The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1933-12-01
Guardsmen Say Privately
They Will Not Protect
Boys

DECATUR, Ala.-Judge w. w.
Callahan. Southern landowner pre-
siding at the retrial of the Scots
boro boys here, denied a motion of
the International Labor Defense
Attorneys for a change of venue.
The l. L. d. attorneys contended
that the lynch spirit which had
been whipped up by the ruling
class here against the Negro boys
and their lawyers made any SEM
blance of a fair trial a joke. They
presented affidavits which def
nitely proved that the boys would
be in danger of lynch mobs.
Investigators were sent into this
county several months ago as soap
and brush statesmen. They visited
many homes and conversed with
many people. Their affidavits
showed that hundreds of leading
citizens were preparing the ground
for a lynching.
In spite of this evidence, the
Judge ruled against the motion
Here are some of the affidavits
which were presented. From these
the reader can get an idea of the
lynch atmosphere which surrounds
the Scottsboro trial in this county
No Jury Will Free Them
Practically all the white persons
quoted expressed a desire either K
participate themselves in lynching
or to see it done. Every one, in.
Guiding those few who did not wisl
to see the mass lynching which i
being prepared agreed that no jurN
In the county would free them, NJ
matter what the evidence. Thi:
atmosphere is the result of a whole
sale Indictment to lynching which
the southern press particularly has
INDUCED in In increased volume
during the entire period of the
Scottsboro case.
Negroes of whose statement!
affidavits have been obtained, bu
whose names are being withhelt
for fear of their murder told O
terror raging in the county.
After the lynching of Jane
Royal last August, in Decatur the,
recited. no Negro dared to go T.
his employment for 48 hours.
National guardsmen are quote,
in the affidavits as saying the,
would "put up a sham" but woul
certainly never protect the SCOTS
boro bows or their attorneys. Som
of these guardsmen are from Hart
selle. from which town the guards
men were called for profession
at the retrial of Haywood Patter
son last spring.
Other statements quoted threat
en- Ruby Bates and Lester Garter
white defense witnesses, wit
lynching also.
These disclosures, it was pointe
out by William L. Patterson, ma
tional secretary of the l. L. D
coming at this time, just after tn
revelations of completely Of off
Gals in Maryland in the lvnchin
of George Armwood. after the pa1
ticipation of all the state and IL
dicial forces of Maryland and tn
federal government in the lega
Enching Of Fuel Lee, after til
series of lynchings. most of ther
by officials. in Tuscaloosa, Geol
gia. Florida, all over the Soutl
and in Decatur itself, point yer
clearly to the need for immediai
mobilization Of the widest masse
of Negro and white toilers unde
the leadership of the Internatione
: Labor Defense, to save the Scots
boro boys.
These other lYnchings. the hun
dreds of legal lvnchings occurrin
all over the country, are In realit
: dress rehearsals for the lvnchin
! of the Scottsboro boys and the.
attorneys. he said.
Typical Comments
A few typical comments fro
the affidavits. which have bee
collected over a period Of fin
months by /. L. d. investigator
are. from Decatur itself.
June 19-Mr. Smith. proprietC
of lunch room on Motion ST., OF
block off Second ave., known {
Heaney's Lunch Room. said tha
there shouldn't be any trial fl
them damn 'Niggers'-S0 cen:
s worth Of rope would do the wo1
J. and it wouldn't cost the count
: much. Also that he was ready
E help lynch them. If the State don
4 kill them then the people here w
If they only bring them bac
Those God darn New York Jew
VIII be killed too if they try