Governor Orders Probe Of Emelle Race Riot

GOVERNOR ORDERS PROBE OF EMELLE RACE RIOT Special Grand Jury Will In- vestigate Clash Causing Six Deaths MONTGOMERY. Ala., July 19.- The Sumter County Grand Jury will meet in special session Aug. 18 to investigate the shooting of two white men and four negroes follow- ing a Fourth of July disturbance at Emelle. Judge Ben F. Elmore, of Demopo- lis, presiding judge of the Seven- teenth Judicial Circuit, Friday an- nounced the date for the special ses- sion following a conference with Gov. Graves at which the chief exe- cutive ordered the investigation. The governor told newspaper men that he was determined to go to the bottom of the affair and fix respon- sibility for the disorders which grew out of an argument over a debt for a second hand automobile battery. “In my opinion as governor of Ala- bama.” the governor’s communica- tion to Judge Elmore ordering the Grand Jury to convene in special ses- sion said. “the due administration of law requires the holding of a special session of the Circuit Court in and for the county of Sumter in your ju- dicial circuit. “Therefore, pursuant to the pro- visions of Section 6673 of the code of Alabama, I do hereby order and di- rect that you as said circuit judge, do hold a special session of the Cir- cuit Court in and for the county of Sumter in your circuit, and I request that this be done as quickly as possi- ble.” The governor spent the morning in conference with Judge Elmore, Wal- ter K. McAdory, chief state law en- forcement officer; Capt. Potter Smith, deputy law enforcer; Assist- ant General John J. Haynes and Law- rence Lee, his legal adviser. “The investigation will be a thor- ough one,” the governor said, “to bring to justice those persons respon- sible for the trouble and this includes everyone, whether it be the authori- ties charged with enforcing the law members of the mob or the negroes.” Chief McAdory with Capt. Potter Smith, J. W. McClung and H. B. Harrison, who conducted an investi- gation of the affair were in confer- ence with the governor for three hours Thursday and presented him an oral and written report of their findings. Meanwhile, members of the negro Robertson family are in Kilby Prison for safekeeping. They voluntarily surrendered to state officers and re- quested protection of the State Pri- son for fear they would be killed. Three others, John and Ollis and their father, Tom Robertson are sought for the slaying of Grover Boyd who came to the aid of a nephew, Clarence Boyd, when the trouble over the battery developed. The other white man, Charlie Marrs, was killed when the mob sur- rounded the home of John Newton Robertson when it was fired. Two negroes were killed by possement when they failed to obey commands to halt. GOVERNOR ORDERS PROBE OF EMELLE RACE RIOT Special Grand Jury Will In- vestigate Clash Causing Six Deaths MONTGOMERY. Ala., July 19.- The Sumter County Grand Jury will meet in special session Aug. 18 to investigate the shooting of two white men and four negroes follow- ing a Fourth of July disturbance at Emelle. Judge Ben F. Elmore, of Demopo- lis, presiding judge of the Seven- teenth Judicial Circuit, Friday an- nounced the date for the special ses- sion following a conference with Gov. Graves at which the chief exe- cutive ordered the investigation. The governor told newspaper men that he was determined to go to the bottom of the affair and fix respon- sibility for the disorders which grew out of an argument over a debt for a second hand automobile battery. “In my opinion as governor of Ala- bama.” the governor’s communica- tion to Judge Elmore ordering the Grand Jury to convene in special ses- sion said. “the due administration of law requires the holding of a special session of the Circuit Court in and for the county of Sumter in your ju- dicial circuit. “Therefore, pursuant to the pro- visions of Section 6673 of the code of Alabama, I do hereby order and di- rect that you as said circuit judge, do hold a special session of the Cir- cuit Court in and for the county of Sumter in your circuit, and I request that this be done as quickly as possi- ble.” The governor spent the morning in conference with Judge Elmore, Wal- ter K. McAdory, chief state law en- forcement officer; Capt. Potter Smith, deputy law enforcer; Assist- ant General John J. Haynes and Law- rence Lee, his legal adviser. “The investigation will be a thor- ough one,” the governor said, “to bring to justice those persons respon- sible for the trouble and this includes everyone, whether it be the authori- ties charged with enforcing the law members of the mob or the negroes.” Chief McAdory with Capt. Potter Smith, J. W. McClung and H. B. Harrison, who conducted an investi- gation of the affair were in confer- ence with the governor for three hours Thursday and presented him an oral and written report of their findings. Meanwhile, members of the negro Robertson family are in Kilby Prison for safekeeping. They voluntarily surrendered to state officers and re- quested protection of the State Pri- son for fear they would be killed. Three others, John and Ollis and their father, Tom Robertson are sought for the slaying of Grover Boyd who came to the aid of a nephew, Clarence Boyd, when the trouble over the battery developed. The other white man, Charlie Marrs, was killed when the mob sur- rounded the home of John Newton Robertson when it was fired. Two negroes were killed by possement when they failed to obey commands to halt.