The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-12
LATEST FRAME-UP AGAINST
THE NEGRO MASSES

and Patrolman Funston arrested him. When
questioned at the coroner's inquest why he ar
rested Willie, Detective Agnew stated:
Y was looking south when saw this colored
boy coming north He did not look so good,
1 called him, placed him in an automobile and
took him to the Third Division When asked
What do you mean by saying that he didn't
look good?' The clever detective replied don't
know, he just looked suspicious. just played a
hunch.'
Now that the murderer" was found, what
was necessary was to create the necessary lynch
spirit and then get some evidence against
the boy through forced confession. To fulfill
the first task the yellow press was called upon.
Daily the press came out with screaming head
lines about, nobs looking for Willie lynch spirit
existing in the neighborhood' etc.
The press went to the extent of quoting the
mother that her son was guilty. When a repre-
sentative of the International Labor Defense
questioned the white workers in neighborhood,
he found that not only was there no lynch spirit
in existence, but the contrary the white work
ers believed in the innocence of Willie.
The next step for the police department was to
get confession out of Willie, and the is year old
youth was kept for more than Sc hours without
food or water. While questioning him, the police
he answered yes, they would get food put it
within his reach and then drop it to the floor
before he could grasp it. large number of
detectives, hurled questions at him. beating him
and using other methods of trying to have him
admit the killing
The police told him that If he would not sign
a statement that he was guilty, they WOULD give
him out to mob OF angry citizens outside Of the
room, waiting to lynch him. obviously there
were no mobs outside. Finally Willie became
physically so weak that he was willing to say
anything in order to obtain bite to eat or an
opportunity to moisten his lips
at the coroners inquest Wilne Brown en-
phatiealy denied, knowing anything about the
murder of the child, and said although he is
absolutely innocent of the crime, he was forced
and starved into confession. 1t was also brought
out that on the day of the murder Willie was
with his mother in the New Garden Theatre
where they remained until o'clock.
According to Mrs. Lutz Dorothy Lutz (nur-
dered child disappeared about two o'clock in the
afternoon. Another important point which
clearly shows the frame-up against this Negro
youth worker is the following fact. Clutched in
the child's hand when her body was found, in the
vacant house. were strands of her killers hair,
which were long and straight, whereas Willies
hair is of the typical Negro type, kinky' and
woody.
Undoubtedly Willie Brown is the latest victim
Of capitalist frame-up. This frame-up is used
as means to antagonize the white workers
against the Negroes and create mob spirit. 1t is
a class issue. However it is characteristic of
Negro national press. that Immediately upon the
forced confession of Willie, the Philadelphia
Tribune failing to see the class and national
character Of this case, on February 25th, states
editorially
"A young Negro has confessed the hideous crime
of having assaulted a Z year old girl who was
later found dead And further, Negroes bow
their heads in shame when such crime is at
tacheed to one of their own.
BY such statements the Philadelphia Tribune
not only fails to expose this frame-up against
this Negro young worker, but actually supports
and endorses the third degree methods used to
force confession out of Willie, as well as the
charge Of murder brought against Willie, which
means the electric chair.
The attack against Willie Brown is part and
parcel of the general attacks against the workers
The frame-up against Willie Brown is not only
frame-up against the Negro masses puU against
the working class as whole. The workers
must arouse the masses to the defense of Willie
Brown.
In this connection the white workers have
special task to perform. The white workers
must take the leadership In modifying the neces-
Sary mass pressure to force the henchmen of the
ruling class to free Willie Brown.
In its attacks against the working class and its
attempts to smash the working class organiza-
tions the bourgeoise will not stop or refrain from
any methods The working-cass must answer
these attacks by organized resistance. Only the
organized power, the unity of white and Negro
masses, under the leadership Of the Communist
Party and the Revolutionary Labor Movement as
a whole will win the freedom Of Willie Brown