The Colorado statesman., 1921-03-05
C E @ R GIA ATTY.
STARTLES WITH
F { A R | E S S
WORDS ON RACE
MURDER

TIANTA GA. Probably the
~ most startling statement ever IS
= = sued by any public official in
the South came recently from District
Attorney Alexander Hooper. 1t is re-
markable both for its fearlessness and
suggestiveness. 1t deals with the terri
BILE state of affairs in lawless regions
of Georgia and ''in the name of Just
and righteous God" he declares, Il
solemnly protest before the people OIL
! Georgia. Says the statement: What
1 said in the papers Thursday about
the mistreatment of Negroes in Geor-
gia was a mild statement of the facts
In three separate matters that have
been brought to my attention since
that day, my complaint has been Illus
trated and emphasized. In one OF
them greed for Negros labor is
charged to have resulted in a cold
blooded and atrocious murder.
Il do not speak of this positively,
however, as yet, because in that par
ticular case, while 1 am giving care
full investigation made, the official re-
port is not yet in hand. I wish to call
attention, however, to complaint
made to me yesterday, and the circum-
stances of it and principally in the
hope the publicity may prevent
threatened crime. Five Negroes. all
apparently well behaved and industri-
Gus farmers, each working his own lit
tie farm, within thirty miles of At
lanta, have been warned by night rid
ers to leave the neighborhOod. They
come to appeal to me for protection.
They have been to the governors Of
flee but as he was not in, n secretary
referred them to me. l can, of course,
do nothing There is no violation of
the federal laws in what is threatened.
'The circumstances of the case and
matters which have heretofore come
to my knowledge in the same locality,
lead me to entertain the belief that. in
this particular case, the underlying
purpose is TO force the Negroes to sell
and sacrifice their little homes.
'I was much mortified in being COM
PEELED to say that it was out of my
power lO tAltlll s'iis PhONNNAiO.
But / was far more deeply mortified in
not being able to answer this question
when they came back, after conference
to solemnly and seriously PROFOUND:
"'Well, we have our wives and our
children and our homes. If the night
riders carry out their threats and come
back to attack us, what do you advise
us to doT
"As an officer of the United States
I could not answer that question. The
government cannot legislate in such
cases, and has not attempted to do So
The offense is against the laws of the
state. | cannot meddle in ii. But, L
believe my state and l are humiliated.
As an individual l know what | would
do But if l advised these Negroes SO.
l know the consequences that would
follow to them, and l was and am iu-
inflated beyond expression, because
could do nothing but advise them 10
20 TO the sheriff and ask protection.
"The people of Georgia have no con-
ception of the meanness and cruelty
with which helpless Negroes are being
treated. / wish 1 could make the state
to see and know the horrible things
that are being done and which come to
nv knowledge almost daily.
'In the name of a just and righteous
God solemnly protest before the peo-
pie of Georgia"