The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-06-21

of the witnesses John Conner, sher-
if. and D. E. Cole, Deputy Sheriff,
and the evidence being overwhelming
that the said officers, John Conner
and D. E. Cole, while acting in their
official capacity and in defense of
their life, killed the men and we
accordingly find that the killing was
not only justifable but necessary"
Threaten Lynchings.
The night following the killing,
which took place about $50 in the
afternoon, mob led by four persons
thought to have come from Welsh,
set out to lynch the living members
of the Cormier family. These con-
sisted of Mrs. Louis Cormier, about
IS, who was Ill in bed, Leonard Cor
mier, 81, her son and brother of
Adam and Joseph, who was also con-
fined to his bed, together with his
wife, Arlene, "a, and their two chill
dren, Esther, 5, and Clovis, 4,
Sentiment on the part of the
white neighbors Of the dead men
prevented lynch action.
Having lived on the farm. which
they were purchasing for $4,000 at
the rate of 5000 per year for three
years before their death, the Cor
miers were very friendly with the
families about them. Arrangements
had been made to aid the Negro
family in planting plowed before
work animals were taken from them
last winter under the terms of a
chattel mortgage held by local
merchant. Both white and Negro
neighbors were to have taken pag
in the planting, scheduled for the
day after the killing.
Red Cross Refuses Aid.
For several months before the kill
ling, neighbors had been aiding the
Cormiers. The family, destitute and
suffering for food, received no aid
from the Red Cross relief organiza-
ton, it is reported, People connected
with the organization, white farmers
say, are now circulating a report that
the Cornliers were desperate char
acters" who had made holes in their
cabin for the purpose of
shooting at passing whites. Knots in
the clapboards which form the outer
wall Of the house have dropped out
of the implanted boards. The holes
caused by this do not extend through
the inner wall Of the residence.
Burial, which took place the day
after the killing, was in Unlicensed
cemetery near the Southern Pacific
tracks. All three corpses We inter
red in a single rough wooden box.
Faces of the corpseS remained I'M
washed, covered with dust and blood.
Mss. Louis Cornlier, who was allowed
to see the bodies, was refused an OPP
portunity to remove the shoes of the
corpses Or to wash their faces.
Fence posts, stolen from neigh
boring farmer, were driven into the
muddy ground at the east end of
the grave. An empty tin can, filthy
and greasy, was hung over the top
Of the center post as monument
to the dead.
Though much active protest was
aroused among the workers by the
killings and the burial, officials took
no notice Of it and contributed to the
record of atrocities. The health Of
ficer of Jefferson Davis Parish Is re-
ported to have found one of the Cor
miers alive when he visited the scene
of the shooting, Instead of render
ing aid to the wounded man he is
quoted as saying, This Niger will
die before he gets to town anyway,
so load him into the truck and get
going.' The victim died before reach
ing Welsh.
Forced to flee from the scene of
the killing, the remaining members of
the Corrnier family are now residing
in Crowley, La, with relatives. Mrs.
Louis Cormier is slowly recovering
from the severe mental shock, though
she often cries for hours and is I'M
able to recall happenings accurately
from day to day. She has been in
poor health for many years.
Leonard Cromier, though now able
to sit up, is unable to walk a hundred
yards. His recovery is expected to
be very slow, If made at all.
LID. TO Take Action.
Full and sole authorization has
been given the International Labor
Defense to take any legal or public
action which may be possible in the
case by all the living members of the
family who expressed full confidence
in the LID. being acquainted with
its efforts in behalf Of the nine in
nocent Scottsboro boys. Organiza-
ton OF LID. branches in the cities
Of Lake Charles and Crowley is con-