ed her four-year-old child with leaders and local Negro per- the Holy Child of Jesus her body. sonalities took turns speaking. Catholic Church for Negroes Armed offica\s guarded en­ He called on .Vegroes K on another side of town. sl'v auay irom W.eiv jobs trances to the closed Court­ Calling the tear gas incident today and "let Jhe white folks house. a "power play." Carmichael wash (heir own dishes." at a rally at the gymnasium President .Johnson was se- "WE WANT all of our shouted that Negroes would vcrch criticized by fhe mili­ freedoms, and we want them gain "black ixiwer e\en if we tant SNCC leader, "who claim­ now." shouted King. "We are ha\e to disrupt the country. " ed tJie President misled going to pitch tents on our "They got our brothers iVegroes b.\' saying no federal black schoolgrounds." fighting in Viet Nam when protection was necessary fo Ihey ought to Ix' fighting in guard marchei-s. Mississippi." iO • The last miles of the march to .lackson were marked by a number of walkers collapsing in the heat. There were possi­ * * • • • bly some near incidents but any real trouble was averted. / Walter P. Reuther, presi­ dent of the United Automobile *f^^i^J ALL OVER NOW Workers, joined the niarch briefly as it passed through a Negro neighborhood. "I believe every American who believes In freedom should be marching in Missis­ March total: 4,000 sippi today." said Reuther. more Negro voters J.\CKSON. Miss,, June 27 ^ MEREDITH quickly added! ' More than 4.000 Negroes reg­ Billed as "fhe marrh to "There is a thing in Mississip­ • ••••• istered in J4 counties along end all marches," the walk pi preventing thc.«;e white peo­ regard ourselves as black fhe Memphis-to -Jackson from Memphis ended with ple from being decent." men." march that ended in a trou­ speeches, songs and chants of This, he .said, is "the system Other civil rights leaders on ble-free rally on State Capitol "black power" on the north of white suprpmacy." the program included Ralph grounds here Sunday. groands of the State CapUol. He .said. "Every inch of this D. Abernathy, aide to King; That was the estimate of Jack.son's Asst. Police Chief country is controlled hy thp Owen Brooks of the National John Doar, assistant U. S. Beavers Armstrong, recogniz­ syslem of white .supremacy." Council of Churches' Delta ed nationally as a traffic attorney general who accom­ Meredith, whos** enrolment Ministry and others. Whitley, panied the marchers through­ authority, estimated the who opposes Sen. Eastland, crowd on fhe grounds of the touched off rioting at the out their winding trek through University of Mississippi in gave the welcome address. North Mississippi and its capitol it.seif al 9.000. includ­ Conspicuous by his absence ing some whites. Most of the 1962. was shot from ambush Delta heartland. June 6 near Hernando on the during the capitol program Negres werp Mr..«*" election would give meaning lice prevented the milling platform at Sunday's closing a platform on a truck parked to "black power." crowd.*! from approaching the rally, he must have thought of across the driveway ."iO yai-ds Stokely Carmichael, mill- capitol building itself. that response at the court­ away from the capitol's north lant leader of the Student house. entrance. Some Negro leaders Non-Violent C o o r d i n a ting "Ill be damned glad when I have explained that "black Committee told the gathering see the last of these march­ VOTER REGIS TRATION power" means political pow­ to "stop being ashamed of ers," miit-iered one burly after the end of the march er. being black. Move into a highway patrolman. The pa­ will depend on the degree of position where we ran ha^e trolman had accompanied the continued effort by Negroes, King modified the "black marchers during most of their power" theme by saying, "I unity and strength. BuiM a MBTl said Doar. power structure so strong it meandering walkathon from will .see a day come, a day of Hernando. Negro leaders have said not the white man, not the will bring them (Whites) lo that much effort will follow black man. but the day of the their knees." The last eight miles of the the impetus giv(»n by ihe right man." march actually stretched out march and the rally at the Floyd McKissick, the head to 10 miles since marchers State Capitol. King also spoke of the need of the Congress of Racial detoured through Negro sec­ Martin Luther King Jr. said to relieve the poverty of the Equality, said "The power is tions to pick up additional along the march route that Negro. He said he was appal­ in the vote. This is mei-ely a walkers as they moved on U the number of Negro voters in led at conditions he witnessed beginning. the Capitol. An estimate Mississippi will be doubled in among Negroes as he walked time for the next presidential through the state al intervals. MeKlSSlCK SAID "Let 1968 be fhe year we will no longer 2.W(» left the Tougaloo College election. He also stressed the need to campus and swelled (o 3,500 integrate all phases of life. accept the UvSe of 'Negro' but when the line of march halted After the rally, the march­ LANKPOtO ers and their leaders left for Jame.s Meredith, who led • '.nv...%,nn,\*.r.,M*ywM,. - for lunch at a Negro elemen­ their homes and headquarters the march leaders to the Teamwork tary school. without disturbance. Police rostrum, recalled a remark of The Birmingham News On leaving the school- said Sunday night was calm his late father who, speaking team providing coverage of grounds, several large groups in Jackson. Leaders gave no of Afis.sissii^i whites, had the Mississippi march in­ joined atong the route, in- Indication of their future said, ''Iliese people can be cludes George Melz, and ci-easing the gathering fur- plans. decent." Tom Lankford, and Joe ther. Meredith said the expres­ Campbell, all News staff sions on the faces of these writers, and photographer WHITE ONLOOKERS along people as he marched part of Ed Jones. the route seemed more curi­ the way to Jack-son "bore out ous than hostile in Jackson my father's prophecy." as compared to their violent reaction Tuesday and Friday when civil righters staged demonstrations at Philadel­ phia.

JOB CAMPBBLt •D JONHS //, -_^ . fy -' •• *> Y -.' "T-- ___———.^—- The route originally chosen by Meredith, internipted when he was felled by a sniper's shotgun volley at Hernando (m the second day. was to go south on Highway ,il all the way lu XARRIED THE BALL— Jackson. His march was nol designed as a \nter registration walk but one to erase the fear of Negroes who mav have been afraid to register. Meredith had harsh words for the marchers about the time Doar was real they reached Grenada. They had forgotten the purpose of the walk, he said, and the march had turned into a batlle among ciMl rights leaders for ijower.

DOAR. INFORMED OF MEREDITHS slaleinent while inarch leader swimming at his motel, shook his head in apparent disagreement: -The purpose of the march is \oter registra­ Mention the leaders of the Mi.ssissippi match and tion, he said, "and 539 Negioes have been registered here most automatically think of Martin Luther King Jr., today." of James Meredith, of ranting Stokely Carmichael. The registration office remained open unlil 9 p.m. that But if any one man is responsible for the marche summoned on a moment's Doar has spent most of his time since 1961 in the South, notice. getting Negroes concessions in public accommodations and in voting. And the 1 BI had at lea>l 10 agenls with marchers at all He also called the shots m Birmingham this vear and times and as many as .50 alter the tear gas episode at (anion. I worked oul plans with Negroes loi tlie federal voting registrars two days belore the 21-day march ended at Jackson. senl to Jefferson County. IT WAS EASILY OBSERVED that Doar made the FBI's Sources said Doar suggested to Negro leaders llu> ac-tion ' task more difficult by having agenls sent on dozens of necessaiT and the locale for it if tiie\ wanted federal help ' assignments for the Justice Department. Instead of being a It was In Bli-mlngham that one of his assistants, in 19H4. ' hauled King anmiid in a government car and was caught fact-finding body along the march, agenls found themscKcs driving him to Selma. The assistant attorney general was fired, becoming errand Ixiys for Doar. but his case shows the Involvement of the Justice Department in the civil rights struggle. Working fulltime for Doar on the march were at least a half dozen assistant attorneys general—including John Rosen­ DOAR IS TALL AND slender, wilh cuiiv hair. He wears a berg, who represented the federal government when it fixed half-smile that is sincere—he is friendly and talkative intervened in the Wilson Baker vs. Sheriff Jim Clark election with newsmen, and polite lo his assistants. dispute at Selma in May—and an office staff. Four straight-line telephones were installed al Doar's headquarters along the On the march he went halless and coatless. wearing a march route—at Memphis, Grenada, Indianola, Yazoo Cilv and dress shirt and tie. His aides imitated this slvle so anv Jackson. reporter similariy dressed was assumed to be with the Justice Department and liable to be asked deferential questions bv The telephones apparently were to keep Washington television crew members who dressed more informally. " informed on the march progress, which was a duplication of the daily, and probably hour-to-hour, report filed by the FBI. Doar has a courtroom eloquence which one awed reporter The phones also were used, however, for conferences with compared to that of the golden-voiced William Jennings Brxan march leadeis and city, county and state officials. And though he has been much in the field as the from line mastermind of the governmenl's civil rights drive he still DOAR WANTED THE MARCH to succeed and that, he considers himself "jusl a trial lawyer." said, could be done only by gelling Negroes lo register. The However, with the considerable confidence obviouslv Birmingham News learned Doar made the suggestion lo reposed in him by President Johnson and Katzenbach he change the march route in midway so the dtMiionstration would obviously will be turning his back on the courtroom atraln go through the Mississippi Delia wilh Us large Negro popula­ whenever some major civil rights demonstration or crisis tion. occurs in the future. Doar seemed in agreement with Floyd McKissick, national director of the Congress on Racial Equality, who said early in Negroes will be calling, as they did on a duslv Mississinni the march: "You can't register trees. We've got to change the wad when they fell they were being harassed bv whites ^^ 12 route. * "Get John Doar. Get John Doar." wmM?mM^MW^!!:M^^M^^^^^^MS^s^^>wmmmm!imm^^m^mm^mmsms^s^^^^^ mwfmm^^^^mmmi A CONSERVATIVE VIEW ... By James J. Kilpatrick

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/* March was a pale shadow of the stark Oxford drama <3Ai nliluu JAMES MEREDITHS and Louise They drew taunts, march on Mississippi trailed jeers, insults, curses They off to an anti-climactic end on also drew some 3.000 Delta Sunday in Jackson; and since Negroes to pcunts of voter then "observers of the ci\il registration. rights scene ha\e Ix'cn ask­ ing, like Hamlet of his fath­ Hrief peaks er's armored ghost. "What THE MARCH had its mo­ may this mean','" ments of tKiignancy. but these The same question was ask­ moments were few. A Peace ed almost four years ago. in Cori)s volunteer quit in dis­ the aftermath of that fearful gust. Charles Evers. brother riot at Ole .Miss, bul il was of the slain Medgar. coolly easier lo answer then. .Mere­ rebuked those who 'come for dith's ordeal al Oxford on the publicity puiposes and leave nighl of Sept. 30. 1962, was with the cameramen." infused with a naked and Willie Ricks, who managed tenifying honesty. All the to offend even the Post's man, elements nf Greek tragedy no easy accomplishment, suddenly coalesced in a shat­ Meredith, Was Different threatened a deputy sheriff in tering roar of gunfire and the one town that if he didn't reeking smog of tear gas. figured in the recent march. Racial Equality. Tlieirs was l:)ehave. the marchers "will Meredith himself proved, if In the years since Oxford, the largest floating press con­ burn that courthouse, baby." proof were needed, that brav­ Meredith himself .somehow ference in the land. Another marcher, down brief­ ery did nol e\K\ with Agamem­ had lost his Mississippi ly from New York, was mysti­ credentials. He appeared on Then came the Rev. Ralph non. For white Mississippians. .\l)ernath\. and Hosea Wil­ fied by his speechless colored It was an hour of catharsis. the hh-ihway south of Mem­ brethren in the cotton fields. phis, pith-helmeted. jaunty, liams, and SterUui: Tucker of .\nd those of us who saw the the Washinglwi chapter of the •What's the matter with \ou sun come up m Oxford on gesturing with a cane, a world cats".'" he asked And onward traveler who had gone a Crban League. Dr. Homer Octolx-r 1 — the smoldering Jack arrived, representing the tn Dick Gregory in .lackson. cars, till' .iihhled walks, the million miles from Attala County. This was not he­ rnitarian-Cniversalist Depart­ What may tins mean'.' The wounded earth — knew what ment of Social Respcmsibilily. It meant A ccniier had Ix'en roism: this was press-agentry Meredith March may have Other dignitaries included a left nothing lx>hind but a turned .Missis>ip|)i never Then came the assassina­ SNCC spokesman by the name again would be the same. terminal moraine of Dixie tion attempt: By birdshol. of Willie Ricks: and a pugna­ cups and chicken lx)nes. You This year's Meredith March from 90 feet ft was an cious fellow idenlified some­ do not overcome apathy, fear, wholly lacked the integrity of outrageous and stupid acl. times as Glenn Freedom X custom, ignorance, inertia in that fateful night in 1962. It blundering, bungling, and the and at other times as Glenn an hour — not in an hour only was contri\ed. stage-manag­ AP's hapless coverage of the Torrance Gurley. three wrecks long. But you ed, poorly directed, badly story served only to make bad matters worse. Meredith was Off they went, to Coldwater. never know. acted. Like him or despise Como. Batesville and Court- him. the James Meredith of not dead, but peppered. His If the inglorious march of clumsy and colorless assailant land, pursued by a CBS trail­ four years ago was an heroic er with a cooler full of beer. 1966 fired o

/^ New --taT, Photo—Ed Jon<*s DOAKS llALI-SMILi: CHAir\( TKKISTK : HK IS FUIEXDLV ... Eederal ollicial shown with (liarles Kvers. \.\A(T leader

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Associated Press wireohofo Meredilh attacker goes to jail Aubrey Jame.s Norvell (front, right), accused attacker of civil rights leader James Meredith, is shown entering the Il'ernando, Mis.s., courthouse to begin serving a five-year prison lorm, three of which have been suspended. Norvell pleaded guilty to .shooting Meredith while the Negro leader walked down a Mis- sissippi highway during civil rights ni.t rches in the .state last July. Flanking Norvell are defense attorney Edward I.. Whitten, by his side, DeSoto County pros­ ecuting attorney Ross L. Franks, left roar, and defen.se attorney Baybe Lee Gardner. \^ INSIDE REPORT ^^-^ ^H^ Ui^

• • . hy Rowland Evans and Robert JSovak mmm^^mm^xummmmm^. wmmmm Courage By Katzenbach WASHINGTON as a law-abiding state, returning it from the TO JUSTICE Department officials, one abyss of 1963-64 when law enforcement underlying purpose of the Mississippi March collapsed. That is why the .\tlorney-General was epitomized by a minor rally in front of the acting on his own wilhout orders from stale capitol at Jackson Sunday. President Johnson, withstood the liberal de­ One Negro demonstrator, obviously attempt­ mands to inter\'ene. ing to provoke trouble, set fii^ to a He was backed up in his stand by his man Confederate flag under the nose of an armed on the scene in Mississippi: Assistant Attor­ state trooper. Not long ago that would have ney-General John Doar, the veteran civil brought retaliation, instant and brutal. In­ rights troubleshooter and no friend of the stead, the trooper gazed imp>assively in front white power structure. Doar reported back to of him and ignored the flag-burning. Washington that the Mississippi state police Indeed, save for one dangerous and inex­ could be counted on to preserve law and cusable lapse, the Mississippi state police order. In short, no federal force was needed. acted as protectors, not tormentors, of the He had good reason for this appraisal. civil rights marchers. Without publicity, some 40 state troopers in That unnatural posture was no accident but plain clothes accompanied the marchers under the work of long, quiet negotiations between secret orders by Gov. Johnson to protect the Attomey-General Nicholas Katzenbach in Negro marchers. Washington and Gov. Paul Johnson in Jackson Despite the outrageous shooting of Meredith. the march would have gone peacefully enough without any pressure for federal inlenention had it not been for two mistakes by the slate pohce. The first was the logistical failure of the state poUoe to be in Philadelphia. Miss., when marchers collided with buUy-boy sheriff's deputies, resulting m immediate demands for federal protection. The other was the decision by state troopers to use tear gas and billy clubs in Canton when marchers insisted on camping in the Negro schoolyard (although two other campsites were available). The use of tear gas may have been defensible, but il was most unwise. However, the state police returned to a protective role when the marchers came back lo Philadelphia the next night. Proiection By The State Johnson^s decision to repeal the law of the jungle in Mississippi and replace il with color-blind poUce protec­ lyiOST IMPORTANT was the work of the tion. stale police in protecting the marchers at the Sunday rally—a decision made by Gov. .Ml these efforts would have been swept .lohnson. though some of his advisers coun­ away had Katzenbach yielded to heavy liberal seled him to bar the Negroes from the stale pressure and intervened in Mississippi. The capitol grounds. clock would have been turned back to 1962 when federal troops enabled James Meredith From a positive standpoint, the march to enroll at Ole Miss. Necessary though that produced an additional 4,000 Negroes register­ intervention was. it generated a climate of ed. But thai is scarcely an awesome feat anti-federal hysteria among Mississippi whites compared wilh 2.000 registered in only two that slill endures. counties during a Ughtly publicized one-week drive by the NAACP in April. Basic conflicts In fact, responsible civil rights leaders have MOREOVER, there is a basic conflict of no sympathy at all with the tactic of making goals between Katzenbach and the radical Mississippi a conquered province. They be­ wing of the civil rights movement. The lieve that only painstaking door-lo-door can­ underlying aim of the radicals is to provoke vassing, conducted by the state NAACP. will violence by know-nothing white segregation­ in time produce a big enough Negro registra­ ists, in turn forcing virtual federal occupation tion to give Negroes the political power they of Mississippi as a conquered province. The need. Mississippi March, begun innocently by James Violence will damage, not advance, this Meredith to publicize voting registration, soon objective. And the present state government became part of that overall plan. and state police, continue today as a bulwark SS Dn the other hand, Katzenbach above all against violence, thanks to the quiet courage wants to avoid a second Reconstruction. His of Nick Katzenbach and John Doar last aiaa is to brinR Mississippi back inlo the Union in refusing to intervene.—(c) l.P:y x^ryj^''^^ y -/y -<^ <^ Meredith attacker says he'll talk for |25,000

BORN IN Forest City. Aik..' ware firm until the company in 1926. he had never had a went out of business just prior BY TOM l.ANKFOlJn. N^'s st;.ff wntrr known brush with the law prior to the sh(K)ting at Hernando. lo the shooting of Meredith, He dealt mostl\ uith coutrae- Tve handled more crimina . ISIemphis police said their tors, selliim storm windows, cases Uiaii any lav^yci in the HERNANDO, M,ss , .Inlv U-Aub,cv '-^^ ^^" \^^^ history." he said. i i&cpiMes abmit"^ Norvell re- i doors and locks. (f)unl\ s m.^...... vealed he was known hy His wife is a loii-timc em-Knew nio.st of ihe people in the neighbors as a "good <'iti/en." plo\c of Seals :nul is i'eporte(l,.,mnty b\ name." Outside of being a they wi»uld give the details to remembers him discussing civ­ patrolmen .1. I), (iaidner and Ihe maga/ine buying Ihelr out anv intrnl to kill him. il rights with more than a Nal Zack Troutl was. "1 was casual interest. client s stmv. shooting al stiuirrels" ha.s refus­ 11 such a contract isn't ar- "Mv familv is real close lo ed to make a statement to Norvell will claim that it was rani:«'(l, Whillen said, the story the Norveirs." Mrs. W. G. authorities. will IK- released lo all newspa­ No S hirdshot he fired from '!"r«>adway. who lives next door, Desota Sheriff Lee Meredith hushes that hot day on June fi. .aiid action of the grand jury pers and wire services al the starting No\. 14. The inalwill said Saturday. "'They are one ol said he didn't question Nor­ same Mine—with the release not No. 4 as previously stated. couples we've vell becau.se of a recent .•\nd he will say he was closer to probably he late fall. the nicest date being iK'fore tnal lime. Attorney Wbillen. a \oung Ole knoNvn." Supreme Court decision set- SO feet from his target than -0 she talked to ling down guidelines for ques- j feet as earlier reported. Miss graduate, said his client She said will plead not guilty or tempo Norvell ovei the fence the lituiing of suspects. ' The quiet, mysterious suspP't e> ening InMore the shooting ; also wnnis to tell how his rary insanity, depending on the "We wanted to hamlle this motive for th(^ shoot mg stems finding of the grand jury. and he appeared "calm and ! normal. I've talked to him one iiLibl."' lie saul. ' \ knew if back tn the If^fi'i entrance of If an indictmenl reads assaull we talked to liiiu wes lose the Meredith to Ole Miss University with intent to kill wilh a only once since he made bond," she continued, "and he I case on a niLiht of violence and weapon, Whitten said. Norvell's '11 we Mireslcd some Inns or blcKidshed defense will Ix' that he diil shoot talked as if nothing had hap- I pened." |)etl\ eiiimiials wi' would go All this was learned hy The Meredilh, bul nut wilh inlenl lo ahi'ad and talk to 'hem on the Rirmingh.im News in an inter- kill. Mrs. Treadway said the Nor- we view Satruda> with the sus­ vells had no children and their' spot."" the sheriff said 'If lose the case Innause ot ii ue pect's two attorneys, Boiee THE l..\WYEK said \orvell main hobby was taking their wc Lee (iarner and F^dward fired his l6-gauge shotgun, load­ boat and motor lo nearby Ken­ just lose it. But on this oiu Whitten. ed wilh No. 8 birdshol. from Hh tucky Lake for outings. ! wanted to IH" right "" Garner, y^. one of Mississip­ feel away. And he shot only "lie was real nice, " she said, Sheiiff MiM-edith said N(>r\el' pi's most prominent criminal after calling "James . . James "and never outspoken on segre­ re(nie>ie(l \\\\ a'.torne> and ua^ lawyers, talked freely alioui A.eredilh. I wanl Meredith, ev-; gation matters." advised b\ them not to talk. eryone else gel down." i Norvell, whose shooting nf Similar statements were made 1)1 HIM; HIS lO-day sta\ n Meredith caused civil rights P.ut if Ihe grand jury brings a by olher neighbors, some of the counly jail. Noi \ ell had onh demonstrators to flock to charge of simple assaull. Nor-; Ihem hostile about a reporter \el! max plead temporary in­ a few family visitors, the sheiif Mississippi from all over the seeking information on Norvell.' said. He spent most of his tmu nation for the march to the sanity. Whillen said, lie indicat­ THE ACCUSED ambusher's' ed the fads surrounding lhe'< reifeding IxKiks. state capitol at Jackson. fellow church memlxMs are also When told that Nor\ ell's shooting, plus Norvell leaving! Kii|)porling Norvell. .\ t-hurch "HE DIP THE shooting," no avenue of escape wilh allr trustee. Frank Coke, is head of attorneys claim their client the lawyer said. "We cant witnesses present and his gt-la-'. a Norvell Legal Aid Fund, didn't Intend to kill Meredilh. deny that, with the pictures way lar parked right al Ihei yhicli ullorneys said gathered Sheriff Meredith said: "Any and all. But we say he didn't .scene, would back up such a; : $4,000 the first week for the time >«ui (HMUt a gun atsome- shoot with intent to kill." plea. I' •lleCense of Norvell. one you intend to kill them. " Asked if he had heard Norvell has remained a mys-i •.I-^»tvell worked for a hard- speculation that the ambush since the shool- \tt()rne\ Garner, who works may have been planned by -:T.lh^in;o;:i;alion about in au open sport shirt, saul his j civil righters. Garner chuck- Ins background or reason foi firm has doiu' voluminous re ' led: the shooting given. .search on Norvell. "\

mday. October Z4, 1966/^77 ('^ j.^ £ ^Q^^^ -^/,|hf ^^f Wl lendoy, Octol«^J*:_l!!! 200 are arrested in tirenada niarch attem durin patrolmen. There were no inci­ them fo sit down on the side-' BY GEORGE METZ dents or arrests at that time. walk. They did. News staff writer However, several of the earher Police immediately summon­ GREN.ADA. Miss., OcI. 24 — pickets were among those ar- ed an old schnol hns conxerted irested when a mass march to recently into a paddy wagon by (irenada police. Several de­ Highway Patrolmen today ar- ^ the school was staged shortly after 11 a.m. monstration leaders w'erf drag­ rested more than 200 Negro ged physically to High\\'ay students when they attempted lo The second march left Ihe Bellflower Church, headquar- Patrol cars and carried away, march on two desegregated including two leaders who at­ schools which they have heen ters for the Southern Christ ian Leadership C o n f e r e n c e's tempted to slip away before Iboycolting lo protest alleged their arrest. iharassment. ! Greanda freedom movemenl. The Negro youths, including .\t one point an elderly civil I Most of the Negroes were rights worker. Major Wright, I jailed in Grenada. However, a some youngsters possibly of pre-si'hool age. marched two became Involved In a shoving iHighway Patrol spokesman said abreast lo within two blocks incident with patrolmen, and ; jsome may be transferred lo of the school where they ; several o ther Negroes were i jails in neighboring towns. found Iheir path blocked by literally tossed into the paddy i The Negroes arrested were patrolmen. wagon when they attempted among some 300 who walked Highway Patrol assistant in­ to resist arrest. out of classrooms here Friday But several small Nesro — including some 90 from spector Lloyd Jones told the march leaders Ihey could not go youngsters crying loudly in line , Inlegregated John Bundle wailing to board the bus-paddy i High and Lizy.ie Horn Elemen- lo the school bul could return to the church or march on down­ wagon were told to go home. A I tary Schools. town. Highway Patrolman noticed a ' School officials suspended all J. T. Johnson, a SCLC staff small boy and girl, both sobbing the .students participating in loudly, being held by the hands Friday's walkout staged lo worker, shouted back to de­ of a Negro teenager. The patrol­ j protest alleged harassment bv monstrators hned up in the man asked them "will you go iwhite students and teachers. rear: "Do you want lo go home if we let you go?" Bolh back?" said "yes," and the patrolmen HIGHWAY P.ATROLMEN to­ THE GROUP screamed "No. said "yes." and the patrolmen day cordoned off ^titrances to waved Ihem down the street, l the two desegregated schools | No. No." And .lohnson motioned permitting only parents and students in the school zones. Ten pickets who /Attempted to go t 0 the school shortly after 9 * .^••*.,vno'turnedH back by

/7 MEREDITH ASS ill i^ / — Norvell i)rq)ariiig

for priso •LL

BY f;EOI{(;E MET/. \('\vs stall MHUT HERNANDO. .Miss.. Nov. 22-Aul)rcy James N.)t vol! hi.story-s "the man who shot McrcdiUi. piepaicHl todav lor prison. The 4l-\(-ar-ol(l muMupioycd AlcMuphis hanluan dork who escaped obscurity by pcppcMinu' Nemo viw I'lUlltS I uif -latiKVs Ml VV- ran — as (iarner believes today (lllll with a S(Uiift'('I ^ti'>t Norvell wanted. Norvell was arrested .seconds lasl siimnut' SUIICIUMI a later by Highway Patrol Crimi­ pr(.'\ 11)11.-^ not :iiilt\ plfNi ill nal Investigators J. D. (iardner Circuil Couil here MoiKbiy of Clarksdale and Zack Troutt of Charleston. to gill Ily. Cfrcoit Judge CMIIIS Svvaiigu Three spent 16-gauge shotgun inmiedialcl.x senieneed him to hulls later were recovered from fi\e .\«'ais in prison — three brush lining the roadside people tf*ll me they thought hej suspended. where Norvell had stood, firing (Norvell) was paid to shoot | at Meredith a.s a cameraman .NoiU'll. accompatiieii In his Meredith, and that this was all| wile and ailonieNs. siioved lit­ snapped pictures. i a fix," Garner said, adding that| .\ccording to (iarner. the most tle or no I'liiotion and. allowed he did not feel this was true. | lo remain free on s'_'.').(l was Just that—a compromise. ine in n'\ iuisnit.al IM""! .an! (Jarner did voice the personal Garner c 1 a i m e d De.Soto Slid lhe\ were sciious and opinion Monday that Norvell did County Prosecutor Ross Franks iiieanl hi'siness, ']v< I 1\\ -N not intend to kill Merrtlith. was, in his words, "the real tlie> really meant wlial hev He said he thoght NorvelT hero of this thing. He did an said." only wanted to see Meredith j joutstanding job." ftiit u|].\ (li(l \()r\el! alcai "run over that hill." ' j ERANK.S SAID that he feared giiiitv;' •'He wanted to make him def<«nse attorneys Whitten and Defense A!t.\ I'.'dwaiw ! .•e run," the defense attorney (iarner would hang the De.Soto Whitle'i of llernaii'lo sa^l .^i

1^55- \jflTH NEW JUR>^ Philadeli.h!^ case 0'4 T^ €.S reop©"tu by • • * ^ • • • * BY GEOR(iE METZ ^ • • * News staff writer -u ••- «-• JACKSON, Miss.—U. S. 't^t. Justice Department attor­ neys today reopened Mis­ orlB sissippi's most sensational startsf civil rights case, the June 1964 slaying of three civil y^^it\?:l'i rights workers near Phil­ ill rights^ slayings adelphia. Philadelphia Police Chief among several MERIDIAN1*,4TrnTnTAN, Miss.. CourCnnrft source«:niirfP«s said the A new federal grand jury Dub Perry,, HIUVI.^ „^ empaneled here loday by Dis­ The trial of 18 white men 350-man federal venire would Neshoba Countians supoenaed be quickly whittled to about trict Judge Harold Cox was to to appear before grand Jurors charged with conspiracy in begin deliberating with the this week, said Sunday that he the 1964 slaying of three civil 200 men when U. S. District so-called "Philadelphia case." did not know of any new wit­ rights workers near Philadel­ .Judge Harold Cox takes the now nearly three years old nesses being called—at least phia opened in U. S. District bench. A number have filed and still untried. from the Philadelphia area. Court today, but it will proba­ valid reasons for dismissal. Eighteen Indictments re­ However, it was rumored on bly be several days before a turned by a former grand Philadelphia streets during jur>' is picked. COX HAS sel aside 10 days the past weekend that addi­ Jury in the three civil rights The 18, including a Ku Klux for the trial. deaths were dismissed last tional Indictments may be The prosecution, headed by forthcoming. Klan chieftain and three law­ year by the t'. S. Fifth men, are charged with con­ John Doar, the Justice Circuit Court of Appeals at This rumor seemed based D e p a r t m e nt's chief civil largely on the fact that the spiracy to violate the civil request of both defense and rights counsel and lop trouble- government a 11 o r n e ys—on Eederal Bureau of Investiga­ rights of the three workers tion never suspended its probe slain during the violence- shooter, was armed with a grounds old Jury lists did not background study on each represent a true racial or sex of the sensational triple slay­ packed summer three years ing, and FBI special agenls ago. prospective juror. The list balance. was collected by FBI agents The new grand jury figura­ have periodically relumed to ; Philadelphia since arrests and the department's own tively "begins anew" with • were first made in December, several former key witnesses attorneys. \ 1964. The defense was also ex­ from the Philadelphia area .Mso. many Neshoba Coun- subpoenaed to testify today pected to come armed with and Tuesday. \ tians have fell—and a few files on each panel member. \ have voiced this opinion open- LIHJM R K PORTE D LY The defendants include Im­ AMONG THE 18 indicted by \ ly—that not every person wilh misspent some $600,000. ac­ cording to the Office of E-co- perial Wizard Sam HoUoway the January 1965 grand jury, \ knowledge of the alleged con- Bowers Jr. of the militant which included one Negro ; spiracy against the three civil nomic Opportunity; however, the organization was recently White Knights of the Ku Klux juror, were Neshoba Counly rights workers was indicted in . 1965. granted new funds and is now Klan, Neshoba County Sheriff Sheriff Lawrence Rainey and opening Head Start centers in Deputy Sheriff Cecil Price, MICHAEL SCHWERNEP several Delta counties. Lawrence Rainey. Deputy today a candidate for county I and Andrew Goodman, both (irand jurors may also he Cecil Price and Sheriff-elect sheriff. I white New Yorkers, and asked to consider evidence In Ethel Glen (Hop) Barnette. I James Chaney, a young the fire bomb death of a \ Meridian Negro, disappeared Negro civil rights leader near The three civil rights work­ ; following their release from a Hattiesburg In 19(i6. Vernon ers,. Michael H. SchSchwerncrv . i local jail about 10 p.m. June Dahmer died following a 21, 1964. Their while station 24, and Andre?ww GooGoodmand ma . 2fl. nightrider attack on his home bofh white and frofromm New wagon was found abandoned last year. Fifteen men, all and burned two days later York- City"...,,. an«nd James ChaCha­ Identified by the FBI as ney, 22, a Negro frofi m Meridi­ and. on Aug. 4, 1964. EBl present or former Ku Klux agenls recovered their bodies Klan members, were later an, were found Aug. 4. 1964, from a newly constnicled arrested by federal authorit­ after 44 days of intensive fishpond dam southwest of ies. searching. Philadelphiari...—•. . . . Conspiracy I n d ic t m e nts The three had beet^^"/^*!'n shot-. . against the 15 men including The newly empaneled grano ^,^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ h2iMTt\. impei- jury may »'««.^r®. ^n Hnhts a I wizard of the While Knights the fontro^^?,'^* '-\yinnmenl of fhe Ku Klux Klan, were oriented Child H'^velopmeni ^^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^and Group of Mississippi, an an ^^^^ ^^^^^^ .^^ ^^^ p^^.,^ tipoverty ograniza ion sharpiy ^^^^^.^ ^^^ ^^.^^ ^^^^^ ^^ criticized by Sen. '^o"" j^^^""', dictments were never official- and olher stale officials lasi ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^1 ^^^^^ year. neys reportedly considered Ihcm faulty and will probably .seek new indictments in the Dahmer case this term. /e 12 in in death of Negro man The eight others named in H.XTITESBURG. Miss .1» - IN .XDUITION to Bowers, a the indictment were .limmy Twehe men. one of them a coin machine distributor at Arledge. 29. of Meridian. Mississippi Ku Klux Klan nearby Laurel, those indicted Horace Doyle Barnette. 28. of chief, quietly surrendered to in the Dahmer ease and fred Cullman. La., formerly of federal authorities today on on Imnd today are Meridian; Travis iviartyn Bar­ conspiracy charges stemming Menr> Kdward DeBoxtel. of nette. 38, of Meridian: Jimmy from the I9(if) fire bomb death Laurel. Howard Travis Giles. Snowden. :i:L of .Meridian; ol a \euro leader here Ellisville. Mcndaunt Hamilton James Edward Jordan. 40. Tbe 12 men. who were Sr,, llattiesburs. C h a r I P s formerly of fiulfport; Billy released under ^:i.{m bond Lamar Lowe, of near Laurel. Wayne Posey. JO. of Meridi­ each by a C S, Conmiission­ Clifton Ludell Lowe, near an; Jerry McGrew Sharp. 24 er. were indicted b\ a federal Laurel. Melvin Senneli Mar­ of Philadelphia; and .Alton Wayne Roberts. 28. of M?- grand jury at .lat-ksoii .\lon- tin. Laurel ridian. da\. hananual Benjamin Moss. Ihe indictment charged Laurel. Deavours Nix. Laurel Jordan, (he 19th man. was they eoiispiriHl Ut "inlimidate. Charles Richard Noble. Lau­ not arrestIHI here Tuesday. Ile threaten and coerce \ernon rel. Billy Roy Pitts. Laurel. l»ecanip one of the FBI's ke.\ Ferdinand Dahmer Sr.. «n Cecil Victor Sessum. Ellis­ inlormanls in tbe case and account nl his race and color ville now is living sonu>wheri> in lor urging and aiding olher Except for Hamilton, thoe Florida. Negro citizens to vote." indiclefl li\e in Jones County, II charged tbat 10 of the jusl east of here. .Ml 12 were men "bv sett mi: fire to and among the Li persons previ­ burning the htnisp and ously indicte\ eom|)osition. coerce Dahmer. .\ol)le and Hiers of the Klan. Philadelphia.

ao BIRMINGHAM'PO^-HIRALD — Wtdnttday, Moreh \, 1967 th^rm Ar\d F!arlier, aroused city offi­ cials, busine.ss leaders and \Aide Arrested private citizens put up $.36,000 ••-• in reward money and Gov. Paul .lohnson ordered an around-the-clock probe of the 3 Slayings bombing by state authorities. Calling the bombing a "hei­ I: BY JOHN PEARCE nous and senseless murder," Z •MERIDIAN, Miss. (/P)- Neshoba County Sheriff Johnson said he ordered state I45wpence Rainey and his chief deputy, Cecil Price, were in\estigafor.«; into Natchez min­ ofl-ested Tuesday on charges they conspired to violote utes after the bombing. He tNi^ rkers: and Chaney, 21. a BY JAIVIES JONES bSiirhe II. ing fn the arrest of the killers. JVlrndian, Miss., Negro, disap­ NATCHEZ. Miss. (UPI) — K\ers. who lanip here Mon­ ffhe indictment said the 19 peared .lune 21. 1964, when About 1600 Negroes staged a •'(Snn^ired together, with day night after the sla\ing of Hijfy drove to rural Neshoba silent march in this historic the local NAACP offieial. aho p^-h*'other and with other C4»unly to investigate the river town Tue.sday night to pfj-sons to the grand jury led an afternoon rally Tues­ burning of a Negro church protest the bombing death of day. ii5kn|>wn to injure, oppress, n^r Philadelphia. an NAACP official. tIweaten and intimidate Another NAACP leader, Rtfch!ael Henry Schwerner. 5'heir burned station wagon The marchers, walking with Po\ Wilkins of New York. J0ngg Earl Chaney and ,\n- %^s found several days later, heads bowed as city police sent telegrams tn c\ery I". S. dptw' Goodman in Ihe frep hWden in undergrowth at the cleared the way through inter­ senator .saying the bomb etercisp and enjoyment of the c4ge of a swamp. sections, left the Rose Hill death of Jackson was Gods r^ht and privilege .secured to %wo months later the bodies Baptist Church shortly In-fore way of gi\ing the I'. S, Senate iHlm by the 14ih Amendment ok the three were found be- 8:30 p.m. — exactly 24 hours a second chance to enact a t(J the Constitution nf the nfiath a freshly built earthen after .37-year-old Wharlest civil rights bill with some ll||itpd Slates not lo he depriv- dfm. All three had been shot, Jackson died when his lKK)i)y- teeth. e* of life or liberty without and Chanev had been beaten trapped pickup truck explod­ City officials promi.scd that dt*e process of law." bfidly. ed. e\ ery effort would hr made tn owers was not among iThe original indictments, re- The marchers headed for catch the persons responsible se first indicted by a mft tifl-ned Jan. 15. 1965, were the Armstrong Tire and Rub­ for "this dastardly crime" t irwicted on federal charges in ber Co. plant, where Jackson that "has shamed this entire giand jury in the Philadelphia s||yings. He was, however, riSimissed last year on worked. Civil rights officials community and its citizens." .lackson. who had been ac­ ll§ 1966 slaying of Negro g^n^ds of improix'r composi­ have charged the plant em­ tion'•6f the grand jury. The ploys Ku Klux Klan members. tive in civil rights work, was l^der Vernon Dahmer of a Korean War veteran and the iSltiesburg. riafeodants alleged that grand Heads Marcli jv(|y* did not represent a father of five children. His ^he. current grand jury, clSbjflfr-isection of the communi- "We want them to know we wife has heen seriously ill in v|[ich met most of last week tjt sfiice Negroes and women, want the Kluxers out of recent weeks and the children inr Jack.son, considered bolh ati(H)g other groups, were there," said Charles Evers, are being cared for by neigh­ {Af Philadelphia and Dahmer eSc&led. The Justice Depart- state field secretary for (he bors. cjfces. nvnf'concurred. NAACP. ift*, 1965 grand jury indicted Evers and a group of local ministers walked at the head mividuals. Those indicted of the column. rWt new grand jury includ- •P"]? names two years ago Jackson, recently promoted {iji^owers and E. G. (Hop) to a job previously held by a ^iM(t, a former Neshoba white man, was killed in a ({|ij(P^ sheriff. carbon copy of an explosion that seriously injured another 'S^^r the first indictments Armstrong worker, Negro A^4f<» Issued, the FBI had George Metcalfe, Aug. 27 id|fe4Wied Akin. Harris. Hern- 1965. der^.and Jordon as Ku Klux K|aifeinembers. rjCJin Burrage owned the fprfif'. where the bodies of jphwcjrner, Chaney and Good- iljirt'were found.

^|. -^W^-IFT^ Conservative Negroes map political action BY GEORGE METZ ! Evers, during an im- j News staff writer I promptii news conferen<'e foi- ; JACKSON. Miss. - A I lowing Friday's meeting, said bearded white civil rights i Mississippi's civil rights lead­ worker was turn?icr"away here' ership wanted In avoid a split Eriday as Mississippi's more I Negro vote such as occured In 7 Mississippians conservative Negro leadership Alabama elections last year. met behind clo.sed door to I Evers and other NA.\CP lead­ organize a political action ers feel the slates 180,000 committee to promote both Negro votes should not be appeal sentences voter registration and Negro thrown away on candidates, unity in this year's elections. eilher Negro or white, who BY GEORGE METZ The 15-meijiber ".Mississippi ha\e nn chance nf winning. News staff writer parnlrs may delerminr." Political Action Committee." This. hP said, cnnstltuled « headed by .lackson Negro They subscribe to the politi­ JACKSON "undeiprmlnate senlencp . . . Atty. Jack Young, will hold cal philosophy that the Only appeals lo higher fed­ it's up In you." its first meeting Saturday, Negroes emerging vote should eral court today separated With the exception of March 18. be marketed, with an assnr- Bowers, all had been identi­ anep of unity, to candidates seven men, convicted in the fied by trial witness .lames FRIDAY'S organizational whose election will return the Edward Jordan during their greatest civil rights gam. 1964 slaying of three civiL. session, boycotted by the mili­ rights workers from a federal 10 day 0( lober trial as having tant Mississippi Ereednm prison. bePn present when MichaPl Democratic Party, was called AND THIS could be an arch : Schwerner, Andrew Goodman by Charles Evers. .state " Negro-baiting segregation- i U. S. Dist. .Judge Harold and .lames (^haney weip slain NAACP field secretary, who ist." I Cox Friday sentenced the near Philadelphia in June. successfully engineered a Asked Eridrix- about possihlp I seven, including White 1964. near Negro bloc \otP in Negtn endorsement of Missis­ Knights of the Ku Klux Klan Jefferson and Claiborne sippi's top three gubernatorial Imperial Wizard Sam Hollo- THE SENTENCING tor»k Counties last year fnr contenders, I . S. Rep. John way Bowers Jr. and Neshoba place before a packed court­ Republican senatorial candi­ Bell Williams, State Treasurer County Deputy Sheriff Cecil room with most of the dpfend- date Prentiss Walker. William Winter nr former Price, to pri.son terms ranging anls' immediate families lis­ Gov. fvo.ss Barnett, pAcrs up to 10 yeai's, then permitted tening as Cox pronounced Jefferson's and Claiborne's replied: "They're all in the them freed on new bonds sentences. lopsided vote for Walker, wilh samp category." pending appeals already filed. Later the judge permitted a MEDP Negro independent six of the men to appeal as candidate in the race, was Evers was then pinned down nn a statment made last COX RESTRICTED their paupers after they testified interpreted however as an they lould not financially af endorsement of the conserva­ year that Negrn vntes might ' travel to resident counties or find Barnett appealing. to stipulated adjoining areas ford expensi\p appeal costs. tive Republican candidate but Bowers' aUorney indicated rather a demonstration of the "Well, we know where Bar­ where business is presently nett stands. We dnn't know conducted. Permission for any he might present a similar Negro votes' potential impact paupers* petition later. Sever­ in .state political contests. about the others. The rougher fiddilional travel must be ob­ they are, the better wp can tained from federal probation al of Ihe men werp asked Perhaps for his reason I take them on," he said, im- I Turn to Page 4, Column 3 pnintPdly by Cox ahout de­ Young, Evers and .state j fense funds raised for the NAACP President Aaron plying that segregationist of­ defendants at a series of Henry of Clarksdale, scrupu­ fice holders frequently expe­ rallies, one conducted lale this lously avoided discussing this dite federal court-ordered in­ vear. summer's politic-al campaigns tegration. In each instance, the men — other than to stress that testified they had rpceived no the political action commit­ AS FOR HIS own political financial assistance from the tee's primary purpose was to funds. However, several ambitions, Evers said he has encourage Negro voter regis­ stated they had received per­ tration and political unity. none. sonal contributions for de­ "I have no political ambi­ fense costs from individuals. tions at all and 1 certainly The men were among 18 have no intention of running tried in the case. The jury for lieutenant governor," acquitled eight, including Evers said, adding that he Neshoba Counly Sheriff would even reject a draft. "I Lawrence Rainey. want lo slay right where I can Edgar Ray Killen, Neshoba help my people." sheriff-elect Ethel Glen "Hop" Evers admitted however, Evers lold reporters, also Barnett and Jerry McGrew that he has been requested to barred from Friday's civil Sharpe received mistrials. run against Byron De La rights strategy sesison here, Whether they will be retried Beckwith, one-time Green- that he felt between 125 and las not been announced. wood f e r t i I i 35 er salesman charged In the 1963 slaying of 130 Negroes may be elected lo Medgar Evers, brother of county level offices this year. Charles Evers. Beekwith, But he candidly admitted he whose two trials In Evers' doubted any Negro would death ended In mistrials, Is reach state level positions, now a candidate for lieutenant including legislative posts. zz governor. Chancellor says he shunned hero's rSfe^to save Ole Miss TUPELO. Miss. (AP) — The .lournal reporled ils ,nder court order b 1 s .u i;niversiiv_jll M i s s i s & i ppi- interview with Williams in a ;,ate and H appeared thai h milv measure left to losisl it ChaneelUir John, D. Williams copyright story loday. was I physical -nfrcjnla.ion, "BeTiex es he coiik! have" Vie- Williams said that if he had eome a nalional hero if he put up stronger resislanec lo the thru (iovernor, Ross H. had resisted political interfer- political intervention in the Barnett. was named university cme (lining the lurbulen fall school's affairs, it would have !;,.s,rar. He refused lo reg ^ of I9ti2, hut only al the cost of VxMm the same as sellins the ter Mnedith botn at U c dooming the school as an students and faculty "down university and at U-^ ^UiU> , educational institution. the drain — and they would od.K ation ufficrs at Jackson, but later capitulated. Dr. Williams, who is to re- have never recovered." He lire m December after 21 did nol specify how much Williams said ho did "ol years on the university cam­ rcsi.slance he offered. resist the federal court ordns m admit Meredith "be.a.ise it pus at (^xfoi'd, outlined to The "The unisersity would have been without a chancellor and seemed In me d would have Tupelo Journal w h a t he leadership l>eeause 1 wo^ld discredited the university thoimht were his alternatives ha\e bc(Mi fired, but I would ,,,,,,ules, the lawvers indicated in September 1962 when Negro have lM>en in great demand as ,o me this was the law and I ,lames 11. Meredith was en­ a martyred educator." If he bad no nitentum o\ doing WILLLVMS rolled, lowering raciai bars. had l>cen fired, he said, Meredith's admission was anything else bul abiding by "there would have been nn the law." backed by armed federal mar­ way for the university lo shals and Army paratroopers •Howev.M-. 1 Nvo'ihl have survive." Cotten a gtvat (leal of supiiorl and was accompanied by not­ The only other alternaiix es, ing in which two persons were he said, would have been to and praise from Mississippi­ kill(-d. resist federal courts or lO ans had I resisted the com IS. resign. He said he considered re- He said he is writing a signing, but never seriously^ memorandum for the uni­ 'It was all such a bead- versity's archives to explain ache, but I bad a .job o , fully. with names, the keeping Ole Miss as noi mal ^ problems of polilical inlerfer- Jts possible." enee. When the tinnprsity was

77c ^f^M Detense Res ffrfrialOf liltWfdian BY TERRY WOOTEN U. S. District Judge Harold overruled motions for mis­ erner and Andrew Goodman, Mrs. Beverly Rawlins of MERIDIAN, Miss. (IPI) Cox met during the afternoon trials and ac(|uittals for 13 of both white New Yorkers. Meridian, one of the final —The defense for 18 white with attorneys from both sides the defcndant.s, and reserved The government's case defense witnesses, said Jor­ men charged wilh conspiracy on the charge he will make to judgment on acquittal motions hinges lo a large extent on the dan told her the night that in the 1964 slaying of three the jury, and then recessed for fixe others who raised testimony of .lames E. Jor­ memorial services were held civil rights workers rested its the trial until 8:30 a.m. technical challenges. dan, the 19th defendant whose for Chaney that "the FBI is case Tuesday after calling Wednesday. One of the acquittal motions trial is being dela.xed pending coming to get me most any only one of the defendants. The jury probably will get on which Cox reserved judg­ the outcome of the present lime, but I dont care. I'd just The only one to take the the case Wednesday, following ment vvas filed by Neshoba one. as .soon kill another nigger .stand was Herman Tucker, final arguments. Ckiunty Sheriff Lawrence Rai­ .lordan. who has turned now as not." accused by the government of The defense callc^d 117 wit­ ney, who based his request on informer, gave testimony last On cross camination, Mrs. driving the bulldozer that nesses, most of them persons the fad that only three of Ihe Friday that placed seven of Rawlings was asked why she allegedly was used to bury the who attested to the good name prosecution witnesses had the defendants on the rural three victims under a farm of the defendants, and the mentioned his name, and none gravel road where the prose­ didn't report the statement lo pond dam after they were prosecution put 45 witnesses of them in connection with the cution claims the three vic­ police or the FBI. shot. Tucker testified lasl on the stand. June 21, 1964 slayings of tims met death. "I didn't see any rea.'^on week and denied any involve­ As testimony ended. If. S. Negro James Chaney of Jordan denied he participat­ lo," she said. "1 don't lell ment in the alleged plot. District Judge Harold Cox Meridian, and Michael Schw­ ed in the actual killings. everything I know."

^ 3 9^ -x(5-'- AsMciatad Pr«n Wirtpkati Wearing simglasses and a white hat, Jamei Purposefrl Meredith walks with a handful of followers along a Mississippi highway during his 'march against fear' In territory where he stroll was ambushed a year ago. i^J^f^] ^ Q'J-i>^

PREACHER SAYS HE WORE THIS REGALIA AS KLAN MEMBER Ylk ... The Rev. Delmar Dennis said he got $15.000 as FBI Informant C-^y^. ^J,r-jtir-_^-<^« ~ hvi

^^rrr<^vsq\^<^^,l^^}^^y^9.S:^'^l3iJ^-^^^ Court told of Klan ' death sentence Helped bury ri

workers *) FBIs star witness Triple slaying details told B^ (iEORGE METZ testifies .News staff writer talked to the FBI about the last of Octolx^r " MERIDIAN. Miss. Jordan testified he remain­ JORDAN SAID the FBI The government's star wit­ ed as a lookout at fhe inter­ ness testified Thursday that section of Highway 19 and the special agents promised to he went to Philadelphia to dirt road, and told the hushed "help me get out of town. I courtroom of hearing several whip three cnil rights work­ had lost my job." He stated shots fired a short while later. he received approximately ers and ended up helping to Jordan said he then "walked bury them. \\\\ the road. " found fhe three $3,000 in an initial lump sum, cixil rights workers shot and bought a car and moved his Presentation of the Justice apparent Ix dead, and later family from Meridian. Departments case against 18 helped put their bodies 'in the white men charged with con­ back of the station wagon." The ashen-faced Jordan spiracy in the 1964 slayings of said he received $100 in FBI three young men was expect­ ed to end today or Saturday. THE Il.l.-FATKD journey of ••expense money" to come to Schweiner. (ioodman. and Meridian to testify. RUT ALREADY a IT. S. JAMES E. JORDAN Chancy to Neshoba Count> to On later cross-examination, investigate the burning of a Jordan stated Travis Barnette District Court jury haf I heard that he was a member of a testimony linking the murders Negro church was Ix'gun. was not present and did not group of White Knights of the with a Ku Klux Klan death earlier lestimony claimed, in make the trip to Philadelphia. sentence against one of Ihem, Ku Klux Klan who droxp to a 196.1 Ford station wagon Michael Schweiner, 24. a Philadelphia. He said Ihey recovcied abandoned and JORDAN TESTIFIED Brooklyn, N. V., social worker waited for the three to be l*jrned in northeast Neshoba Deputy Sheriff Price left the before coming to Mississippi. released from jail and then County, June 2.3, 1964. way back to Philadelphia the helped chase Ihcm dc^wn. group "talked" to a Philadel­ The others slain on the Asked on direct examina­ tion who was present when he phia policeman. "He said go nighl of June 21. IJ)()4, wrre HE SAID Neshoba County ahead and get out . . . that .\ndrew Goodman, 20, of New Chief Deputy Sheriff Cecil came upon the bodies lying alongside the road, Jordan everything would be laken York, who arrived here (he Price, who freed the men, care of." Jordan said, adding night before he was killed. named defendants Travis Bar­ then had stopped their old car this was about 12:.30 a.m., and James Chaney, 22, a with flashing »pd lights. nette, Horace Doyle Barnette, Meridian Negro. Jimmy Snowden, Jimmy Ar­ June 22. 1964, The FBI Informant testified ledge, Jerry M. Sharpe, Billy With chilling detail, James (he three men then were Wayne Posey, Alton Wayne Edward Jordan, 41, testified placed In a car driven by Roberts and Price. Price and carried to a dirt ^7 ZT road off Highway 19. Jordan testified that on the C administrative officer and as­ IN LATER lestimony, Jor- sistant to the imperial wizard, in charge of six counties. oan quoted defendant Sam LIKE JORDAN, Dennis' tes­ Holloway Bowers Jr., a Lau­ timony appeared to link sev­ rel coin machine company THE COUNTIES included eral of the 18 defendants to Neshoba, Dennis said, and on owner identified as imperial the Ku Klux Klan and the wizard nf the While Knights, June 16 he attended a meeting chain of events the Justice in that area at which six of as calling the slaying: "A job Department claims led to the to be proud of." Bowers, he the 18 defendants were slaying of the three civil present. He identified them as said, suggested "the instru­ rights workers. ments used should IM? gotten Bernard Akin. Alton Wayne Dennis, who said he held Roberts, Frank J. Herndon, rid of." the Klan title of "titan," said Billy Wayne Posey. Edgar On direct and subsequent (he Klan had lm|N)sed a death Ray Killen, and E. (L "Hop" cross- examination, Jordan sentence on Schwerner, whom Barnette. the sheriff-elect of stated he has received ap­ the members of the hooded Neshoba Counly. proximately $8,000, all in order had nicknamed "(Joa- cash, from the EBl since tee." Asked If the present sherlfL November, 1964. On crossoxamination, Jor­ Lawrence Rainey, was a Klan He claimed lo have "first dan admitted he had been member, Dennis replied: "I slaying scene shortly after he convictcHi of several law viola­ know him to be a member." arrived, that the station wag­ tions, including grand larceny He added that he had discus­ sed Klan business with Sheriff on bearing the three Ixidies and passing bad checks. The Rainey, who also is a defend­ was laler drixen back to defense also charged Jordan ant. Highway 19 and. along back had other charges against streets and roads, driven him, f)iit they had been post- Dennis testified he joined around downtown Philadel­ ixmed indefinitely to get him the Klan in March 1964. After­ phia to a poinl near the dam to testify. ward, he said, he began site where the bodies were making reports to the FBI unearthed by the FBI .\ug. 4, THE 18 MEN on trial are and had been paid about 1964 — 44 days later. charged with conspiracy lo $5,000 a year for the past Jordan testified that there violate the civil rights of the three years. three who were slain. That's they "opened the back of the THE DOZEN defense law- | station wagon, took the hoys the stiffest feileral charge yers made frequent objections i out and carried them down a applicable in the case. No during the minister's tcslimo- I hollow." He told of waiting state charge was filed. ny. U. S. Dist. Court Judge • while three defendants — he .Maximum punishment named Roberts, Posey, and possible under the old Recon­ Harold Cox overruled them. Sharpe — went to get the struction Era law is 10 years He also rejected numerous bulldozer operator. and a $.5,000 fine. mistrial motitms. "He wasn't there," Jordan He evenlually dcx'ided to tell During cross-examination. defense laxvyer Laurel Weir testified. the FBI about the incident. Jordan staled the three said .lordan, because "They drew a sharp rebuke and "came back a different way," said they would help me get warning from the judge for laler with a man Jordan said out of town, which they did." asking the minister: was to cover the bodies. THE FBI gave him $3,000 to "Instead of .30 pieces of buy a car and rent a trailer lo silver you got $15,000. did you JORDAN QUOTED Posey, a move his family, the ex- not?" Philadelphia service station Klansman continued, and for The minister said he did not operator in 1964, as saying he the next year gave him $100 a feel bound by his oath lo the would wail for the bulldozer week. Klan and agreed he had operator to finish the burial, Jordan said Ihal after a planned to write "an expose and said he and the others left year he got a job paying $.W a of the Klan." the dam site wilh the under­ week and the FBI reduced its standing the station wagon weekly payment to $2.5. "would be taken to Alabama Dennis, who said he preach­ and burned by the operator." ed in both Baptist and Metho­ Earlier Thursday, the Rev. dist churches in this area, Delmar Dennis of Meridian came under sharp cross-ex­ unloaded what was to many amination, most of which cor­ Meridian segregationist-con- roborated earlier testimony servatives a courtmom bomb­ by Meridian Police Sgl. C. W. shell, testifying that he played Miller, 43, an ex-Klansman. a dual role for nearly three years as Ku Klux Klan prov­ BOTH MILLER and the ince titan and paid FBI infor­ minister said they were mem- mant. ers of the White Knights of Dennis admitted receiving the Meridian Klan unit, and approximately $15,000 from xverc told that a top-level the FBI since September, decision to eliminate Schwern­ 1964, stating under cross-ex­ er had been made, but that amination that he was slill another unit would handle the ! employed by the FBI. job. Cnlike Miller, who said he had been banished from the Klan, Dennis testified he re­ mained a member. I The minister said he be- i came chaplain of the Meridi­ an klavern, then was promot­ ed to province titan — an a.P\s / — OCTOBER 14. 1^^7^/^ Informer For FDI Named As Killer Alleged Confession Read At Trial Defendant Accuses Jordan In 1 Of 3 Rights Slayings BY WALTER RtGABER (c) 1967 New York Times News Service MERIDIAN, Miss. — A surprise confession by a second member of the bond of men accused of lynching three civil rights workers near here in 1964 was introduced Friday in Federal district court over defense attorney's objec­ tions. In the statement, ohtained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Horace D. Bar­ nette accused James E. Jor­ TELL OF TRIGGER MAN—FBI Agent Henry Rask (left) testified in Meridian dan, who testified Thur.sday Friday that a paid FBI informer was one of the triggermen in the 1964 slaying for the government, of killing of three civil rights workers, according to a statement by one of the defendants, one of the three rights work­ Horace Doyle Barnette (right). (UPI Telephoto). ers. Jordan said Thursday that he was posted as a The statement by Doyle lookout when the slaying took As the Judge carried fhe Barnette reported that Mich­ place. ael H. Schwerner of New York, a white field worker for the Congress of Racial Equality, was hauled from the back seat of an automobile, spun around, and asked: callM *f''"^»""=- They also "Are you that nigger lov­ er?" "Sir." the youth was quoted as replying, "I know just how you feel." Wilh that, the Kach of the alibi witnesses statement continued, a mem­ ber of the mob, who for legal reasons could not Ix* idenlified Ihe 12 dofon.se atlornevs in court, "took a pistol in his hand and shot Schwerner." ZZl """"' '"^ »'"« Wit. Andrew Goodman of New York, a 21-year-old while col­ lege student who had just arrived in Mississippi for a Summer of civil rights work, lox to firroci vortiicis nf was next brought from the acnu„ta,. The jud^o oLed .;..•« lo he shot, the statempfit dot„'L"'t-."'™ "'^' '"^ «r'i related. ^9 . ghr lirtlltttilham yfttiB Wednesdoy. October 18, 1967 m DEATH OF ISEGRO Trial set ior dt^zeii

H.\TTIESBUR(;, Miss. ii?i of Laurel, Deaxours Nix of The second major civil Laurel, Charles Rhhrd Noble rights trial this year is of near Laurel. Coeil Vi«tor scheduled to begin Nov. 13, Sessum of EHi>\ib<' and Rdly when 12 white men charged Bov rills of Laurel. with conspiring in the death of Vernon F. Dahmer Sr. of Hattiesburg are to face a jur>'. Dahmer, who at one time was president of the Forrest County branch of the National Association for the .^dvanee- ment of Colored People, died Jrm. ^0. 19fifi. after nightraid- ers firebdinbed his house, lie had also helped Negroes reg­ ister to vote. )CK Ono of Ihe defendants in the case Is Sam IL Bowers Jr. of LaurrL identified hy the FBI In Meridian .ludge Cox issued a new- as imperial wizard nf the charge to the panel, basically White Knights of thp Ku Klii\ Reconsideration l(>lliim the jurors to consider Ordered; Recess the majority in their delibera­ Klan. Bowwrs Is on trial in tions, but yet nol to yield any Meridian, where 18 while men Called At 8:30 P.M. of their cfmvictions. went on trial last week on The jury filed back into the charges that they conspired in BY BILL NEIKIRK MERIDIAN, Miss. (/?)— courtroom on tho third floor the deaths of three civil rights of the Meridian Post Office at workers. ' An all-white jury declared itself deadlocked Thurs­ 3.2*2 p.m., CDT. The U. S. Distriet Court "1 assume you have been clerk's office in J ckson said day, but on a federal judge's order deliberated unable to reach a verdict. Is Tuesday that notices had eone that correct?" asked Judge out to defendants and attor­ longer in on attempt to break the knot in the case Cox. neys, telling them tn be in "That's correct." replied lourl here at 9 a.m. Nov. n of IS men charged with conspiracy in the 1964 Langdcm Smith .\nderson. 52. forlhe trial. Judge Harold of Lumbcrlon, Miss., the jury Cox. who is trying the ease in ! deoths of three civil rights figures. foreman. .Anderson is a mem- Meridian, will preside here. b(M' of the slate's Agricultural V. S. Dist. Court Judge and Industrial Board. Harold Cox lold the jurors at CONVICTION HERE could "This is an important mid afternoon to 'take all the mean a five-year term and nis(\" Judge Cox said. "This lime you feel is necessary" lo $5,nun fine for each defenflant. rial has been extensive and re-examine and reconsider all They wore charged under the :^xpensive Ixilh lo the prosecu­ Voting Rights Av\ of infi5. the evidence. tion and the defense . . . Specifically, the 12 are The seven women and five there's no reason lo believe charged with conspiracy lo men on the panel began that another Irial might not "intimidate, threaten aiK' considering the case Wednes­ be equally expensive." day afternoon. They had deli- The jury is considering coerce Vernon Ferdinand l>erated nine hours and 40 whether there was a conspira­ Dahme Sr. on account of his minutes before announcing cy to violate the civil rights of race and color for urging and the deadlock. three men who were shot to aiding other Negro citizens to After being told lo go back death during the racially vote." to the jury room for more tense Summer of 1964 and considera lions, the jury found buried beneath a clay stayed with il unlil alxiut 8:30 In addition to Bowers, the dam 44 days laler. p.m. wilh an hour's break for defendants are Mordaunt .\ftcr the jury resumed de­ dinnr-r. Then a U. S. marshal Hamilton Sr. of nearby Petal, liberations, defense allorney announced that Ihe jury would Henry Edward DoBoxtel of Mike Watkins took exceplion be put to bed wilh orders lo Laurel, Howard Travis of la the judge's new charge. return at 9 a.m. Watkins said his clients disa­ near Ellisville, Charles Lamar "Even if Ihe jury reaches a greed with the judge's re­ l^we of near Laurel, Cliflon verdict," Marshal Charlie marks about Ihe cost of the Eudell Lowe of near Laurel, Sutherland said, "the judge trial, a partial verdict and a Melvin Sennetl Martin of Lau­ won't lake it until 9 a.m. in change of decision by the rel, Emanuel Benjamin Moss the morning." .iurors. z% mCHT OF SLAYIJSGS'/^ir; /o'^y^/ Defense saySvss Price searchin for BY <;EOR(iE METZ News staff writer On trial »n «onsplrac> wife, both hospitalized .MERIDIAN. Miss. chargeN with Price are Two Meridian witnesses — a former patrol partner of Defense witnesses testified Neshoba Counly Sheriff Police Sgt. Wallace Miller and here Monday tbat Neshoba Lawrenei Raine>, Neshoba the wife of the Rev. Delmar Counly Deputy Sheriff Cecil Sheriff - ek'ct E. Ci. (Hop) Dennis — t(Mik the stand Price was searching for their Barnette and 15 oUiers, In­ Monday and testified they missing niece when the Jus­ cluding Sam Holloway B<»wers would nol believe the two tice Department claims three Jr. of i^iurci. idenHHed h\ governmeni witnesses under eivil-rights workers were ?^lain IB I and several I rial pn»seeu- June 21. 1964. near Philadel­ tion witnesses as iniperial oath. phia. wizard of the Mississippi • Both Sgt. Miller and Dennis Finis McAdary said he talk­ based WhUe Knights of the Ku testified la.st week to having ed with Price at 10:30 p.m Klux Klan. l)een FBI undercover opera­ that nighl at the Philadelphia M( \dm> , 1'riee s ke\ de­ tives within a .Meridian Ku Police Department and that fense witness .\loiida\. was Klux Klan klavern. the Neshoba deputy laler join tnllnwed l>> i\Ie,\d(U'y's wile P (» l. I V E MAN JOHNNY ed a family search for the girl who testified tti siihslantiallx Stewart said Miller's reunt;.. and two male companions. llie same «lelails: How ihi-v y tion for truth HIKI MVM iiy The search ended near mid­ t.ilkerl to Ihe <'luil)b\ depnl\/ was Ixid "I wouldn't helie\e night. McAdory testified, -heriff al the Phi!.,ile|phia him under oath." Stewart when tbe missing girl was I'idice neparlnuni a! Ill :in testified found "in the wot»ds" near \i in lune 21. 1964 ;i!iii how Mrs. Jo>ee Deimis. who Sandiown communily eaj.1 of lit' hefcue mid ICdward Jordan. onetime Dennis, an admitted paid nmlit. " ,»dding that she reeal- Meridian mechanic also under FBI informant, testified he h'd l(M»kiiig at nn cluck." ll Indictment In the sensational seixed as Klan I'haplain and was never ni;ide clein wheth­ 1964 c I v 11 • r i ghts slaying, later province titan, a position er this was iM'fore or afler claimed he. Price and sh he held when his dual role Mc.\doi> testified Ins nn-ee olher defendants waylaid, and was brought U) light b> a was found l>nt .Mrs Watkins laler killed. Michael Sch\%eni- cuiul subiHxiia last .lune. insisted. »»n cniss-exaniina er. .Vndrew (ioodman and tion. that it was a "qiiaitei James Chaney. fiefore midnight" and the The defense rested loday in .search for the girl was men- lis third day of testimony at tinned the nineday-old trial after IN ALU MORE tlUB M calling 114 defen.sp wilne<;ses. L. S, District Court Judge defense witnesses test'fied Harold Cox opened the trial to Tuesday, i n c I u dine two rebuttal testimony from the Negroes who testified as Justice Department. This was character witnesses for Bow­ to be followed by final argu­ ers. ments. .Vmie Cole and J. C. Powe. SIN( E INITIAL arrests in b*)th laurel Negroes, describ­ the 1964 case, the Justice ed Rowers as a law-abiding Department has charged that citizen and in Mrs. Cole's Price laler pursued and halt­ words, "a very nice person." ed the three and was a key Eleven witnesses Monday figure in carrying out a Ku afternoon testified that Klux Klan "elimination plot " Neshol3a County Sheriff-elect leading to their deaths. Barnette spent most of the BtKlies nf .Schwerner. Good- evening of June 21. 1964. al num and Chaney were the Neshoba Ceneral Hospital unearthed by FBI special visiting a daughter and his agents ,\ug. 4. 1964 — 44 day? after thoir disappearance in a poiKl dam southwest of Philadelphia. Each bad been shut. - ' " 23 Tn Mississippi^^IJ^^^^^^ A A M n Verdict or mislrial y hifih courl— ^py^l^3-(> y due i n loday? Old rights law

BY GEORfJE METZ News staff writer to be reviewed MERIDIAN, Mi.ss. WASHINGTON .000 In fines. U. S. Dist. Judge Harold views of the others and listen .ll'SriCt; THl fUiOOn Mar­ In March 1966 the Supreme Cox was expected to order a to each others' arguments shall, who held a .lustiee mistrial if jurors fail to reach with a disposition lo re-ex­ Court upheld the govern­ Department post as .Solicitor ment's power to prosecute a verdict loday. according to amine your own views." General, will not participate court sources. anli-civil rights conspirators He advised, if "much the in Ihe hearing or the decision. when officials are pari of the greater number of you are for Negroes' access lo puhlic conspiracy. The ruling rein­ SINCE RECEIVING the a conviction" that each dis­ accommodations was guaran­ stated charges against accus­ case Wednesda\- afternoon, ju­ senting juror should " .serious- teed in the 1964 fedeinl civil ed slayers of civil rights rors have heen unahle to h consider" whether any nghts law. The question he- workers Michael H. Schwern­ reach even a partial verdict. doubt in his mind is, in Cox's fore the eoiiil IS v\helher the er, James Y.. Chaney and The jurors emerged Thursday words, a reasonable one. law bars criminal action Andrew Goodman. afterncKin to announce they against \iolalors. Conversely, he added, if a could nol agree. The department said a majorit.N- is for acqiiital. then HOWEVER. ONLY three of provision o.. .he law appears Judge Cox then issued a other jurors should re-ex­ the nine justices — Chief lo exempt proprietors of re­ new charge, the controversial amine earlier positions in the Justice Earl Warren and staurants and owners of simi­ case. Associate Justices William 0. "Allen" or ''Dynamite lar facilities from criminal Douglas and William J. Bren­ charge." Judge Cox noted he had prosecutors — af least when nan Jr. — said the 1870 civil The seldom - u.sed charge received more messages from there is no violence. the jury than any other rights law is aimed at all instructs jurors to reconsider conspiracies, official and its position and, if at all 12-member body in his previ­ However, the department ous court experience. One maintained, the law does not unofficial. The other six jus­ possible, return a verdict. Cox tices disagreed. told jurors the Philadelphia request from the jury was a exempt "third party conspira­ transcript of testimony, re­ tors" from criminal penalties. Since then, the House has case was important, that the passed a hill that would make jected by Cox, In the Georgia case, a trial had been expensive to it a crime to harm or intimi­ After Ihe charge, jurors federal grand jury in Atlanta the prosecution as well as the date persons exercising feder­ filed back behind closed doors returned an indictment last defense and, in his words, ally protected civil rights. The to deliberate further, but Feh. 16 charging four white both must be disposed of. bill is currently in the hands shortly before 9 p.m. they men, Horace .lohnson. James Jurors were reminded that R. Hogan, Willie E. Hester Jr. of the SOTate Judiciary Com­ were ordered locked up for a mittee. a second jury impaneled in second night in a local hotel, and McCagger Ragwfll, with case of a mistrial would also criminal conspiracy. » apparently still unable to ^ be drawn from South Missis­ agree on even the "partial sippi by jurors of similar verdict" Cox requested. THE .lUSTICE Department background. The stern - faced federal THE JUSTICE Department judge added no juror should charges the 18 defendants surrender "his honest convic­ participated in a Ku Klux tions" but that each had the Klan elimination plot leading duty "to consult and deliber­ to the death of Michael Schw­ ate" with other jurors and no erner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney in Neshoba Counly June 21, 1964. sary because, in his words, The prosecution grounded ''midnight murders in its case largely on testimony Neshoba County provide few by paid FBI informants. witnesses. He said it was Asst. U, S. Atty. Gen. John necessary to buy information 3D Doar arguing this was neces- in order to solve the case. Sundoy, October 15, 1967 SlK ^iimui^l)am^'t:w'i. In Philadelphia case ^'..^•/c.^'^^-^

was talking lo the FBI ard he concerning tin- sla\ing. BY GEORGE METZ thought Jordan was the one He\ Delmar Dennis fol­ News staff writer telling them." lowed Miller lo the wilness MERIDIAN. Miss. chair Bowers Jr., Laurel informants .lames I'.dward slaying of three civil rights aniusemenl nuuhiue eomi>ain Jordan, the prosecution's star workers near Philadelphia ()wner he identified as Wliit«' witness who testified lo hav­ came from paid Eederal Knmhi imperial wizard, al ing been present — although nut an eyevvilness to the Bureau of Investigation infor­ I'arluita sliortb after bodies slaying — when the three civil mants. oi .Michael Scluverncr. An­ ritihls workers weiP chased How an all-wlule )ury drew Goodman, and .lames down and their Ixidies later weighs Its evidence may sel Chaney were unearthed Aug hauled to the dam site, was far-reaching courl precedence 4, 1964. near Philadelphia by also paid. — if convictions are handed the I-HI. down and survive appeal lo •UK SAID Judge (Harold) •lordan said the FBI prom­ the C. S. Supreme Courl. Co\ would probably make ised "to help him get oul of AT LEAST three witnesses, them take them hack and put town" and implied that a|v including a 19th defendant them under the dam — that it proximately $8,000 receivixi under indictment, have admil­ was an illegal search," D' to keep him alive. the FBI. Nor did the Justice I)leased with Ihe j«)h. because Department or FBI allenipt to Before starting to consider it was the first time thai testimony this week, federal hide that the information had Christians had planned and been bought. jurors had been lold by Asst. U. S. Ally Gen. John Doar carried tmt the execution of that il had Ijeen "necessary" Meridian Police Sgl. Wal­ a Jew," Dennis lestiried over­ lace Miller, a paid lederal for the FBI lo pay for infor­ bearing Bowers say. mation during its three-year informant "oH-aiul-on" since Before leaving the witness September. 1964, tesiliied to investigation of the Neshoba si and, Dennis also pointed out civil rights slaying. receiving more than $2,400. several defendan's, including mostly in small amounts as Neshoba Counly Sheriff However, a conviction or "expense money." while serv­ Lawrence Rainey, his deputy convictions tm appeal lo the ing as an FBI uiulercover Cecil I*rii-e. and Neshoba She­ Supreme Court could set far- reaching precedents affecting operative in a White Knights riff-elect E. G. (Hop) Barnett law enforcement agenc-ies na­ of the Klu Klux Klan klavern as Klu Klux Klan meinbers. tionwide. he helped organize. While admitting he Mad never And from a witness chair attended a Klan meetirm with this vv'«^(^»< '"^ identified al Price and Harney, Di-nnis least 10 defciulaiils as While said, "1 knew 'hem W be Knight KlansiwMi and reeounl- members of the Klu Klux ed conversations with two Ivlan." Dennis also tiuoted Pru o as telling him on one occas>on: "The government knew more about the case than he thought . . . he-said someone .^i. 6 HOURS ALREADY / Jury resumes deliberations /-t-iO-^ m deaths of civil righters

MERIDIAN. Miss., (/P Philadelphia. Miss., June 21, The government charge that 1964, by Neshoba County 18 men conspired in a Ku Deputy Sheriff Cecil Price, In rights case-^ t Klux Klan plot to execute held in jail until nighl. then i-v-K^Michael Schwerner. Klux Klan. thing. JiidRc. 1 didn't mean there are no young men dead, 24. a Brooklyn .social worker anything hy it." there was no murder." who was in Meridian for the "A PERSON may be assum­ The husky ex-boxer stood The government contends Ccmgress of Racial Equality ed innocent until proven guil­ quietly with Price and Bowers that the three civil rights (CORE); Andrew Goodman, ty," Cox said, his face stern. while the judge admonished workers were arrested at 20, a New York college "But I'm going to turn that them. student who had just arrived around and presume you're The four other men convict­ guilty until you've proven ed in the jury trial before for a summer of civil rights your innocence. Judge Cox In Meridian were work; and James Chaney, 22. "If any explosives are used released Friday on $.'),000 a Meridian Negro who assist­ in any sort of violence . . . bonds. They are Billy Wayne ed Schwerner. in any one of 45 counties in Posey, Philadelphia, Miss.; Their bo

BY GEORGE METZ News staff writer MER1DI.\N. Miss. nearing end The sensational trial of 18 while men charged wilh con­ spiracy in the 1964 slaying of Jordan, a former Meridian in a Springhill, La,, motel, three civil rights workers en­ mechanic and a 19lh man lered ils second week today under indictment, testified he two FBI special agents testi­ wilh .several detendants ex- helped chase down the three fied. ^pected to mount the witness following their release from •chair in their own defense. jail and remained on lliiihway BARNETTE has since repu­ 19 as the trio was driven up a diated the alleged confession: : A DEFENSE allorney also dirt road and slain. however. Judge Cox permitted •indicated defense testimony its introduction with names of *may be completed late tonight JORDAN S.MD he later defendants other than Barnet­ or some time Tuesday. helped bury the victims and te and .lordan blanked oul. Justice Department attor* singled out seven defendants neys have not indicated how — including Neshoba County The statement tended both to many. If any, rebuttal wit­ Deputy Sheriff Cecil Price — corroborate and lo contradict nesses may be called; howev­ as l>eing present when Ihe parts of Jordan's earlier tes­ er, final argument before the slaying occurred. timony. all-white jury of seven women Jordan, who admitted re­ All 18 defendants on trial ceiving approximately $8,000 and five men should begin not deny the charges against from the Federal Bureau of later than Wednesday, court­ them. room observers here leel. Invesligallon since 1961. also U. S, District Judge Harold Implicated live other defend- Cox warned prosecution and anls. by name. In the alleged defense allorneys last week conspiracy. thai he expected final disposi- Two paid FBI undercover li(m of the so-called "Philadel­ infinniants. Meridian Police phia case " within the 10-day Sgt, Wallace Miller and Rev. period originally allotted for Delmar Dennis, earlier testi­ trial. fied the slayings stemmed from a White Knight of the SO FAR, more than 40 Ku Klux Klan "eliminalion" defense witnesses have taken order for Schwerners death. the stand since late Friday, when Justice Department at? ROTH NAMED Sam Hollo­ lorneys ended five days of way Bowers Jr., Laurel coin prosecution testimony al- machine company owner, as templing to link the 18 defend­ While Knight imperial wizard, ants lo a "Ku Klux Klan and Dennis testified he deliv­ elimination plot " leading lo ered money from Bowers lo the death of Michael Schwern­ two defendants afler the slay­ er. Andrew Gwidman and James Chaney near Philadel­ ing. phia. Dennis was province titan The three civil rights work- for the klan, he said, when his ers disappeared June 21, 19fr4 roll as FBI informer was shortly after their release revealed hy a courl subpoena from the Neshoba County lasl June. Jail. Their bodies were The Justice Department's unearthed 44 days later from prosecution ended abruptly a farm stock pond dam near Friday afternoon with intro­ Philadelphia. All had been duction, over defense objec­ Last week, J-mies Edward tions, of a statement, attribut­ ed to defendant Horace Doyle Barnette. The statement, naming Jordan as the slayer of Chaney, was given volun­ tarily lo the FBI Nov. 20, 1964 33 A Mississippians laud verdict

Miss j/pi .-ewsp.persh.ve endorsed .he^^^^^^^^^^^ m- on '•ih.'LTs'p''.p:r^%t"'Lny saTdrhey .h.u.l.t the convic.io'L w.,, in the word.

"V^e'-DXTemLrat'TimeTof Gre"e"ville died the conviction "m.gniflcent "

',S™'?.r nr-Lr-•re'atrrfan'thr'.h.y were whi^ and their victin,. were unpopular enemies of segregation has *»««." *»»«""«°-,., ,. , . , «««rtuallv The Tupelo Journal said there was evidence that the state had «ct"a"y reached a turning point in race relations. But we still are not far around the ^'^ThrVicksburg Post said there was a "feeling of profound satisfaction'' about thrverXts ItVinted out that "lest there be any »"i?t%*^« «»>?"*.'^'^^^..J^l-y which convicted seven men in this case was composed of Mississippi citizens Tnd Us members proved that Mississippians can be as conscientious as the

"* ThL%tksoVDa'y N^^^^^^ said the trial had proved that Mississippi juries will return guilty verdicts in civil-rights cases when it is given the evidence. -The guilty findings will also discourage those bent on violence from future activities of that sort in Mississippi," the paper said.

(AJ ^••••** ' *. 7 Are Sentenced • /toth were sentenced Price, Roljerts and Posey, to 10 vear terms, the maxi­ Horace Doyle Barnete, :51. mum penalty for the conspira­ formerly of Meridian; .limmy cy charge on which they were Arled.gc, :tO, a Meridian truck tried. driver: and .limmy Snowden, :U. a Meridian laundry truck Cox sentenced Neshoba driver were convicted. County Sheriff's Deputy Cecil Price and another man, Billy The three-year sentences Wayne Posey of Philadelphia were given to Barnette, Ar­ to six years each in a federal ledge, and Snowden. prison. The other three men Eight other men were ac- were sentenced lo three years fpiilt'Hl in the I'ase. including each. Ncshol)a County Sheriff Maximum penalty upon con­ Lawrence Rainey. viction was 10 years in prison and/or a $5000 fine und^ the 1870 civil rights law used by SENTENCED Samuel the government in prosecuting H. Bowers Jr. the sensational case. Cox ruled all seven would be allowed lo remain free on Iwnd pending an appeal of the conviction lo the U. S. Fifth Circuil Courl of Appeals. The notices of appeal already have been submitted.

3^. Jury Deliberatihg Fate Of 18 is Locked Up BY TERRY WOOTEN MERIDIAN. Miss. (UPD — An all-white jury was locked up for the nighl wilhout a verdict Wednesday after deli­ the d(»fendants were "as inno­ berating conspiracy charges cent and pure as (he driven against 18 while men in Ihe snow." 1964 deaths of three civil "It was a Monday morning rights workers for nearly five when the news broke that the hours. three civil rights workers V s. District Judge Harold were missing," Defense Attor­ Cox sent a marshal to the ney W. D. Moore reminded ii„-ors at 9 p.m. and when the jury. they reporled they still had "Robert F. Kennedy (then not reached a verdict he attorney ueneral) marshallerl together some of the greatest ordered Ihem locked up lor latent on (iods green earth. the night al a downtown ho el They opened up the coffers of The jurv will resume delib­ the United States for money. erations al 9.30 a.m. Thurs- and the word was. bring me a "^"cox turned the 10-day-old conviction." trial over lo Ihe P«"^'^- "\",f^ Another of Ihe 12 defense up of seven women and fne attorneys, Herman Alford. men. al 4:24 i>.m. struck a similar ihcme when The jury could fuul he defendants guiUy, not gu. ty. he shouted: or refuse to rule, in wh "This is a case where the caseahung,urvN.onldre.tm Federal govfrnmenl reached and a mistrial would be down and lold the chu-f civil rights attorney, 'Go down in declared. Mississippi and make an example of Neshoba <^<;tinlN. Cox said Ih P ^^,.0 of He would have you beheve ^.velocomuW^ the con- that Neshoba County is a ^^^ ^^^'"hu'^tohoUlup. spiracy ^^^'^'^ .:„vased niore rlosed socieU4,- wherv^nei^e- .vo u go ^l>y,e case ;)'^f ,,haustne J::und m the night time and undercovet am ^ ^.^^^^^^.^^ do heinous crimes. fovt on mM- ^^^^^^, the uovernmenl. j^eiitcnced aeiendants ^'^^ ^^ l'\, .ears in

prison and h"» ^t ^.,osiug '^'^'' r^tasled Vhe Vede. :;^P%mment and claimed

ACQUITTED—Neshoba County Sheriff Lawrence Roiney gets a big hug from a friend in Meridian, Miss , after a Federal jury found him and seven other men not guilty in the conspiracy slaying of three civil rights workers. Also acquitted was Bernard L. Akin, stand­ ing behind him. (UPI Telephoto). '

3^ . 7 in Neshoba case await sentenceS/} /O ,o/'C'7^s BYGE0R(;E METZ court \nu are mistaken," He Judge Cox declared a News staff writer said d.xnamite had been men- agenls describing the slayings MERIDIAN, Miss. mistrial for Barnetle, 47: tinned in a eoinersMlien in Ihe Edger Ray Killen. 42. a part- and later repudiated it. Neshoba County Deputy hall of the courthouse. time baptist minister, and Billy Wayne POS-N , 30, a Sheriff Cecil White, Klan Im­ Jerry Mc(irew Sharpe. 24, Philadelphia .ser\i( e station THK AU.-WlllTK jury of perial Wiz^ud Sam Bowers manager of a pulpwood sup­ operator, and five other white men, se\(Mi women and five men ply company in Philadelphia. Jimmy Arledge, 29, a eon\ icted Friday of conspira­ returned guilty verdicts Fri- Miss. Meridian truck driver. cy in the murders of three dav auainst seven of the IR For those convict'^d. the Jimmy Snowden. .13. also a civil rights workers, now defendants. Bowers is describ­ maximum sentence vvould be truck diner from Meridian. await sentencing by a grim ed as imperial wr/,ird of lh(> KI years and a S.'i.OOO fine, federal judge. ACQl'lTTFD alone with White Knights of the Ku Klux under an 1870 statute makinu Rainey were Rernarrl L, Akm. The verdict by the all-white Klan. It a felon\ 'i> rlenrive a person 52; Glen L. Burrage, .36; .ju:".\ of se\ en women and fi\ e The convictions marked the of his ei\il nghts. James T. Harris, 33: Herman men stunned and angered first lime any jury in Missis­ THF l-KOERAL charge Tucker. 38; Travis Maryn many Neshoba Countians. (Zrew nu* of the sl^>vin2;s of Barnette, 39; Frank J. Hern­ They have been iubl)efi raw sippi had returned a guilty verdict in a major civil rights .Michael SehMerner. 24. .\n- don. 48; and Richard A. by the glaring light of unfa­ dr'nv Gn'^Hnian, 20. both white Willis, 42. All were from the vorable publicity since the ease since Reconstruction days. New Yorkers, aiul .lames Ch^- Meri'-!'U)-T"'iH|;!r''' "hr.t -AVCV 1964 slayings near Philadel­ iie\, Tl. a Meridian Negro, Also under imlictmenl in the phia shocked the nation. No date for sentencing was .set, near Philadelphia. Miss. case is James I,. Jordan. 41, .\f1er receiving Ihe verdict Fmht defendants were ac- .Ml 18 defendants in the who tcNlified f«»r the prosecu­ from the jurors. I. S. Dist fiuitled, anien'4 them Sheriff conspiracy case were identi­ tion thai Price delivered the Judge Harold (ox ordered Laurence ,\. Rainey of fied in t"stimony as members Ihree

%. 0^^/0-17-^-1 -^^i-^^-p^ CH^6&^rWWnesses Heard for Accused 18 BV BILL NEIKIRK include Sain 11 (» II o w a .\ MERIDIAN, Miss. (AP)- I'.owois i2 ot Laurel, deseril)- "IX) you know his leputalion (H\ as the imperial wi/ard of for peace or \iolence'.'" de­ the Klans While Kniglils; IRO^\ JSOTED— fense lawjcrs asked scores ol .\«'s!iol)a Cotiniv S h «> riff witnesses as testimon.v neaicd I..IV reiice Haine.v. !.'{; and an end Monday in ihe trial of y'\n\\y Cecal Price, 2H, all ol 18 white men accused of tile Philadel|>!iia are.i. Shooting lends co!ist)iracy in three civil Bodies ot lli«> tiiiee workerc rights workers' deaths. vere lound An;:. ;'>, l%4. under The defense called more than ' feet of red cla.v at the base 60 witnesses as it soni^iit •f a dam ne.ir Philadelphia. .\ thiongh brief set ol <|iies- i-day search for Ihem drew LBJ support tions to establish ihe charac­ orlflwide alicntion and Ihe ter and aMbis oi the detend­ •is(»nal interest of Pie.Mdeni ants, vvhom Ihe governmeni iDSOIl claims participated in a Ku '»vo NeyroHS from Laurel, for rights bill Kliix Klan plot to minder the Last Meek Miller testified By JAMES MARLOW ! The greatest irony behind his workers in I9li4. that the \ orkeis" deaths had Associated Press news analyst 'wounding lay in proving the WASHINGTON (AP) — The very thing he had sought to dis- Lawvers lor lK)th sides in iH'en plot led and earned out A the Ku K \ Klan with the man who shot Negro leader l''**'^^ '»" 'j'^ 2^'^-"i*'«', '^'f''^ the i'e(ler;i| c;ise indicat^-d Ihe ., ., ,,,, . . , from Memphis, Tenn . to Jack- ail-whit(< jiii-v ol s(»veu wonien <"erial wi, (Va approval, James H. Meredith in the back ^,„, ,„ ^y^^ j^.^^.^ „f ^„ ,^yj,,^ i\n(\ five men would Ix'um i^ad, ' Stew;,rt replied lo a from ambush on a Mississippi Mississippi tleliberations bv Wednesdav. •pi.stHHi alH)iil Miller'v re[);i- highway let loose more than he i^. had told newsmen b-fore At the outset a week agi». I . '•*^ion. I wouldn I l>elie\e could imagine. starting out one of the two rea- S. DiM. Court .ludge Hanild hiin under oath ' tlnemies and critics of the sons for his trip was to help Ne- (ON said he saw no reason •uvce Dennis estranged Inited Slates can hokl up this groes. including himself, con- vvliv the trial should last • wife of the Rev, Delmar shoolmg as a symlx)l of ".4mcri- quel the fear they feel while can barbarism " Ix^fore the living or traveling in Missis- iM'voiid Oci. IS. The govern Dennis. 27. of Meridian, spent ineiil, wliith rested ils eas** woiki, which slill renieml>ers sippi His other reason was to 10 minutes on the stand dur­ Pr(>sidenl .lolin F. Kennedy was encourage Negroes to vote, f-iiila,v. contend*, that the ing which government atlor­ White KiiiL;lits ol the Ku Kluv shot 111 the back. At the same lime this wanton nevs streniHiusly objected to Thev can sav wilh truth a Ne- act of violence may l)e used as a Klan shot and hiiiH'd .Miclrii'i questions asked her Schwerner. 2-1 .\inlievv (lood- gms life is nol safe in America handy excuse for passionate or The He\ .Mr. Dennis, who if he tries to walk down a coun extremist Negroes to retaliate .said he preached al lx»th try road peacefully, even when ^^'^'^ violence of their own in escorted by while friends, as the -^."'"^h or South in the days 111.ill, I'O. tV\o »,\ hlle .\'eu P.aptist and Methodist chur­ 32-year-old Meredith was. ahead, individually or in mobs. Voikei'', ;iii(l .lames ( liaiicv, ches in the area, testified the This crime against Meredith I'l. a .\euro li'oin Meridian, on Klan passed a de M sentence gives unexpected and tremen­ .Iiilie 21, 1964. on Schwerner U . . viid he dous support to President John­ Goodman and ('liaiie,\. vol- .ioined the Klart m 4a. -h 1964 son s recent request for new iinleer.s. accompanied Schuer- and rose to ihe ink of legislation in the field of justice to protect the rights of Negroes iier. a field worker lor ihe "Titan" ~ an assistant to the imperial vvi/aid. He said' tiie and civil rights workers. C(#ngress of ffacial-Equalily, "What gain is there." the on a 'rip .lune 21 to Ihe ruins FBI paid hi in about $5,000 a year for the pasl three years President said in asking Con- ot a burned .Xe-ro cluirch gress to approve his proijosals. near Philadelphia, lo make reports on the Klan. "for eilher conscience or coun- Sehvverncr. tlie Justice (H(M* government objec­ tn if we proudly affirm human (•partmen! sa.v^, uas in.irked tions, Mrs. Dennis answered rights and then permit those ior "elimination" l»,\ the Klan the question: "Can you lell rights to be swept aside by law­ and Ihat (KHKinian and Cha­ whether you would give him less fanatics'.'" ncy were ?mirflered since the.v (her husband's) testimony in He said: "Perhaps the most were with liiiii Defendants a court of law full failh and evident threat lo civil rights in credit?" 1966 is the danger that recently secured rights may be violenlh "No." she said. denied by a relatively few racial Conviction in Ihe case could fanatics. draw a ma.vimum of 10 years "Citizens who honor the law in prison and a $5,000 fine. and who tolerate orderly change The 18 men are being tried i— a majority in every part of under an 1870 law on charges AMBUSH SITE (the country -— have been they conspired to violate the . Hernando, Miss. 1 shocked by attacks on innocent civil rights of the three slain men and women who sought no men. No stale charges were more than justice for all Ameri­ cans. ever filed. "The effect of that violence extends far beyond individual victims. Every assaull or mur­ der that goes unpunished rein­ forces the legacy of violence — the knowledge that it is danger­ ous for a Negro lo as.sert his I rights, or even for others to stand up for tho.se rights. "Who shall take part in the process of democracy".' Shall il be only those Ibom * with white I skins•)• • -1-6/ 57 /bd^^^p'^^'b'^ ^-TH ^^ Ittmi. Meridian and also a truck driver. The jury retuincd innocent verdicts for Sheriff Haiiiey, 44; Bernard L. Akin, 52; Olcn 8 Defendants L. Burrage, ;!6; .lames T. Harris, .33, Herman Tucker, .'IS; Travis Marvn Barnette, 39; Frank J. Herndon. 4S: and Innocent Of Richard A. Willis, 42. All live m the Meridian-Philadelphia area. Bullef Riddled BcNJies The Justice Department Conspiracy BARNETTE SNOWDEN claimed the deaths of Schwer­ ner, Goodman and Chaney BY BILL NEIKIRK Roberts, former part-time resulted from a Ku Klux Kluii Meridian night club bouncer. assassination plot. MERIDIAN, Miss. (/P)—A deputy sheriff, a Ku Klux He ordered them taken into Klan leader and five other men were convicted by ars The bullet-riddled bodies of custody immediately and the three were found buried all-white jury Friday of conspiracy charges in the 1964 placed in jail at Jackson, slaying of three young civil rights workers. under 15 feet of red clay in a Miss. pond dam on a farm near- Eight defendants were acquitted. The jury of Judge Cox sai'.i Roljcrts and Philadelphia, after 44 days of seven women and five men. Price were overheard in a intensive searching. who had deliberated more Declared Mistrial corridor outside the court­ Tnal of the 18 defendants. than 14 hours, reported a U. S. District Court Judge room "making some very all white, came afler w three- hopeless deadlock in the Harold Cox declared a mistrial loose talk" about the judge's year investigation by the cases of three others. for Barnette. 47, and Edgar second set of instructions, FBI.. Testimony iii the trial The convictions marked the Ray Killen. 42. a part-time delivered to the jury Thurs­ that began Gd, 9 revealed first lime in Mississippi since Rapt ist clergyman, and Jerry day after it had reported itself that the FBI had paid a total Reconstruction that any jury deadlocked. of $25,000 lo informants for had returned information on the Klan and a guilty ver­ Cox quoted Roberts as say­ the workers" deaths. dict in a ma­ ing: One informant, .lames K". jor civil rights "He gave the jury the .Tordan, 41. also under indict­ case. dynamite charge. Well, we've Those found got some dynamite for him ment ill the case, testified Ihal guilty includ­ ourselves, haven't we?" Price delivered the trio to a ed Deputy group of Klan mcmlKM> after Sheriff Cecil The silver-haired judge, i^leasmg them from .latl R. price and who said he "heartily endors­ They had Ix'en arrested huiirs Ku Klux Klan ed" the verdict in Roberts earlier on a speedini; tliaige, leader .Samuel ROBERTS BOWERS case, lold the defendant: Olher Informers H. Rowers Jr. McGrew Shar|>e, 24, manager "If you think you can in­ JDther FP.I informers, the Sheriff Lawrence A. Rainey of a Philadelphia, Miss., pulfv timidate this court, you'll Rev. Delmar Dennis and Sgt. was among the acquitted. wood supply company. sadly mistaken. I'm not going Wallace Miller, a Meridian Ethel G. "Hop" Rarnette. (tie The seven convicted were to let any wild man loose on a policeman, told the court Democratic nominee for sher­ found guilty of conspiring lo civilized society." Schwerner was lagged for iff, was one of three on whom deprive the three victims of "elimination" by Bowers' the jury failed to reach a de­ He did not specify what their civil rights. The Federal Price had said. White Knights of the Ku Klux cision. charge grew out of the mur­ Klan. a militant orgamzation Convicted with Price. formed during the racially ders of Michael Schwerner, Roberts, and Bowers, 42-year- 24, Andrew Goodman, 20, both froubled Summer of 1964 when old imperial wizard of the organized resistance against while New Yorkers, and Whito Knights of the Ku Klux James Chaney, 22, a Meridian Klan were: outside civil rights workers Negro, near Philadelphia, was high in .Mississippi, Miss. Conviction carries a Horace Doyle Rarnette, 31, who gave a statement to FBI Horace Doyle Barnetfe's* maximum penalty of 10 years statement to the FBI named in prison and a $5000 fine. No "Jim Jordan" as the man state charges have ever been who shot Chaney. Barnette filed in the case. renounced his slalemcnt but it *(ireat Courage' was admitted into evidence The mother of young Good­ after the names of other man, Mrs. Robert (TOodman, defendents were omitted from said in New York, "For a (he text. Cox allowed the jury Southorn jury to convict a lo consider the statement only number of their peers was an in Barnette's case. act of great courage." The first verdict was read Judge Cox rebuked two of ARLEDGE POSEY io the court by fhe clerk at those convicted. Deputy Sher­ agents describing the June 21, •:15 a.m. The 18 defendants iff Price and Alton Wayne 1964 slayings. stood in two rows facing the Billy Wayne Posey, .10. who judge. Each stared blankly once operated a service ahead. Bowers chewed gum. .station in Philadelphia. Wives of the defendants •Jimmy Arledge, 29, a sobbed as the names were Meridian truck driver. called. Jimmy Snowden, 33, also "I don't want any demon­ strations in my presence. " Cox 1?^- said sharply at one point. October 21« 1967 Meridian: Key to 'rights vote:

Bt/ a stojj correspondent o^^ '^''^7 The Chrx&ixan Science Monxior tarian Universalist Association, and others endorsed the measure. A representative of Washington the Liberty-Lobby, a right-wing organization, The action of an all-white jury in Meri­ denounced it. dian, Miss., on conspiracy charges in the John M. Hannah, chairman of the United 1964 murder of three young civil-rights States Civil Rights Commission, said rejec­ "workers, may blast an administration- tion would be "a tragic mistake.** backed civil-rights measure out of Con­ Senator Ervin, however, charged that the gress. House version could be used to "intimidate National Guardsmen or law officers" on riot The House overwhelmingly passed a bill duty. Attorney General Ramsey Clark spent to protect eivil-rights workers Aug. 16 by five hours defending the bill and in a frontal 326 to 93. It previously, on July 19, by 347 clash with Senator Ervin cited a dozen in­ to 70, passed an antiriot bill. Both measures stances of violence in the la tier's home state. have been pending in the Senate which has been marking time, many think, till the Warning; given Meridian verdict was in. [Seven of the 18 on trial wore convicted Leaders of various Negro groups warned and eight others acquitted by the all-white that failure to pass it would weaken the law- federal court jury on conspiracy charges abiding Negro and aid the militants. stemming from the 1964 slayings. "While this was going on, the Senate Per­ [United States District Court Judge Harold manent Subcommittee on Investigations un­ dertook a sweeping investigation of city Cox declared a mistrial in the cases of three riots, witb a report scheduled next Jan. 31. of the 18 on trial.] On Oct. 10 a subcommittee, 5 to 1, sent Senate committee reluctant to the full committee a substitute protection measure. The substitute does not cover pub­ The most turbulent year in American lic schools, voting in state elections, serving cities since the Civil "War has brought little on state jury or participating in a strictly actual legislation from Congress. A drive state-administered program. It broadened it for increased antipoverty funds is running in some particulars. the gantlet. Protection of civil-rights work­ The bill has become "a national neces­ ers who have gone into the South was in­ sity," Sen. Philip A. Hart (D) of Michigan, chief Senate sponsor, declared. Failure of cluded in an omnibus civil-rights bill that Congress to act, and the spectacle of civil- passed the House in the last Congress but rights workers injured or murdered in the failed in the Senate. The obstacle then was South, he said, is "part and parcel of the an open housing feature which has now climate of despair and hopelessness'* ihat contributed to the 1967 urban riots. been put aside. Leaders are trying to get federal safeguards through to punish those who attack anybody engaged in lawful civil activities because of their race or affilia­ tion. The conservative Senate Judiciary Com­ mittee has been unsympathetic to civil- rights measures but the Senate ordered it to report a bill before the end of the month. Originally, the antiriot and civil-rights measures were part of one bill, but the House separated them. Many feel, however, that their fate is intertwined. The key proposal in the House bill is to make interference with those lawfully en­ gaged in civil-rights activities because of race, color or religion, political affiliation or national origin, a federal offense.

Jury actions doubted The civil-rights activities enumerated are voting, campaigning, poll-watching, attend­ ing public school, participating in a pub­ licly administered program, applying for employment, working, or joining a union, serving on a jury, using any vehicle or com­ mon carrier, participating in any federally aided activity, or enjoying goods or serv­ ices of any public accommodation. Authors of the bill believe this draws the blanket of federal protection around areas where juries in some states will not convict. In the Senate committee under Sam J. Ervin Jr. (D) of North Carolina, representa- tives of the National Council of Churches, the "United States Catholic Conference, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, the Uni­ PUBLIC LIBRARY BIRMINGHAM- ^^^ i?<^ 'PHILADELPHIA' HEARING THURSDAY

Requ ests for new trial .s d^^irt^t /n^ir-^t /6 '^/^-3c-6 7 next step in rights case BY GEORGE METZ News staff writer EIGHT DEFENDANTS, in­ JACKSON. Miss. cluding Neshoha County She­ Attorneys for seven white riff Laurence Mainey. were men convicted in the 1964 acquitted. Mistrials were or­ deaths of three civil rights dered for Ihe remaining three workers will go before U. S. afler jurors announced they District Judge Harold Co.v were unable to agree on Thursday lo request new verdicts. trials for their clients. With the exceplion of However, the hearing is a Bowers, those convicted were more formality. Even defense ali named by co-defendant attorneys predict Cox will James Edward Jordan as lies deny all motions for new trial. being present when (he three civil rights workers were SENTENCING COULD fol­ slain, .fordan denied witnes­ On First Day low, but more than likely. sing the actual slaying: ho­ .MARKS. Miss. (ITl) _ Judge Co.v will delay formal wever, a statement siven (o Fifteen niulc-firaw 11 wagons sentencing of the seven — ihe TBI hy Horace lloyle led In a disurnnflrfl waiznn- including Sam Bowers Jr., Barnette. introduced o\er de­ masltr lurched off ni a driv- imperial wizard of the White fense objections, singled out inu rain Monday and creaked Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Jordan as the slayer of (ha- in nnlrs toward Batesville. of Laurel, and Neshoba ney. iK^Uinninu the much-delayed mule train of the Poor Peo­ County Deputy Sheriff Cecil All names olher than those Price — until a later date. ple's March. of Jordan and Rarnette had Wagonniaster Willie Bolden Almost certain appeal of the been blanked out at the in­ saifl the first day of the mule convictions and sentences will struction of .fudge Cow ho­ ti,.in "was sieat" despite one then follow, leaving the final wever, defense attorneys to­ breakdown, nne case of illness' chapter io the Justice Depart- day concede that the alleged and a distance of only 10 menCs so-called "Philadel­ miles coxered. Orijiinal plans phia civil rights ease" still "confession." read by Doar had called for the wajzon train unwritten today, three years, and on which the prosecution to reach Batesxille the first four months and nine days ii'sied its case, was among da\. after Michael Schwerner, An­ the most (lania^^iiii; trial evi­ .\boiit 10 miles outside drew Goodman and James dence heard b\ jurors. Batesville, however. Bolden Chaney disappeared on their halted the mule train, parked ill-fated trip to investigate the .IIHORS FIRST annoiiiucd the wagons on a field owned bfiming of a Negro church In tlicy were "ho|)elessly dea­ by a Negro farmer, and sent Neshoba County. dlocked." Cox ordered Ihem the 80 demonstrators into That anyone was convicted to reconsider exidence. citing Batesville aboard buses to in ^he sensational triple slay­ the sO'called Allen or •dyna­ spend the night in churches ing, branded a Ku Klux Klan mite" cliarue. and private homes. "elimination plot" by the FBI. Had Judge Cox accepted the .lust outside Marks the Utli surprised many court observ- jury's announcement, afler wa^on broke its tongue and ;rs, two days deliberation, that It the mile-long column halted at was deadlocked, the final the shoulder of the road for NO ALL-WHITE federal chapter to the "Philadelphia alxiut 30 minutes while work­ Iurv in Mississippi had ever case" would probably ha\e ers replaced it. K cover came ]on\'ictPd whites charged in a been written then and there. crashing down on another F:\en with seven federal wagon but that. loo. was thousands of dollars. court convictions (on indicl- quickly fixed. Nevertheless. government nienls of conspiracy to violate Most of the demonstrators attorneys perhaps wisely ad­ the civil rights of the three spent their lime singing, chat­ mitted from the start that, as victims), it appears unlikely ting or playing cards as the U S Assistant Ally. Gen. today that the slate will wagons clanked along the John Doar put it. it had been successfully prosecute anyone highway with Mississippi "necessary" for the FBI to for murder — unless it be HiKhway Patrol cars at the purchase information m its Jordan. MLssissippi may seek front and rear. investigation. And a seven-wo­ man five-man federal jury, after seven days of prosecu­ indictments, however, on ba­ tion and defense lestimony sis of FBI evidence now and three days' deliberation, available. convicted seven of the 18. And Thursday's hearing here is not likely to be the final installment in Mississip­ pi's sensational "Philadelphia case." 40 Mississippi holds 11 in firebomb death H.VrTlESBLRG, Miss, m Despite the flames. Dahmer shot back al bis attackers, Jailed when Travis Buckley, Stale officers held eleven creating confusion that al­ 33, a Bay Springs, Miss., law­ uhiic men today on murder lowed his wife, daughter and yer, showed up lo represent and arson charges stemming two sons to escape. Dahmer Bowers and others. He was from the 1966 fii-ebomb killing died in a hospital of burns. He shown an Indictment charging of a Negro civjjjc^hts leader. had l>eeu a leader in a Negro him with arson, then Jailed Ten men were jailed voter registration drive. with the others. Wednesday night. The olher Buckley faces slate kidnap surrendered voluntarily today. THK FIVE CHARGED wMh charges al Pascagoula. Miss., They incUidiHl a Laurel civ­ arson included Sam IL Bowers ill a related case. He was ac­ ic U"ader recently honored by .Ir., 43, of Laurel. *idenlifiehia. Miss. No slate charges Cecil V. Sessum. 31; James F. were filed in that case. six men with murder and Lyons, 33. and William T. Those cnarged with Ixith arson and five with arson. Smilh, Arraigiuneiit was scheduled nuirder and arson in the Dah­ IN ADDITION to Buckley during the day. mer slaying included Charles C. Wilson, given the Laurel and Bowers, owner of a Lau­ LKSTI-.R THORNTON. 42. .laycees' Distinguished Service rel amusement company, those of Laurel, Miss., turned him­ Award lasl Monday. A past charged only with arson were self in at the Forrest Counly president of the Laurel .lay­ Deavours Nix. 44; Howard T. jail during the morning. cees. he has been aciive in Giles, 39. and l^wvence Byrd. The white men were accused civic. Boy Scout and Parenl- 46. of the Jan. 10, 1966, attack Teacber ,\sstH-iation acliivlies. Bowers. Giles, Nix, Noble with flrelMinibs. tear gas and Nine men. all from the Lau- and Sessum are awaiting trial bullets on the home of ^ ernon n'l or Ellis\ille area, had lieen ill l". S. District Court ou civil F. Dahiner near Hattiesburg riuhts conspiracy charges m shortly before dawn. the Dahmer slayiim. The I T.l identified all as Klan mem­ bers.

•il. Mississippi moves ahead^^*^^^ campaign headquarters of Charles Gnf- A new day of moderation in race rela­ lin the winner, signed the guest book and tions has dawned in the American South. proclaimed "We're ali Mississippians' The special congressional election in Mis­ while GrifTin supporters applauded. In the sissippi, where Negro candidate Charles campaign Mr. Griffin, former aide to con- Evers made an impressive showing though gressman-become-Govcrnor John Bell losing the runoff to his white opponent by Williams, had supported federal aid for a two-to-one vote, emphasizes the trend. education and welfare — a moderate ap­ Neither candidate, white or black, made proach by Mississippi standards. Mr. Evers a racist appeal; the atmosphere was rather had aimed his appeal at the poor oi both different from the old Bilbo days. Each races, proposing job programs and in­ candidate appealed to both white and creased social legislation. Negro voters. On the Negro side Mr. Evers, Mississippi field secretary for the National The outcome makes clear that poli­ Association for the Advancement of Col­ ticians no longer can disregard Negro ored People, proved that both integration­ rights and problems in the Soulh, It also ist moderates and radical separationists suggests that Negroes will be testing their can work together in a common cause. own voter appeal in many more Southern To the Southern whites who have ad­ areas; 79 blacks have recently been elected justed to this new Negro self-awareness, to local offices in Mississippi, Virginia, and must go considerable approval. Time was Louisiana. when beatings and an occasional lynching When an NAACP man makes a good advised •'uppity" blacks to keep their showing this helps all the black moder­ place. The exodus of Negro millions from ates. Mr. Evers made his appeal by con­ the Delta and Deep South to Northern stitutional methods, as opposed to riot and cities has helped relieve pressures. But burnings. In the South, Negro goals are there is evidence, on the part of the less complex than in the big Norlhcrn whites, of a Christian readiness to accept cities, for thoy seek simpler justice plus the idea that the Negroes deserve a new economic help — as against the open hous­ day even as, on the part of the Negroes, ing, ghetto rehabilitation and run-our- there is a growing boldness to make griev­ own-afTairs demands in the North. ances felt at the ballot box. But in each area, steps forward are On election night Mr. Evers visited the plainly visible. -3 -I'S-lfi Y

/^y Thursdoy, April 25, 1968 The Bounds of Picketing In th^ Supreme Court's latest de­ face" but insisted it was invoked in cree on picketing, the justices dis­ "bad faith." agreed as to whether the principles But the main question, which the laid down in the majority opinion ap­ Supreme ("ourt noxv .seems to have plied to the Mississippi case at issue. settled, is whether picketing and dem­ But they did not disagree on the prin­ onstrations may be restrained when ciples. they interfere with the rights of Picketing, as a general proposition, other.s. They ought to be, and the is held to be an expression of free court .so holds. speech, which is guaranteed by the Regulation of conduct which does Fir.st Amendment to the Constitution. interfere with others, the court .says But picketing which exceeds reason­ in effect, "does not abridge constitu­ able bounds usually has not been pro­ tional liberty." The Missi.s.sippi law tected, and the Supreme Court now does not forbid picketing unless it confirms that policy. ob.structs others. For several months in 1964._,ciyil In recent years, in the name of rights groups picketed on the court- good causes, there has been a grow­ "Iioiise"'grounds in Hattiesburg. After ing tendency to crusade for legiti­ several weeks of this, the Mississippi mate cau.ses by illegitimate means, to Legislature passed a law forbidding harass or impede others as a method such demon.strations if they ob.struct- of asserting "right.s" or protesting al­ cd ingress or egress at public build­ leged a bu.ses. Civil liberties are for ings. Despite the law, the pickets pcr- all. not .some, and it is no gain for the sLsted and were arrested. rights of .some if the rights of others The Supreme Court, in an opinion .suffer in the process. Wrongs are not by Justice William J. Brennan. has righted by committing new wrongs. upheld the arrests as a reasonable ap­ Our system of justice is not yet so for­ plication of a reasonable law. Justice lorn that frustrations and abu.scs can­ William 0. Douglas, joined by Justice not be corrected in orderly ways. Abe, Fortas in dissent, agreed the And this is the salient gist of the stat^\ law was constitutional "on its Supreme Court's judgment. A '^ PolUical poten tint A^-^^ '^--^ Mississippi vote buoys Negroes Hard work evident By Robert P. Hey The answer appears to be that it Staff correspondent of ,.*• ol observers had anticipated, worked hard. During the first primary The Christian Science Monitor most political ^^f^^^^^uticians through- last month FDP workers got out some Jackson, Miss. ^^1''' Wh were watching t^i^^elec. 3,000 voters in rural Hinds County out­ out the South were candidate side Jackson. The FDP is strong in this Mississippi's special congressional tion to see ^\°^^jflhat e"^«"^P^^^"f *, area; 3,000 is thought to be nearly all could do in a ^^^^ .^^ The Evers feat election signals the emergence in the congressional dstrici^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ of the potential voters. South of the Negro as a potent political In the final days before the elections, force. of getting 1" « \^it^er race. It is con- on po^i^^^^^"^''^tIt elsewhere in the Mr. Guyot was stumping for Mr. Evers Veteran civil-rights leader Charles sidered certain tha e^^^^,,, ,, Ne- in rural counties. Evers, a Negro, did not win Tuesday's Whether candidates with less political runoff in Mississippi's Third Congres­ ^ot SnrP^mlcal oflice at the level seasoning than Mr. Evers can hold to­ sional District, but he did accomplish of congressman gether this uneasy coalition remains to two goals more important in the long be seen. The Mississippi election comes run. He: Alabaman plans race on tho heels of Negro successes in local • Showed that disparate Negro ele­ For example, a Negro candidate is elections last fall in Mississippi and ments could be w-elded together, at least already planning his congressional race Virginia and early this year in Louisi­ for a political campaign, brought out for this fall in a western Alabama dis­ ana. In Mississippi, 22 Negroes were much of the Negro vote, and proved to trict. Like Mr. Evers, the Rev. WiUiam elected to local—mostly county—offices, Negroes that they can achieve substan­ McKinlcy Branch is directing his vote and a similar total in Virginia. Thirty- tial ballot-box totals in district elections. appeal to both white and Negro poor. five were chosen in Louisiana. • Caused concern among white poli­ Also, like Mr. Evers, he is organizing in precincts throughout the district. He Racialism played down ticians over the political power of Ne­ These local successes are considered a seeks to remedy a major Evers de­ groes. Before the election was actually harbinger of future elections throughout held, Mr. Evers said repeatedly: ficiency. He has scheduled fund-raising trips to several northern cities. the South. Like the Evers candidacy, "We've already won. The whites can't they emphasize that white candidates ignore us and our needs any longer." But in the near future the elective power of the Southern Negro depends now must seek Negro votes during the on the candidates' ability to hold to­ campaign, as some did last fall. Further, Ballot infj; heavy while in office they must deal v.ith Winner of the election was Charles H. gether the two disparate Negro factions: the separatists and the integrationists. grievances of Negro constituents or risk Griffin, a conservative, who for 18 years being voted out of oflice. was a top Washington aide to John Bell Mr. Evers did this well. He is an in­ tegrationist, on leave from his position The Evers-Griflfin contest continued Williams. The election fills Ihrough this the recent Mississippi trend of down­ year the congressional seat Mr. Wil­ as Mississippi field secretary of the Na­ tional Association for the Advancement playing race, despite the fact that one liams resigned in January to be in­ of the candidates was Negro. A few augurated Governor. of Colored People. He appointed as his campaign manager Lawrence Guyot, years ago white politicians in Mississippi Balloting was surprisingly heavy for chairman of the separatist Mississippi and other parts of the South made le- a chill, rainy day. Votes were cast large­ Freedom Democratic Party. The early peated appeals to racism. Overt appeals ly along racial lines, although neither reaction of many observers was skep­ have dropped off sharply in much of candidate made a racial appeal. The ticism; How hard would the FDP work? the region in recent years. district has 125,000 white and 70,000 Ne­ gro voters, according to estimates. With 289 of 308 precincts counted, Mr. Griflin unofficially had 83,182 votes, and Mr. Evers 41,956. It was about the vote ratio

Mules Let Out, Law Is Accused Bolden also announced that in the afternoon. MARKS. Miss. (DPI) —The the heralded mule train will leader of the mule train "I was informed by a cer­ leave Marks "at 12 noon segment of the Poor People's tain individual that he saw a March charged Sunda,v that law enforcement officer turn Monday — not one minute "a law enforcement officer" the mules oul," said Willie after or one minute before." cut a corral fence shortly Bolden, a slaff worker for the He said 16 wagons were before dawn, allowing 30 Southern Christian Leadership ready lo roll and all but five mules lo wander off inlo Ihe Conference (SCLC) and head of the mules had been shod. countryside. of the mule train. Shoes will be put onto those The mules were back in Ihe lie refused lo identify the five on the road, he said. pen by nightfall Sunday. Mule witness or the "law enforce­ Bolden said the 100 mule train participants found 28 of ment officer." and when ques­ train participants will meet the animals — some of them tioned he said "a law enforce­ Monday morning for wagon as far as two miles away from ment officer can he a county assignments and la.st minute the camp — and Ihe other two sheriff, a highway patrolman instructions. wandered back for feed late or even Ihe FRl." i~3 Mississippi bombinss ^ t>d^

tied to rights issue Two kind« of violence Then there were two kinds of violence: By Rol>crt P. Hey me of his passing in mid-April of this year planned action; and random bombing or a violent ox- Staff correspondent of he was president of the Florence chapter of shootings at Negro homes, as The Chrlstioti Science Monitor the National Association for the Advance­ p^es^n of anti-Negro altitudes. Thec sccononda ment of Colored People. kind of violence has tapered drasticall.v , it Florence, Miss. Privately, some state officials and others used to be not infrequent. She walks slowly, apprehensively, from in a position lo know aver that only a few And despite the current problems of bring- what's lett of her listing frame house to­ men now are involved in the bombings — . bombers to justice, significant advances ward the stranger unfolding himself from perhaps as few as two or three dozen ha*ve bSc^'mado in the last year nr two in his car. A cloud of dust settles back again Further — they say the identities of most efforts to arrest and eonvicl the perpetrators toward the dirt driveway. are known. of olanned violence. j i .* Mrs. Lillie Byrd is her name. She teaches But they add ruefully that knowing who The first major breakthrough occurred last in a nearby Negro public school in Flor­ did the bombings, and being able to prove it fall in a widely heralded thcasee .federa Thenl 10 of Ir ence, some 12 miles south of Jackson. She in court, arc two entirely different matters. r^en were convicted of^the federal^^ch^arge In this type of case evidence that will orvioiaVing the civil rights, or conspiring i. herself is Negro. s A violent explosion shattered the dcad-of- stand up in court lies in one of three cat­ vioUte them, of three young civiMight night stillness and her modest rural home egories: wo kers in June, 1964, in Philadelphia, Miss. the night of June 6. Someone had stealthily Signed confessions; They were thought to be the first con­ planted a bornb against the door of the Physical evidence; victions in Missi'ss'ippi of Illegal acts against front bedroom, where her brother was Or eyewitness testimony. civil-rights workers. the sleeping. She was in a back bedroom. Sentences ranged from 2 to 10 yeai>. There have been exceedingly few confes­ The explosion ripped out chunks of an 10 men have not yet begun servmg them, sions. The physical evidence—the dynamite they are appealing the convictions. underlying 4-inch-thick slab of concrete. Sam Bowers or other ingredients of the bombs—is de­ One of the 10 convicted was Upholstery stuffing from living-room furni­ stroyed by the blasts themselves. Because ture flew everywhere. The innards of a the bombings take place in post-midnight venerable upright piano in the living room hours there are no witnesses. Hence the were splintered. A half-dollar on the night difficulty of obtaining confessions. Jr.. identified by law-enforcement officials table beside her brother's bed was blown as the head of the Ku Klux Klan in Missis­ into a field. Bul no one was seriously in­ Solutions^ »«i^lited sippi. jured. Nonetheless, law-enforcement officials are I'Bl position noird "I don"! know motive"* optimistic that these bombings, including Mrs. By id's home, eventually will be solved, The 17 men were tried on the federal It was one in a series of some eight bomb- and that arrests will be made. charge because the stale did not prosecute ings with racial ovciioncs that have beset Some of those most concerned by the Ihem for murder, a stale (haigc. The slate Mississippi within the past year, Most have bombings say sadly that the mass of the said it could not because the FBI would not been near Jackson. Some arrests have been white attitudes toward them is indifference. turn over ils evidence. made, a few convictions gained. In the case And until that indifference changes to con­ The FBI was known lo lake the position of Mrs. Byrd'.s bombing, and several cern, they add, the public climate will that since some local law-enforcement offi­ others, there have been no arrests. exist in which bombings against Negroes or cials were among those indicted, turning On June 30, police in Meridian sprang a others associated with civil-rights activity over the evidence lo Ihc slate would mean trap on suspected nighl riders trying to will be tolerated by most whites. giving the defendants access to all prosecu­ bomb the home of a prominent Jewish busi­ Early this year Gov. John Bell Williams tion evidence including the identities of in­ nessman. In a wild chase police slew a spoke out strongly against the bombings. formers. young woman and wounded her companion. Civil-rights advocates applauded. The second major breakthrough came Police idenlified the man, Thomas Albert No one accuses political or civic leaders shortly after the conviction in the Philadel­ Tarrants III, as a prime suspect in the of approving the bombings. phia case. In tlie night-time fire bombing of bombings, burnings, and shootings that Yet some people involved in civil-rights civil-rights leader Vernon Dahmer's home, have occurred in the Meridian and Jackson activity in tho state say that if political Cecil Sessum became the first white man to area in the past eight months. and business leaders were really dedicated be convicted on charges of murdering a civil- Officers said the capture of Mr. Tarrants to bringing the bombings to an immediate rights worker. His appeal vvas rejected, and in the act of trying to bomb the house in halt, they could exert sufficient pressure on he now is serving a life sentence in the Mis­ Meridian was the first real break they have law-enforcement agencies at all levels to sissippi State Penitentiary at Parchinan, had in the long federal, state, and local in­ do just that. Miss. vestigation of the violence. In any case, the bombing situation in Sessum was the first of 16 defendants to be "I really don't know the motive," the Mississippi today is very much better than tried on charges of murder or arson or bolh. slender Mr.s. Byrd says, '"My husband was it was just half a dozen—or even fewer- Mr. Dahmer was killed in January, 1966. affiliated" [with the civil-rights movement]. years ago. The second man tried was Mr. Bowers. Her voice rises, "But I can tell anyone I've The result was a hung jury, reported lo be never been to a [civil-rights] meeting in my deadlocked from the beginning al 11 t«» 1. for life. Never." conviction. Ho is lo be retried at a later date, But persons familiar with the case are not yet determined. positive the bombing was in retaliation for A third man was about to be liied in the her husband's civil-rights activiliy. At the Dahmer case—William Thomas Smilh. Charge against him vvas arson. But before the trial proceeded very far the court re­ ceived information that the jury had been tampered wilh. and an arrest vvas made. Tho man accused is to be taken before a grand jury on tho charge. It is widely speculated that Mr. Smitlv will be brought to trial in the near future. Thirteen other defendants in the Dahmer case have yet to be brought lo trial. A-\- BIRMINGHAM POST-HERALD — Monday, May 13, 1968 £iweSA'/^*o1poor People s SCLC Mule yroin tion it had drawn to the BY T.>M CORPORA march - arthritic old men M.\RKS. Miss. (UPI) -The wearing buttons that Pmn- Ppnples mule Jjiaia-lo proclaim; "1 have a Washington. Marlin Luther King's symbol of black pover­ dream;" eight-year-old farm ty, has Ixnome — during a girls with serious faces and week of dilemmas and delays jackets stencilled with: "be­ K^tl ML*-, —a Uv^st determined to l^e at fore I'd be a slave. I'll have least partly hilfilled. freedom in my grave;" youth Convictions upheld Originally. 100 wagons and gans members from cities 300 mules would have left this who Ixiast; "I can do any­ • Tvr 1 1 JUL 1 8 1969 northern Mississippi town last thing, I'm from Memphis;" Tuesday on the l.lOO-mile and dedicated, highly intelli­ in iNeshoba case^^ journey to Washmgton. Anolh­ gent professional and volun­ NEW ORLKANS (^ slnnlion era slaUile, is sel­ er 175 wagons would have teer civil rights workers. The 5th U. S. Circuit Court dom used. joined up en route in C.reene William Parker is 65. sick of .Appeals has upheld the 19fi7 The I'M lit jury in Meridian Counly Ala. and Social Circle, and not going to Washington. convictions on conspiracy coinicted seven of the 18. Ga. Bul he came from Grenada. charges of se\en men in Mistrials were ruled by U. S. Now, the fleet of Poor Miss . to work 12 hours a day conneci'oii wilh the killing of Dist. Coint .liidee Harold Cox Peoples prairie schooners shoems mules, a trade he three c!\ii rights workers at for till'.' others. Eight were scheduled to depart Marks on hasn't followed in .10 years. Philadclnliia, Miss. aiTiuitt'v!. Monday is composed of 15 Some of the mules had "The tlial was conducted THOSE CONVKTED were covered wagons and :17 mules, never heen shod and kicked fairly and impartially," the Samuel ll. Bowers .Ir., a the groups at C.reene County and stomped until as many as appeals r.»iirt riilfd Thursday. Laurel, Miss., coin-machine and Social Circle are no seven men had to wrestle "SperilL'''.Ih. wr liml ample operaior; Cecil Ray Price, longer talked about, and no them lo the ground and hold proof or (onspiracy and each who was Neshoba County's one in the Southern Christian them with ropes. appcllan('"s complit ity in a chief flcputy sheiiff in 19fi4; Lradeiship Cnnferencf The man who scoured the calculate.!, cold-blooded and Horace I'ovle BenicMte. a for­ (S(M,Cl, sponsors of the Poor merciless plot lo murder the mer M'';i(aan salesman: .Alto People's March seriously he- South to get the mules, now kept mostly as pets, and the three men." Wayne Roberts and .limmy Michael Sehwn'ner and Snow din. IKHII of Meridian; lieve the wagons will ever 20 decrepit farm wagons that finally made 15 good ones was Andy (ioedman. both white and Rillv Wa.v ne Posey and .lininiv .Arledfje. Ixith of Phila­ reach Washington under mule John Cashin. a Huntsville, New YoiK'Ms, and .lames Cha­ delphia. power. Ala. dentist. ncy, M M( ridian. Miss.. Neero, were slain in lOfi-l. The KRl Anions Ihose acquitted was The mule train was beset by Cashin's wife, .loan, said said it was a Ku Klux klan Lawrence Raine\. who was all kinds of trouble — lack of the mules cost $75 to $100 plot. Neshoba Coimty sheriff in mules and wagons, lack of each, and the wagons. $40 to 19fil. Flhel (ilen Barnett. who skilled blacksmiths and wagg- $125, depending on "when was elecled sheriff to succeed oneers. few tools, long dis­ they found out vvho was buy­ THF, TRIO disappeared shortly after visiting a burned Rainey. vias one of the three tances to go for eritiipment, ing them." oul Negro church near Phila­ men who won a mistrial poor weather and mules stub- ruling fvwni .Iudge Cox. Mrs. Myrna Copeland. a delphia. .After a massive search, v. Iii( li saw hundreds Hollow:.;>• and Roberts were bornly resisting the idea of Huntsville mother of iwo. and shoes. of FBI accents .^warni inlo the each sentenced lo 10 years. one of three white persons The people of Marks and area and the use of Navy the niaxinuim prison term planning to ride the mule the M i s s i s s 1 ppi Highway per.sonnol to comb rural under V.w Reconstruction era Patrol let the SCLC pretty train, made the covers for the areas, the three Ixidies were law. Pric-e and Posey got much go alxiiit its business wagon. She claims to he "the found 44 days later. They had six-year scMitences; the others and al times came out to only covered-wagon maker in been shot to death and buried each rec. 1 ved three vpw«- watch, laimh at comic America." ill an ea:'hen dam at a farm problems and offer advice. Rev. Andrew Young. pond near Philadelphia. The SCLC\s Iwo assets were .Ifi-year-old first \ ice president F-ightcen men were indieled money and the strange coali­ of the SCLC. is the man who by a I . S. (irand .Inry on a keeps the whole thing from charge oi \iolatin}; Ihe civil flying apart. Dressed in boots, rights <»k Ihe (hree. The feder- blue jeans and jacket and! al lav^, a 99-year-old Recon- always iinpreturbed, young, < like his fellow SCLC staffers, works at everything — shoe­ ing mules, repairing wagons,' painting slogan on covers. \;^ Probably the train will go;: on a symbolic trek through Mississippi and maybe part of Alabama. Then, when sore feet and broken wheels be­ come loo great a problem, the whole thing will be shipped lo Virginia for a grand entrance into neighboring Washington. 3:bP UlrmittciltamJCpwiii

on road to Jackson As he hit the dust, T •• "'' ''•"•1 I 1 1 snapped photos ^ V-JS By .1 VCK TIIORNKI.L Al' Staff Photographer HERNANDO, Miss. (AP) — .lames 11 Meredith, joking and jaunt>, -was walking easily '4 " alonu U.S. 51 soulh of Hernando % r m on his civil rights inarch vvhen a shot rang oul of the woods. Then there were two more. I saw and heard Meredith scream. "LcKik out!" then, his face writhinu m pain, he hit the dust — and 1 started takiivj; pic­ tures Meredith's jungle-type |)ith helmet flew off. and other nicnibeis of the .Meredith parly dropped to tlu> hmhwa.v and luok cover In-hind a car parked !)> the roafl. .Meredilh crawled on Ius belly AP wirWJhofo acress the lu^hvvav, and snim- THOKNKLT. '.^led u(» to the front end of the [larked ear away at ihe lime of the shots to "Is .inybody uelliim anv help hear any warniiii: shouts. for me'" he askcfl. uxcr and Claude* Sterrett. 24. a New over .IS he waited for the anil)U- Yctrk Nemo vvho was with Mer­ laiue lo eome. edith, said the sniper gave the .AlKHit thai lime I saw police civil rights marchers warnmg briuiz a while man out of the Ix'fore he fired. wcKided area and lake lum inlo 1 didn't hear it. but Sterrett custod.v The man later was said the man yelled, ".lames identified as .Aubrey .lames Meredith' .lames Meredith''* Norvell. 41. of Memphis -- bul I' Seirrelt said. "He obviously was too busy takiim pictures at flidn't know which one of us v^'as the time to know. Mereflilh He said. T only want He- didn't situgule — but Meredith" then he fired," Ster- talked cpiietlv to DeSoto County iVlt said officers. 1 Uiter learned a white A short lime before he was man v\as in the pic-ture which I shol Meredith had .joked with took of Meredith. some white teen-agers who Shortlv thereaf1c*r. an ainhn- placed a sign on the road. laiiee arrived and the all'Mul- ".Liekson is 197.7 miles." and at ants lifted !Vlerc>dith up on the on<> point, sluntly Ix'fore he was streleher He VNas still .griinae- shol, he offered to shake hands ing with pain. with llie while youimsters. PLKASK HELP IIIM." UK PLEADS I was more lliaii 100 feet There v\ere no takers, but cv- . . '\\\v \W\. riobiM't (). Weeks ol Monroe, \. V. ahead of Meredith whc>n I beard erybo(l> laughed. the first shot, and ran back \i Heinaiido. jusl l)efore the about 40 feel. I made iny first shootiim, Meredith told a crowd picture, usiim a I05mm lens in of Ne;;roes opposite the town my Nikon, al I-250th of a second scpuire. "We're goiiiu lo mak(* — in ease anybody wants to gel the President do what he says technical about il. he's .uoiii;; to do or admit he's In any ease. 1 was loo far lying "

A^' BY (JEORdK MhTZ ^ News staff writer / '^^^ HERNANDO, Miss., .lune 7 — r W'riting a letter ainiosi put a Memphis newspaper man in the sights of the same gur. that shol .fames Meredith Monday. Ramon Himmel, Northwest Mi.ssi.ssippi bureau chief for The Memphis Commerical Appeal, said he was ahoul 15 feet from Meredith and in Ihe general line of fire when the shooting began.; "I had stayed alMJut a half-mile ahead of them all day," said Himmel. who wa*^ alone in his ear. "I was getting hot and tirtMl and decided to stop and write a letter. "Apparently, some tune had passed because the next thing I heard was their voices as then- were starting to |)ass b\ the car. % "f LOOKED out the window and the first thing I saw was a .%^ A*0lg gun barrel. About that time.' ^ Meredith shoved one of thej niarchers down on the ground' and yelled, "Look out!". "I fell down on the seal of the car and then the shooting start­ (;RIM\CiNiis .

ed. His range of fire was aimed + ., '-9 at the front of the car." Himmel said tlie amhiisher apparentlv missed because he aimed upward on the first shot and down on the ground on the other ivvo. i "It scared th(> hell out of me," admitted Himmel. who works lOUt of Batesville. Miss. I "I still had my head down. I Then I heard something hit the front of car. I peeped up and several photographers were up there taking picture. I jumped out and started sh(N>ting some picutres my­ self. Meredith was under the left front wheel of my car." (Where he had crawled after being shot.) Himmel said the man vvho is charged with firing the shots was alMiul liO feet from Meredith and about 45 feet from him. THE NEWSMAN said the gunman was using No. 4 shot (birdshol) in a .16 gauge .shot­ gun. "I still don't see how he missed me." he said Himmel .said there had been nothing earlier in the dav that

indicated trouble ahead. "Meredith was accepted ex-f- iremely well throughout the MEREDITH PI LLS HIMSELF IO COVER BEHIND CAR AT LEFT day He got the usual harass-, ment by people in towns, -j ... Other marchers and newsmen lake cover behind car

^eers and catcalls. He got^a Wg lurnout though in Hernando and • was m g..c.cl spirits because of he got Slugs almost hit newsman the good reception there.

47