Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1946-12-07
Fletcher Returns to
Testify at Hearing
Cancel Hearing at
Hattiesburg and
Grenada
Cancel Hearing at
Hattiesburse and Grenada

More than 800 Negro witnesses
were present for the start of the
hearing by the Senate Campaign
investigating committee inquiring
into the conduct of Senator Bilbo
during the 1916 State Democratic
Senatorial Campaign which start
ed in Federal courtroom of the
post office building here this
morning. The witnesses included
members of the State Progressive
Voters League, The Americans
Veterans Committee, The NAACP,
and came here from cities and
towns representing all sections of
the State.
A rigid pattern of segregation
was maintained in the seating ar
rangement in the courtroom as
the hearing got underway Through
out the building and in the court
room the presence of federal of
fcers readily identified by the
heavy buldges at the hips were
on hand to cary out the promise
of the committee that all witness
ses would be given the fullest pro-
lection during the hearing. AS
witness after witness testified DUR
ing the day there was not even
the semblance of a possible dis
turbance of any kind.
The first witness to take the
stand was T. B. Wilson, president
of the State Progressive Voters
League, who told of the fear that
esisted among Negro citizens of
the state as the result of the
speeches and utterances of Sena-
tor Bilbo during the campaign, and
of it's effects in causing only about
$500 Negro citizens, including vet
Grams, to attempt to vote on cleo
ton day.
Percy Greene, Editor and Pub
Usher of the Jackson Advocate,
was the second witness and told
of incidents of violence which had
come to his attention on election
day, and of there being many
places in Hind sCounty and in
the state where Negroes were
not only refused the right to vote
on election day, but where they
dare not even attempt to register.
The surprise witness was Etoy
Fletcher, a Negro veteran who was
beaten at Brandon in Rankin
County during the campaign, by
group of white men after he
had tried to register at the coun-
ty court house. Fletcher told
how he was taken to the woods
by the group of white men and
beaten with wire cable, after
being told that Negroes were not
allowed to vote in Mississippi A
white doctor, DR.. Metaranga of
Jackson, whoclaimed that he ex-
amined Fletcher in Jackson on the
day that he was beaten, and who
claimed that Fletcher told him
that he was beatened by group
of Negroes, has been found to be
only a foot doctor. Fletcher's
where abouts had been a secret
to all but the local chapter of the
AVG since the incident took place.
Witness after witness testified
the same affect regarding the
campaign as the hearing went
through its first day. Senator Ell
lender, Chairman of the commit
tee, said at the end of the day
that although he hoped to be
through by Saturday he was ready
to stay here until Christmas in
order to give any and all witnesses
an opportunity to testify.
At the opening of the hearing
the committee announced that no
hearings would be held at Hat
tiesburg and Grenada as original
ly planned.
Latest developments during the
day was the reports current that
county and state election officials
s. Continued on page 81