Troops Guard Negro Victim of Lynchers

Case(s)
Source Type: Newspaper
Publisher: Middletown Times Herald
Place of publication: Middletown, New York
Date of publication: 8/15/1933 0:00
Source URL: View Source
Transcript:

TROOPS GUARD NEGRO VICTIM OF LYNCHERS Alabama Militia Protects Man Who Escaped From Bun- gled Execution TUSCALOOSA. Ala.-A company of the Alabama National Guard surrounded the County jail today to protect the negro victim of a bungled lynching. Threats were circulated that a mob would storm the jail. The negro was Elmore Clark 2a, who was taken from the sheriff Saturday night with Dan Pippen. Jr.. 18. and A. T. Harden. 16. also negroes. The bodies of Pippen and Harden were found riddled with bullets in a roadside ditch early Sunday. Clark was found in a shanty last night. He was in a serious condi- tion from two bullet wounds. Authorities believed the mob had left him beside Pippen and Harden thinking he was dead, and that he freed himself from a handcuff and crawled to the shanty. The Tuscaloosa comany of the National Guard was ordered mobilized by Governor B. M. Miller at the request of County Judge H. B. Foster. The three negroes were charged with the murder of Vaudine Maddox, an 18-year-old white girl. When they were arraigned, attorneys for the International Labor Defense sought to serve as counsel. but were disqualified by Judge Foster. The attornevs were threatened by a mob and authorities. fearing for the negroes’ safety, ordered the prisoners transferred to the stronger Birmingham jail Saturday. En route to Birmingham the Sheriff was way- laid bv a mob that seized the three negroes. The shanty where Clark was found was occupied by another negro who was attending him. A negro doctor. summoned from Tuscaloosa. asked for police protection on the journey that led to Clark be- ing found and transferred to the County Jail.