The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-10-24
SCOttSbOrO Boys
Are Tortured
Continued from Page y

in the presence Of Clarence's
mother, Mrs. Norris.
Threatens TO Kill Boy
Then the warden rushed Mrs.
Norris and myself out. you better
get out Of here before I kill that
god damn mean niger he said.
We we're forced to leave. You can
imagine what happened to Hay
wood after we left, when he was
beaten in the manner that he was
right before our eyes. Those are
the methods used by the State au-
thorities. working hand in glove
with Leibowitz, in their attempt to
get the boys to renounce the LID"
Davis then described the frequent
conferences of Leibowitzs agents
with the authorities of Alabama.
particularly with Attorney General
Knight. The gangster Terry, Lei
bowitz's aide in Alabama seemed
to have open access to the State
Capitol, and to the State prison.
even though he is not a lawyer.
The mothers told me of the con-
ference of the very officials of Ala
bama who had framed up the boys
and condemned them to death, with
Leibowitz's aid" said Davis.
While all this was occurring. I
was denied all right to meet the
boys. After my life was threatened
by Terry, I discovered that, to keep
me away from the boys. to prevent
me from telling them the truth of
the maneuvers that we're being car
ried on around them, Attorney
General knight and Terry had
cooked up a statement. which they
said was signed by the boys, for
bidding me entry into the prison
to see them.
Doors Closed to Davis
THE boys knew nothing of such
a statement. In fact. they repeat
eddy asked why did not come to
see them"
As the attorney for Angelo Hern-
don, the scottsboro boys have
high regard for Ben Davis. and
looked to him for advice and guild
ance in their fight for their lives
against the vicious frame-up.
When was in Atlanta" Davis
stated, II visited the boys frequently
in Birmingham jail and had no
trouble gaining admittance. And
often protested against the vicious
treatment of the boys inside the
Jail. The boys knew It and had a
great deal of confidence in me. and
looked to me as one of their closest
friends.
But after Leibowitz began his
plotting with the lynch authorities
against the boys and their connec-
ton with the I. L. D.. all doors
were closed against me, as the rep
resentative of the I. L. D. This
was deliberately done, in order to
create an atmosphere of fear and
terror against the boys. to force and
intimidate them into signing state
ments favoring Leibowitz as repre-
senting them.
ut was done also to keep me
from finding out that the boys in
Jefferson County Jail were still in
solitary confinement, and had been
there since last March" Davis said.
Davis, who made thorough in
vestigation of Leibowitz's trickery
and cooperation with the Alabama
authorities to break the Scot sboro
boys from the international Labor
Defense, told of the forces which
we're working toward this end
Scheme Planned In N. Y.
1.-THE scheme was concocted in
New York between Leibowitz and g
group of Negro ministers. They des-
igns ed Rev. Richard Bolden and
Rev. Lorenzo H. King to go to Ala
hama to confer with the state Off
Gals, as we'll as with the mothers
of the Scottsboro boys to poison
them against the I. L. D.
These two treacherous Negro
ministers, playing into the hand;
of the enemies of the Negro peo-
pie, went first to Kilby prison anc
fed the boys poisonous propaganda
lying against the I. L. D. They tolc
them that the reds we're not in
terested in saving their lives, thai
they should rely upon the decent