Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-26

~ leu 70 tkOoUtc.
But since then. the Indian
lived in peace.
Until two weeks ago. that Is.
Then two crosses were burned
outside Indian homes.
That led to trouble. too. The
Indians swooped down on q Ku
.Klux Khan meeting In an aban-
Adoned cornfield q week ago and
sent the white-rohed Klansmen
scattering.
Today. tension still grips this
small farming area In the
southern part Of the State. not
far from the South Carolina
border.
The Indians have returned TO
their usual pursuits. but they
are restless and edgy In the
face Of reported new xxx rail-
lies and threatened reprisals.
So are other groups In this land
Of four-way segregation,
Wild rumors feed the fame.
One report from South Caro-
lima. not confirmed. was that
Klansmen were being sum-
moned from throughout the
South for another rally at Max
ton with possibly $4,000 In at
tendance.
There was another report
that a group Of men with South
Carolina license plates drove
up to the modern all-lndian
high school In nearby Pembroke
and entered the building. The
report proved baseless. but the
building was searched thor
oughly for dynamite.
Pembroke n the center Of the
old Indian colony, whose origin
Is shrouded in mystery and ro-
nance. probably going back to
the early Roanoke colony Of Sir
Walter Raleigh.
Crosses Burned
The trouble started on Mon
day. January Is. That night.
Klansrnen burned o cross on
the outskirts Of st. Pauls. in
front Of the home Of an Indian
woman who the Khan said was
going with Q white man.
Another cross was burned q
few miles away. where an In
dian family had moved into q
white neighborhood in the
county seat Of Lumberton.
Robson County has about co.
900 whites, $1,000 Indians. as
900 Negroes and 5000 smilings.
still another dark skinned
group.
The Khan next called Q rally
for Saturday night. In . corn
field near here. Sheriff NAL
colin Mcleod warned against
1t. saying he lacked manpower
TO put down q riot n one should
occur.
The KIansmen ignored the
warning. Some so or rs Of
them. by their own estimates.
gathered IN the open field.
Many carried shotguna rides
and pistols.
As they assembled under O
single electric light. armed In
dams gathered along the high
way. The sheriff estimated
their number at 1000.
! 1--WE only wanted 70 scare
them said simeon oxendins,
son Of pelnbroke's Indian may
or. Mr.. oxendtne captured .
huge white banner with the
sletters xxx splashed across Il
the only spoils Of the brief
skirmish.
The Rev. James William
Cole. O preacher from Marion.
s. c.. and self-styled Grand
Wizard Of the North Carolina
xxx. says he escaped by
reaching the highway and
catching q ride with q friend.
He was driven the IS miles
home. Other friends took care
Of his wife and two small chill
dren. who also were at the
scene.
Everybody was looking for
the Rev. Cole" he said after
ward. Il have no fight with the
Indians"
Cole. 80. O gaunt. goateed
former carnival pitchman and
hack driver. Is accused Of in
citing TO riot. So Is James Gar
land Martin Of Reidsville, N. c.
The trial Ii set for next
Wednesday. Cole Is fighting ex-
tradition from his South Caro-
lima home. contending his life
- in danger.
Martin, q tobacco plant
worker, was fined $50. plus
court costs and given q 60-day
suspended sentence by an In
dian Judge here this week. on
charges Of drunkenness and
carrying weapons. He testified
that Klansmen were ordered TO
come to the rally armed.
Sheriff Mcleod said rela-
tons between the Indians and
whites had gone unrufiied for
decades before the xxx Incl
dent. Although attending seq
regated schools. they had lived
and worked-and often wor-