The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-01-16
sweet, negro,
BARES Terror
OF THE X. X. X.
Tells of the Attack on
His Race
(Continued from page d


the Negroes was, Detroit, the place
where life is worth living" With the
post-bellum exodus ofyNegroes from
the south, approximately 10000 were
added to Detroits population and
spread turnout the residential sec
lions of the city. The Negroes, how
ever, were not the only ones to in
wade Detroit. With them came thou
sands of southern "crackers" with
their doctrines of prejudice, racial
separation, and mob psychology. Now
there are in Detroit 100000 southern
whites Of various classes, but all I'M
der the influence Of dsouthern ruling
class race hatred, which was soon re-
flected in the growing strength of the
ku klux khan.
Kluxers Hold Political Power.
The ku klux khan soon began to as
sert political power and the entire
police department approximately
909o) became khan" Many of the
public Office holders were kluxers and
the spirit of 1000 Americanism-
white supremacy" became the spirit
of Detroit.
Mob Ran Out Or. Turner.
The first real issue to grow out of
the development of residential segre-
cation effected by the "block agree
ment" or the agreement of group
of whites living in certain neigh
borhood to neither "sell nor rent
property to Negroes" or permit them
to occupy premises within that given
territory for "a period of 81 years"
A Negro physician, Dr. Turner, pur-
chased a home in one Of the forbid
den" blocks and moved in Then the
K. K. X. and their agents threatened
him, and finally formed mob and
stormed his house. They destroyed
everything they could lay their hands
on; threw coal into the windows; and,
with threat of death, forced DR..
Turner to sign statement to the
effect that he would leave the premises
Immediately. Unfortunately DR.. Turn
er became frightened and complied
with their request. This set up
precedent which made the kluxers
feel that they had the right method
for "blufin 'em out" They tried it
again This time the victim was
woman with a new. born baby. How
ever, the "protectoY Of womanhood"
again scored with their terror.
"onee too often"
At this time DR.. Sween had already
bought his home and was ready to
move in. In spite of the unpleasant
experiences of the Negroes who had
attempted this before him, Sweet be-
lieved that it was his home and he
would live in it.
Immediately after he moved in, the
white neighbors began to protest.
Women and men went thru the
streets attempting to stir up the mob
spirit. The wife Of the man killed
during the clash was seen running UP
and down the street shouting, "You
are not men if the permit this niger
to live here" A meeting was held
that night and the plan for attack
was completed for the following night.
DR.. Sweet and few of his relatives
and friends determined to stand their
ground. The mob gathered and storm
ed his home. Shot were exchanged.
One white man was killed and one
wounded. It was not known whether
the dead man was victim of shot
from within the house or from with
out. However, when he fell, the mob
changed their minds about "bluffin'
'em" and ran to cover. Soon the
kluxer police, having to their credit
the record of having killed so Ne
groes "wantonly and willfully" during
the period between January and
December, 1925, arrived on the scene,
and lined up the eleven Negroes.
They were taken before Judge Faust
and indicted for murder in the first
degree.
After the case was presented the
defense compelled the state to present
bill Of particulars, which they ut
terly failed to prove! The witness for
prosecution made miserable attempt
even to prove that there was no mob
gathered at all. Attorney Clarence
barrow wound them up and made
their testimony ridiculous. One anus
ing point in the trial was indicated
by barrow when seventy witnesses
swore that only about ten or twelve
were in front of the house.
The testimony of DR.. Sweet cover
ing a period of three days was the
most interesting point of the trial.
DR.. Sweet painted the picture Of the
racial persecution Of the Negroes
from their early slavery to the present
day.