The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-10-30

Continued from Page ~
"eye witnesses" had been waived by
the prosecution during . waiver OF
20 witnesses during the trial and
which brought defense attorney,
Joseph A. Brown TO ask for a mis-
trial.
Upton strongly and repeatedly
denied that he was the man who
had made the reported riot rumor
over the microphone at Forest club
on June 20. as charged against him
by several witnesses.
AT the time that statement was
made was in the check room and
/ asked Mrs tAds) Bracket what
they were saying over the mike"
Upton declared.
Lyons Makes Statements
Lyons gave an explanation of the
Belle Isle alteration by saying
that a dice game between several
Negro and white boys on the Isle
resulted in a fight when il was
found out that crooked dice were
being used in the game.
THE colored boys thought the
white boys had been using the
crooked dice" Lyons said. Then
when we (colored boys) caught the
dice the white boys broke away
and ran"
Asked about what time this was
he said, 1T was. about four o'clock"
He added: The boys then went
looking for the other boys but we
never did find them, although one
OF the boys thought he'd seen one
Of the white boys later, but he was
wrong"
Lyons then told Of leaving the
Isle at eight o'clock. OF going home,
walking down Hastings to Forest,
over to St. Antoine to cafe and
then back 10 Forest and Hastings
street where he. a short time later
heard the remark coming over the
public address system as he stood
on the sidewalk outside the dance
hall.
Asked II he knew Upton or had
seen him before that night. Lyons
answered that he didn't remember
seeing Upton before.
"They said I brought the word
TO him (Tipton)" Lyons explained
"but I never seen him that night
I didn't even 60 into the dance
hall" 3
Upton is accused Of having used
public address system at Forest
club on June 20, during which
time he repeated a rumor that q
Negro woman and her baby hac
been thrown into the Detroit river
Lyons is accused OF being the
messenger who relayed the false
rumor" to Upton. an employee o.
the club during a dance held there
on the night in question.
Defendants Are Identified
Both Upton and Lyons were iden-
tilted by witnesses as alleged par
Elephants in ''inciting Of the riot"
Freddie McClelland. IS. OF 1545
Theodore. said that Lyons. along
with others. attacked whites on
Belle Isle on June 20 and told them
to "get going"
Both Worked Here
Upton stated that he was mar
ried and had lived in Detroit since
he was three years old. after com.
ing here from Covington. Tenn. He
attended local schools and was II
when he quit school and started t.
work in butcher shop on Tasting.
street.
Lyons stated he was born ir
Brookhaven. Miss, and came to De-
troit about five years ago. He lives
with brothers and sisters at 58ls
Brush street. He has been en-
ployed in grocery stores and ir
two factories here during the pas
few years.
| ne tIldI Seu LIldL OIlC 4NcSIO Olll
Ger assigned to the case from the
prosecutors office had struck hin
when he refused 10 sign a state
ment saying that he had seen Tip
ton make the announcement a
Forest club on June co.
Denied "Rumor" Statement
Asked again il he had made The
statement. Upton declared mo,
didn't. I was in the check room
at the time. between 1850 and 12:ll
when the announcement was made.
II heard it," he continued, "anc
asked Mrs. Bracket what they wer,
talking about. But it sounded t
tme like they said something abou
a riot on Belle Isle" .'-
He added that when he heart
the remarks Louis Jordan's bant
was taking an intermission. Ant
that when the crowd started surg
ing 10 the checkroom he closed i
because the younger boys woult
have wrecked the place"