The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-05-04
Angelo HerndOn Is Waiting

The .sombre walls of Fulton
county Prison, where Angelo Hern-
don is entombed, rise in the very
heart of Atlanta, cultural center
of the South" The Jail doorbell
iangles several minutes before the
taller bestirs himself from his
comfortable chew and gossiping
with a bluecoat, to let US in. We
spy him cycling US idly through a
grilled window, like some slow
witted Bessie behind barbed-wire
fence.
The heavy door swings back. He
takes us into his office. My COM
panion, member of a well-known
Atlanta law firm whom the Inter-
national Labor Defense has just
interested in the case, produces his
card. The jailer's waddling per-
Son exudes an ingratiating impor-
lance. And what may he do for
us?
1--WE came to see a prisoner
Angelo Herndon."
The keepers jaw says. "That
gol dern niger. You come to see
him." Perplexed fear in his eyes,
his bearing resumes it's old hard
ness. He surveys me and l him,
with mutual contempt. To think
that this biped has in his keeping
that rare spirit and working class
fighter, Angelo He-ndon.
He may manhandle and insult
as he likes our young comrade
sentenced to 20 years on the chain
gang for having organized At
lanta's jobless in a march to the
Fulton County Commission to de-
: mand relief. This alone has beer
his "crime."
: What had most Infatuated the
Coco Cola and mill and cotton in
terests controlling Georgia was his
! defiance of Jim-C Crow. That "damr
) white niger" had dared Organize
: unemployed councils and demon
strations that included both coloreC
: and white. This was open re
: bellion! melting to riot!
The orderly demonstrators wol
their demands. The Commission
, found an extra $4,000 for relief.
(But get that Red.) Some day.
2 later, as he was entering the post
/ office for his mail, Angelo was ar
rested. For eleven days he re-
J, NAMED without any charges places
!, against him. Meanwhile he wa
J, treated to trips to the electricutiol
r cell and similar diversions, 1T
3 make the bastard talk" Terror
proved useless.
: Finally the Red-baiting Solicito
j Hudson bethought himself of an oil
= law directed against the rebellini
f slaves, and resumected in recent
years for the rebelling workers. S
in the summer of 1882, Angelo
Herndon was charged under a Lax
dating back to 1920, "for incitin
to instruction" The penalty wa
death.
"For six months before / wa
tried" the 19-year-old organize
writes, 81 was forced to live in
cell with condemned men. a
most died from starvation and lac
of medicine" After three days Q
farcical trial, he was foun
guilty. But the wide protest rouse
by the LID caused the jury t,
recommend mercy" Sentence wa
from Is to 20 years on the Georgi
) chain gang. Jack Spivak in hi
book Georgia Niger" Shove
what a torturous death-trap thes
gangs are.
The jailer shoots a stream O
'baccy into the spitoon. "That g
darn niger! The one 1 get al
them kilograms about-DEMANI
ING I release him. Imagine thai
Demanding" At my involuntar
: grin, Comrades, let's send NOR
and more), the keepers fury pull
; him to his feet. "That blaste
! coon! Oughta be on the chai
. gang, that's what. Where I'd p
him too" (Yes, but for thos
: wires).
: Remembering the lawyers qui
; wide connections, our host jingle
: his keys. His bearing modifies.
. "What you mixing up in such
; case foT?" he queries, addir
! quickly, "Come on. This amt !
visiting day for niggers, but SEER
lie it's you, Mr.. Langley"
ID His glum waddle precedes US
tn a high steel door, one side Of
IN barred cage. Within are penn,
st human beings. In the half-ligl
is at square peepholes stand bedra
y. gled white men, receiving the
lg families. On the outside, stari1
be through the bars at their fathe
IS. are three small children with the
j. worn mother. Their faces, and t
at mans are set, stricken. He is
It. "poor white" tenant farmer or
he millhand. Nothing cruel in his faC
an