Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1942-04-18
Secrecy Shrouds


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soldiers say four whites were shot
to death.
t.I know what I'm talking
about" one soldier said, because
! helped to take their bodies to the
morgue. They can print all they
want to about one white boy being
killed"
On the other hand, Maj. A E.
Woldike, public relations officer,
lists as dead. MP Mamie Strouth,
white, of Honeycamp, Va, Corp.
w. r. Hall, Conyers, Ga, and Pvt
Isaac Brown, Henderson, Tenn
Those wounded were Pinkey Reed,
Summit, Miss, Wilbur Evans,
Wayneshoro, Miss, John Robinson,
Augusta, Ga; Ivy Martin, Green
wood, Miss, and Millotte Ham,
mond whose address is not given
AS to how the trouble started,
no one is quite certain. Army Of
ficials say it started over the use
of phone booth. The story goes
that colored and white soldiers
were waiting to use the telephone
at Gus Waldron's Sports palace
when white soldier, presumably
of the south, objected to the pres
ence of colored soldier in front
Of him.
"Get out of my way, Niger he
is reported to have whispered. eli
had you back home you wouldn't
dare stand in front of me-. MP
Stroutil and MP L. O. Hayhoe,
both white, were asked to '.get
the niger out of here
Strouth is then said to have
grabbed the colored soldier to pull
him out Of line. Hayhoo, OF
Lansing, Mich, backed away, say
ing, Eve can handle this thing
without abusing each other, fell
lows, SO all of you step aside and
let's settle this without disturbing
the line.''
But Strouth was said to have
stated. ST know how to handle
those darkies. Let me take care Of
it my way
Just about that time, a colored
soldier walked up to Strouth and
attempted to snatch his revolver.
Strouth hit the soldier on the jaw
and the free-for-all began.
Another colored soldier knocked
Strouth down and dared him to
get up. II think you're anxious to
use that gun on some of us black
boys" he repeatedly said, land
Tn not going to let you get up."
Strouth begged to be allowed to
get on his feet, promising not TO
use his gun. Finally allowed to
get UP, he ran out to the road in
front Of the Sports place and fired
three shots, apparently a call for
help, AS he finished firing, COLI
ored soldier fired three bullets in
to him with regulation rifle.
Five white MP's returned the fire,
directing it toward the barracks
where colored soldiers were housed.
After about SO shots had been
fired, MP Don Blackhan, well
known prizefightar Of Harlem.
walked into the line of fire and
ordered the colored boys to cease
sniping. 'fCease your fire, men, or
my men will be forced to do some
thing we'd rather not do" he
said. Not until after the firing
was over was it realized that
Blackman was Only bluffing, and
that he did not have reinforce
ments which they believed he had.
Investigation into the incident
was begun Immediately by white
officers. Soldiers were confined to
barracks pending the outcome.
The regiment involved was the
77th coast artillery composed of
draftees from Dixie which figured
in the news three months ago
during its stay on guard duty at
Marcus Hook, Pa. 1t was at that
time white officers of the outfit
issued an order which read:
"Any cases between white and
colored males and females, wheth-
er voluntary or rot, is considered
rape and during time of war the
penalty is DEATH"
This order brought a wave of
protest from many organizations
and a few weeks following. the
the outfit was sent to the south.