Phoenix tribune., 1922-02-11
White ATTORNEY
DECLARES negro
CAN'T GET justice
Especial to The Tribune)

OKanOma Clty, Okla., req. ~
Fifteen years in the penitentiary was
the sentence passed upon Sam Grad
dington by Judge Smith of Guthrie,
setting in the district court of this
county, Saturday. Graddington was
charged with killing a white man
named George Munson, sometime last
year. The jury in the case rendered
a verdict of manslaughter and asked
for mercy for the defendant Moman
Pruitt, counsel for the defendant, ask
ed for a new trial, which was denied.
The case was appealed to the Grimm
al courts of appeals and Graddington
was admitted to bond in the amount
of $4,000.
mo Negro can walk into the courts
of justice and get square deal from
white jury in this country" dramat-
ically shouted Pruitt. He impugned
the motives of the jury which failed
to set Graddington free, yet asked for
mercy for the defendant. "They are
a set of towards, and l wish l had
you, Judge, out on my farm, instead
of in this court room, so that l could
tell you just what l think of them. A
white lawyer is in trouble himself
when he takes the case of a Negro.
charged with killing a white man.
That jury knew poor Sam was inno-
cent, and that he shot only to protect
himself. That jury wanted to set poor
Sam free, but that jury was afraid Of
public sentiment.
Whereas, Grad? want him to hear
me say this: There is too much talk
in the court about this is white
mans country. l never made such a
statement in a court of justice in my
life. 1t is this sort of talk that makes
it impossible for the Negro to get JUS
tice from the jury box. This is Gods
country, where every citizen has a
right to live"
Pruitt went on to show that the
Negro, Graddington, has been convict
ed on testimony from the county at
torney's office, which attempted to
make of Munson a peace officer. 1t
was alleged that Munson held a po-
lice commission from Mayor Walton.
Pruitt showed that he had been as
sisting as a lookout for the Negro
dive, where he met his death. "He
was dope peddler and a dope sell
ler," shouted Pruitt. I wanted not
only to know that he had a commits
sion, but I wanted to know how long
he had it. l wanted to know whether
he had it during the time he was max
ing his three raps' on the inner walls
of his place, and which it was proven
here he did so many times to warn
the gamblers that the officers of the
law were on his side of the building
l wanted Mayor Walton brought into
this court so that he could tell that
jury whether he had given that sort
of a man a commission on the force
but you denied poor Sam the right to
bring the mayor into this court room
and protect himself"
1t was brought out during Pruitts
argument that Pruitt had received on.
ly $3.50 to represent Graddington in
the trial. "That poor Negro, without
a dollar, asked me to defend him.
Then turning towards Graddington
Pruitt continued, "And by the eterna'
Gods, when Gabriel blows his trum
phet, I'll be standing by you, Sam, and
you," shouted Pruitt, as he whirled on
the county attorney. you have rail
roaded this poor Negro to the peni
tentiary. Some day when you &c
down into the evening, when you ap
proach deaths door. some day you
are going to hear those same three
raps that George Munson gave on the
inner wall and those raps are going
to sound like bricks on your coffin. y