The Omaha guide., 1942-04-04
GOVT MOVES
TO PROTECT
CIVIL RIGHTS
OF NEGROES
PRESSING INQUIRY IN TIE
sIkEsToN. NO, LYNcHING
CASE

tect the civil rights OF Negroes a
survey Of pending actions reveal
ed today that Investigations and
prosecutions initiated by the De-
partmert OF Justice extend thru
Arkansas. Kentucky. Texas, Ge0r-
gia- Missouri and nlinois
BY order OF Attorney General
Francis Biddle agents OF the JUS
tice Department r pressing an
inquiry INTO the Sikeston Missouri
iynching case OF the evidence
warrants. the Department intends
70 seek = Federal grand jury in
dictment- Should q Federal in
dictment II the Sikest0n case ~
/ brought and obtained. it will mark
the first time IN the history Of a.
merican Jurisprudence that a lvn-
ching case has been brought into
Z Federal court.
The case grows out Of the lynch
ing OF q Negro. Cleo Wright. who
vas accused OF assault On . while
woman, and Vas tortured and kill
Cd by a mob in SIkestnn on Jan
uary q. 1912 The assistance of
the Federal Bureau or Investigar-
ion was requested by Governor Don
nell Evidence was presented To
. State grand jury. which failed to
return an Indictment
The FBI l. continuing its invest
igatiou with q view TO prosecuting
under civil rights statutes Oh the
theory that State authorities con
spired to deny Wright the equal
protection OF the law by releas-
ing him to the ynching mob
In Kentucky an Indictment has
been returned IN the United States
Court for the States Western Dis
trict against Martin J. Connsrs
and Others Corners was jailed az
the jefferson County, Kentucky,
jail and aIlegedly worked Negro
prisoners in his privately owned
tourist camp One OF the counts
IN the Indictment Is based upoa
the denial to the victims OF equal
protection OF the law
An Investigation has been autn-
Dried by the Department into the
vnchiuE OF Mott Fl0urnoy Ii o.
en- court AZ Lufkin Texas. Nov
ember "a, 1871 FTournoy, III az
ed Negro. was in court as defend
ant IN = rape case Complaints
received by the Department indie
Gted that he was denied equal pro
lection Of the law through failure
OF the authorities to protect him
when they knew that an attempt
might be made on his life.
In Georgia the Justice Depar--.
me1t is Investigating III alleged
conspiracy by William Cunning
ham and Hamilton McWhorter Of
O~glethrope County to secure the
return Of Certain Negroes who fled
from Cunninghan's farm, where
they were being worked Under con
ditions described as amounting To
peonage- The Negroes ESCAPED 70
Chicago An INDICTMENT III TIE
case was obtained IN the Northern
District OF Illinois. but il August
1871. the defendants successfully
Instituted proceedings to have the
case removed to Georgia II is
expected that evidence showing =
violation Of the Negroes civil
rights viii be presented 70 : Fed
eral grand jury in Georgia
A indictment has been return
q 10 the Southern District Of Cor
gia against W H CzTan, James
ONe1 and Carlos Hardin oparat-
ors Of turpentine stills, for hold
IL Negro employees in z state or
peonage Trial has been set for
June ID. 1892
The Federal Grand Jury IL the
Northern District or Florida viii
hear z case concerning brutal
treatment administered TO : Ne
gro, ~Impy Johnson, IN connect
ion with bis return To 4 turpentfre
farm
The Department vii retry ~
the United States District Court
for the Northern District " Gaor-
/ gia- W. r Sutherland Of thA At
lanta- Georgia, police force, Eor
branding 2 Negro youth with q
hot iron IN order TO extOrt Z con-
fessIon-
An FIJI Investigation Of IT,
State parole system il Arkansas
has been ordered il an effort 10
verify persistent charges that CT
tain members Of the state Peni--
entiary Commission are pIae-rE
paroled Negro prisoners II the
custody OF themselves and Their
friends and relatives II & alice