St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1958-12-19
Rights Commission
Hears Testimony
On Vote Denial

lNAANhNhahAANtAas
Vice Chairman Robert G. stor
ey, dean Of the Southern Methods
University Law School. was de.
aignated by the Commission a,
law officer" TO conduct the hear,
ing. After he finished questioning
each witness other Commissioner,
had the privilege Of asking add.
tional questions Mr.. wilkins was
the most active In this.
He was aided by his law assist
ant on the staff Eugene Jackson,
who was present for the hearing
He had done much Of the research
and assembled the facts on which
some OF Mr.. wilkins questions
were based
The evidence began with the
lengthy examination Of William r.
Mitchell. 40, who IL employed by
the Veterans Administration Hos
pitai at Tuskegec Institute.
As secretary OF the Tuskegee
Civic Association. Mr. Mitchell has
been a major factor in stimulating
interest in voting and registration
in the Tiskegee community He
was registered about ten years ago
after he brought suit in Federal
court against the board OF regist-
rars. The case went 10 the su-
preme Court.
The hearing was ollmaxed by
the testimony Of Aaron Sellers,
a Bullock County farmer who has
tried unnecessarily six times 10
register: Owner Of a 240-acre
farm, he ia married and father Of
two children
He graduated from the county
high school and studied two sum
mers at Tuslegee Institute. lie
first sought to register In 1854
when he and five other Negroes
were refused application blanks.
They were told by registrar,
Were quite busy today; come
back tomorrow with voucher"
Mr.. Sellers testified.
Alabama requires applicants to
be vouched for by at least one
registered voter, There are only
four Negroes registered in the en-
tire county. Whites win not vouch
for Negroes, Mr. Sellers stated
Next day they returned with
one Of the four Negro voters but
after waiting considerable time,
they were approached by a white
man who asked, What's your
trouble ?" They told him they were
there 10 register.
"You-ail are already citizens"
they were told. Mr., Sellers testi-
fled III were you I'd 40 on home
and forget about voting"
They did not leave. Presently
the man returned with a small
mob" OF white people and shout
cd at them, II though / told you
20 get the hell out n herel" Mr.,
Sellers said he and the others then
left.
Undismayed, he returned the
next registration day, two weeks
later with still more colored APP
pHcants and a voucher" The
office had been moved and no one
would tell them where the new
location was, Mr. Sellers stated
But the would-be voters stayed
around until lunch time and fol-
lowed one Of the registrars they
knew back to the new office But
then they were told by the regis
trar that he was all alone that
day and could not act ON their APP
plications. Two registrars are re-
quircd by Alabama law to approve
them.
Their patience wearing thin, Mr..
Sellers and three others OF the
group engaged lawyer who filed
class suit In their behalf to force
the board to register qualified Ne
groea
A decree was issued ordering
the board to register qualified Ne
Eroes, but when Mr.. Sellers re-
turned the next registration day
with 30 or 10 colored applicants
the office had been moved again
and they could not find a.
The editor Of the local news
paper came into the street, Mr..
sellers said 10 tell them that the
entire board Of registrars had re-
signed. There were no registrars
functioning In Bullock County for
the next year and a half,
Mr.. Sellers tried again In 1888
after new board started ninc-
tloning. He was given an applica-
ton blank which he filled out, and
was told he would hear from the
board. He never did The same
thing happened again In 1887
when he made two more efforts
10 register,
The last time, In october Of that
year. the board had moved again
and he was unable to locate the
office.
Former Florida Governor Doyle
n. Carlton obviously remember
ing the excuse given by Alabama
= officials for refusing to obey their
! subpocnRs that they are judicial
officers OF the state not subject
10 questioning by a Federal agen-
cy in the executive branch OF the
government, asked Mr. Sellers