St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1951-08-10

and attacked physically Pvt.
Clifford f. Rucker of the Gov
ernor's Interracial Commission
made an investigation of the sit
uation, Immediately reports were
carried in the daily papers.
The papers reported that n Ne
gro Air Force soldier was involved
but did not report that the Incl
dent was caused when white Air
Force comrades Of the Negro re-
scented the insults which the white
civilian had hurled at their buddy.
Rucker reported that the
trouble began in the Wahpeton
VIEW club on July 20, while Dud-
ley and other Air Force men were
in the club. Shebeck was with a
party of four He persisted in
hurting insulting remarks regard
ing the presence of the Negro
service man in the club. Dudley
and his friends ignored the re-
marks,
Negro Alrman Assaulted
When Dudley left the club,
Shebeck and a companion drove
up alongside him, and hemmed
him between two cars. Shebeck
repeated that he was talking
about the tan soldier. and struck
him. Dudley obtained the license
number OF the Shebeck car. He
returned 10 the Air Force school
but did not report the matter to
his superior officers.
The next night, Saturday, July
81. in breckenridge, Dudley and
three white fellow Air Force men
recognized the Shebeck car In
front Of Jacks Bar.
Shebeck was not in the bar but
his brother Paul was and the four
soldiers questioned him about the
Friday night affair. The bar own
er, sensing trouble, called the po-
lice who arrived just in time TO
avert n fight.
Tralnees Return To Fray
The four soldiers left the bar,
returned to the school, but came
back to the bar accompanied by
over 100 other trainees, the ma
tority Of them whites since only
20 Negro youths are at the school.
Sheriff Called, Locks Bar
Sheriff Harry Matheson was
called and he locked the bar and
all persons In 1t. A large crowd
gathered before the place and
Captain Clarence w. Doerschug of
the school was summoned. He or
dered all of the servicemen back
to the school.
AIrmen Punished
All airmen were confined to the
school over the weekend and the
four involved in the fracas at the
bar were disciplined.
Sheriff Matheson told the daily
press ne wanted the boys prosecu-
ted for disorderly conduct in civil
court. Military authorities said
they consider the matter closed.
Matheson said the airmen had
been drinking. Military authoi-
ties said this was not true.
Sheriff Calls Soldier Smokey"
The airmen testified that Sher-
if Matheson himself was guilty
of anti-racial conduct, They testi-
fled Matheson had called the Ne
gro airman Smokey. Matheson
admitted to Rucker that he had
used the term and said he recog-
nized that ii was an indiscretion
upon his part.
The report does not show that
Irwin Shebeck. the civilian who
precipitated the throuble had been
approached by the authorities.
Mayor Adams of Breckenridge is
reported to have said that Breck-
inridge business men and citizens
had reproached Shebeck for his
conduct twoard the Negro soldier.
Further conferences are scheduled
with Shebeck by Breckenridge
citizens, Fuckers report said
No Prosecution Planned
II is indicated that no prosecu-
ton is planned and that as far as
the Air Forces is concerned, the
matter is closed. Town officials
of both wahpeton and Breckin-
ridge indicated every effort win
be made to prevent an occurrence
of similar nature.
Mr.. Rucker made his report to
Governor Luther Youngdahl on
Friday, August 8.