Arkansas State press. [volume] (Little Rock, Ark.) 1941-1959, 1946-08-09

ing Of negro IN MISSISSIPPI. the
binding Of a veteran in South
Carolina, and numerous other
similar incidents which have ee-
CURED recently,
Here, again, we have a fragrant
example of bestiality where a
member of the National Mari
time Union, ClO is the victim,
equalling, and in many cases sur
passing, those acts of terror and
horror performed by the fascists
during the war. Only in many
of these cases officers of Just
ice, whose salaries are supplied
by the victims are the aggressors.
The statement following is self
explanatory.
By John w. Terry
On Saturday, July Goth, around
p. m, on the bus coming from
Galveston to Beaumont, Texas,
there were about IA members of
the crew of the S S ATTLEBORO,
Negro and white, Puerto Rican,
etc, all seated.
l was sitting beside Brother
Harvey Ratzer and the bus driver
told me that l would have to get
up.
asked him whether or not the
bus was an interstate bus. He
informed me it was not an inter
state bus, only running in the
state of Texas. told him that
in that case, | would stand up be-
cause | did not want to break any
laws of the state.
When we arrived in Beaumont,
there were 3 officers waiting for
US. After searching all of us,
they told me | could go. | went
to the information desk to in
quire about the next bus out,
when | was again approached by
one of the officers and told he
was not through with me yet,
| was taken back to the driver
Of the bus and the officer asked
him, Is this the fellow that was
giving you trouble?" | explained
to the officer that | did not give
the driver an argument. | merely
asked him whether it was an
interstate bus, | got as far as
interstate bus" and the officer
started throwing punches. In
stinctively started fighting back,
and the other officer started lend
ing hand. In the melee that
ensued, the gun of one of the
officers fell out, and he got hold
of it and pointed it at me.
put up my hands and stood
there, while the other officer
proceeded to work me over. One
of the officers said, Lets put
him in the car, because the rest
of those niggers may be back. "
So they put me in the car and
took me over to the police station
IN Beaumont. Then they both
got out, took out two pieces of
iron pipe and started beating me
with the pipe while was in the
Car.
After that they took me in to
book me. Some fellow looked as
IT he was attached to the police
station was there, and he asked
what charges they were holding
me on. They told him, He had
the nerve to ask whether this
was an interstate bus" and this
| fellow from the police station
said, "Oh, he did," and he took a
kick at me.
Then they took my money,
which amounted to about $500,
and put 1t in an envelope. The
officer started telling the clerk
my name and address, SO l gave
my address as New York City.
Every time | would say New
York, the officer would hit me
with the pipe, and then would
ask me, Where are you FROM"
and proceed to hit me again. AT
ter hitting me four or five times,
he asked me again, and | told
him, What is the use of me tell
ing you where / am from? You
only want an excuse to hit me
again"
Then ! was taken up above
and thrown into a cell. | spent
the night there, and the follow