HEARNGS BEFORE THE UNTED STATES m.s. COMMSSON ON CVL RGHTS^ Generted on 2015-06-25 01:50 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google HEARNGS HELD N NEW ORLEANS, LOUSANA September 27, 1960 September 28, 1960 My 5, 1961 My 6, 1961 UNTED STATES GOVERNMENT PRNTNG OFFCE WASHNGTON : 1961
MEMBERS OF THE COMMSSON JOHN A. HANNAH, Chirmn REV. THEODORE M. HESBURGH, ROBERT G. STOREY, Vice Chirmn GEORGE M. JOHNSON DOYLE E. CARLTON ROBERT S. RANKN Stff Director, GORDON M. TFFANY Deputy Stff Director, BERL. BERNHARD Generted on 2015-06-25 01:53 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google
DEPOSTS dy THE MED STATES OF AMERCA 3^v new CONTENTS Generted on 2015-06-25 01:53 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google Sessions: Pc* First: September 27, 1960, morning session 3 Second: September 27, 1960, fternoon session 69 Third: September 28, 1960, morning session.. 141 Fourth: My 5, 1961, morning session 193 Fifth: My 5, 1961, fternoon session 265 Sixth: My 6, 1961, morning session 353 Testimony of persons herd by order of ppernce : Rev. John Henry Scott, Est Crroll Prish 16 Frncis Joseph Atls, Est Crroll Prish 24, 387 Rev. Willim J. Nel, Mdison Prish 27 Jmes Shrp, Jr., Ouch Prish 33 Rev. Philip R. Brown, Ouch Prish 39 Frederic Dougls Lewis, Cliborne Prish 44 Oth Tillmn Lewis, Cliborne Prish 49 Dr. Cuthbert O. Simpkins, Cddo Prish 54 Miss Dorothy Louise Jckson, Cddo Prish 59 Rev. Hrry Blke, Cddo Prish 62 Dr. John. Reddix, Ouch Prish 69 Murice H. Crroll, Ouch Prish 80 Henry Lne Wfer, Cliborne Prish 86 Henry Jmes Kimp, Jckson Prish.. 91 Miss Drlene McCrter, Jckson Prish 94 Percy Murphy Griffin, Plquemines Prish 96 Mrs. Elizbeth Tylor, Plquemines Prish 102 Leo Tylor, Plquemines Prish 105 Joseph [Crl] Tylor, Plquemines Prish 107,261 Eddie V. Morgn, Webster Prish 110 Joe Kirk, Webster Prish 113 Richrd Lee Bell, Webster Prish 116 Mrs. Willie Me Allums, Webster Prish 119 Tom Turner, Red River Prish 121 Mrs. Eliz Lewis Presley, Cliborne Prish._ 123 Mre. Mrih Turner, Red River Prish 125 Elmo Willims, Red River Prish 127 Ernest N. Frncis, Jr., Jckson Prish 130 Jewel Wde, Jckson Prish 134 Mrs. Hester Willims, Bossier Prish 135 Eugene Willims, Bossier Prish 138 Ellis D. Howrd, St. Helen Prish 152 Mrs. Minnie Lee Stewrt, St. Helen Prish 159 Oscr L. Hll, St. Helen Prish 161 Mr. Clrence Lloyd Knighton, St. Helen Prish 165 Hon. Henry J. Roberts, Assistnt Attorney Generl Stte of Louisi n, reding the sttement of the Hon. Jck P. F. Gremillion, Attorney Generl, Stte of Louisin... 202 m
422 COMMSSON ON CTVL BGHTS Record reference ApfMU* in Generted on 2015-06-25 01:33 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google 66. Exhib W-7. Sttement of Mr. Albin Lsser. 295 745 66. Exhib W-8. Sttement of Mrs. Me Lucky 353 747 67. Exhib W-9. Sttement of Mrs. Me Morin 353 748 68. Exhib W-10. Sttement of Attorney Generl Jck P. F. Gremillion. 202 749 69. Exhib W-ll. Sttement of Mr. John A. Richrdson 380 752 70. Exhib W-12. Sttement of Mr. C. E. Hester 403 754 71. Exhib W-13. Sttement of Mr. Hrvey D. Tesley. 380 755 72. Exhib W-14. Sttement of Mr. Thompson L. Clrke 403 759 73. Exhib W-15. Sttement of Mr. Lender H. Perez 254 764 74. Exhib W-16. Sttement of Miss Mry Ethel Fox... 209, 317 772 76. Exhib W-17. Letter from the Deprtment of Justice to Attorney Generl Jck P. F. Gremillion 294 789 76. Exhib W-18. Decree in Reddix v. Lucky (U.8.D.C. for West. District of L. 1961) 295 789 77. Exhib X. New York Times rticle nnouncing the result of the St. Helen locl option election concerning the closing of public schools 318 790 78. Exhib X-l. Per Curim decision in St. Helen School de segregtion cse 318 791 79. Exhib X- 2. Hndbill pssed out for public meeting on St. Helen schools.. 323 791 80. Exhib X-3. List of plintiffs in school desegregtion su, tht ws circulted in St. Helen Prish 323 792 81. Exhib Y-l. Telegrm from Mr. Albin Lsser, District Attorney, Fourth Judicil District, to Chirmn John Hnnh, September 28, 1960 353 793 82. Exhib Z. Mr. Frncis J. Atls's ffidv filed in the cse of U.S. v. Del, et l 387 793 83. Exhib Z-l. Stipultion in the cse of U.S. v. Del, et l... 387 799 84. Exhib Z-2. Letter from the Deprtment of Justice to Chirmn John Hnnh, Re: Stipultion U.S. v. Del, et l. 387 800 86. Exhibs AA1-25. Constutionl test crds wh suggested nswers from Plquemines Prish 317 802 86. Exhib AA-26. Addionl sttement of Miss Mry Ethel Fox... 317 828 87. Exhib AA-27. Sttement from Ntionl Associon for the Advncement of Colored People 415 829 88. Exhibs AA-28-33. Smple registrtion crds (LR-1) from Cddo Prish 361 831 89. Exhib AA-34. "Resonble Procedure for Registrtion of Voters, Method of Estblishing Personl denty nd Resi dence Eligibily" 359 843 90. Exhib AA-35. "Summry Sheets Civil Rights Commis ' sion Registrr of Voters' (Cddo Prish) 363 843 91. Exhib AA-36. "Registrr Policy nd Procedure" (Cddo Prish).. 363 845 92. Exhib A A-37. Sttement of Mrs. Lnnie L. Linton 386 845 93. Exhib AA-38. LR-1 Form filed by Mr. Tom Turner 411 847 94. Exhib AA-39. Memorndum by Mr. U. Chrles Mchell, "Bckground of Office Procedure from October 1, 1958, through December 31, 1960" 364 848
24 COMMSSON ON CVL RGHTS Generted on 2015-06-25 01:29 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google to give will be the truth, the whole truth, nd nothing but the so help you God? Mr. Atls. do. Vice Chirmn Storey. Hve this set over here, plese, Mr. TESTMONY OF FRANCS JOSEPH ATLAS, EAST CARROLL P Vice Chirmn Storey. Will you plese give your full where you live, your ge, nd your occuption? Mr. Atls. m Frncis Joseph Atls. My ge is 55 ye live in Est Crroll Prish, Lke Providence, L., nd frmer. Vice Chirmn Storey. How long hve you been frming? Mr. Atls. Well, bout 15 or 20 yers. Vice Chirmn Storey. Hve you lived in tht prish ll o. life, or not? Mr. Atls. Wh the exception of some few yers spent in s Vice Chirmn Storey. Some 3 or 4 yers? Mr. Atls. Tht's right. Vice Chirmn Storey. Other thn tht, you hve lived there your life? Mr. Atls. All of my life. Vice Chirmn Storey. Wht eduction do you hve? Mr. Atls. Well, finished the school t tht time known Est Crroll Bptist School, nd went to Tuskegee. Tin finished trde in brickmson plster. Vice Chirmn Storey. Tht is Tuskegee nstute t Tusl Al.? Mr. Atls. Tht's right Vice Chirmn Storey. You completed tht course? Mr. Atls. Tht's right. Vice Chirmn Storey. How long did you spend in Tusl nstute? Mr. Atls. Three yers. Tht ws the yers ws bsent Lke Providence. Vice Chirmn Storey. Do you belong to ny frternl org tion, churches? f so, wht re they? Mr. Atls. m Mson ; belong to Progressive Missionry tist Church. m superintendent of tht Sundy School. Vice Chirmn Storey. Do you own your own frm? Mr. Atls. do. Vice Chirmn Storey. How big is? Mr. Atls. Well, my own frm is 65 cres, nd m heir tc cres. Vice Chirmn Storey. You own n utomobile or truck?
COMMSSON ON CVL BGHTS 25 Generted on 2015-06-25 01:30 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google Mr. Atls. do. Automobile. Vic Chirmn Stoket. Hve you ever been rrested in your life? Mr. Atls. No. Vice Chirmn Storey. Did you ever hve ny milry service? Mr. Atls. No more thn just registering to go to World Wr. Vice Chirmn Storey. Registered Mr. Atls. registered in World Wr. Vice Chirmn Storey. And were not clled? Mr. Atls. ws not. Vice Chirmn Storey. Are you registered voter! Mr. Atls. m not. Vice Chirmn Storey. Hve you ever mde ny ttempt to register! Mr. Atls. hve. Vice Chirmn Storey. When ws the first time, nd tell us the circumstnces. Mr. Atls. Well s ner s cn recll, the first time we mde n effort to register ws when the primry cse ws broken in Texs nd we went before the officils wht gve Negroes the right to pr ticipte in whe primries we went to the officils of the town nd questioned them bout tht, nd they refused us. Vice Chirmn Storey. Do you remember bout wht yer tht ws? Mr. Atls. Well, s ner s cn recll, ws in 1948. Vice Chirmn Storey. Well, did they give you ny reson for not letting you register? Mr. Atls. Well, would consider them rndom. Vice Chirmn Storey. You men not stisfctory! Mr. Atls. Tht's right. Vice Chirmn Storey. Did you ever mke ny further ttempt to register! Mr. Atls. did. Vice Chirmn Storey. When? Mr. Atls. As recll, believe in 1950, we went to the regis trtion office, nd pplied for registrtion crd, nd the ldy gve to me, nd filled out s best knew how, nd she looked t nd sid ws incorrect. So s recll Vice Chirmn Storey. n wht respect; did she sy? Mr. Atls. She did not tell me wht. Vice Chirmn Storey. All right. Mr. Atls. So hd to leve; so cme bck on nother occsion; wht distnce tht ws prt, don't recll. Vice Chirmn Storey. Well, bout how long ; yer or two?
26 COMMSSON ON CVL RGHTS Generted on 2015-06-25 01:30 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google Mr. Atls. No; wsn't yer; ws right round mont' mybe 2 months. Vice Chirmn Storey. Wht hppened then? Mr. Atls. filled the crd correctly, nd she told me to get t electors to identify me. Vice Chirmn Storey. Did you mke n effort Mr. Atls. So, mde n effort. contcted some thought my friends, one mn hd been doing business wh Vice Chirmn Storey. Whe or colored? Mr. Atls. No colored is registered there, so hd no ground- Vice Chirmn Storey. Did they require tht you get regisfr voter to identify you? Mr. Atls. Tht's right. So they told me, one told me, poli nd he didn't wnt to hve nything to do wh. And the o one sy, "Well, the posion hold, couldn't hve nything t< wh." Vice Chirmn Storey. Did the registrr know you personlly Mr. Atls. Well, now, relly don't feel sfe in sying tht know me personlly. Vice Chirmn Storey. But you went bck to see her two or tl times, did you? Mr. Atls. did. Two times. Vice Chirmn Storey. Did you hve ny trouble identifying y( self to the bnk or stores or nybody else in your prish? Mr. Atls. Not tht cn recll. Vice Chirmn Storey. Then when is the next time you went b Mr. Atls. Well, didn't go bck ny more. Vice Chirmn Storey. Didn't go bck ny more. Hve you e filed su or mde ny further efforts wh ny other group? Mr. Atls. Well, ws wh the group tht did file su in 1 don't remember the exct or wht yer ws. Vice Chirmn Storey. Ws tht the one Reverend Scott testi: bout? Mr. Atls. Tht's right. Vice Chirmn Storey. You were prty to tht su? Mr. Atls. ws prt of tht su. Vice Chirmn Storey. Hve you been bck this yer? Mr. Atls. Well, ws wh the group, but didn't go before registrr of voters becuse hd met so mny of them, nd they t me the results nd didn't see where ws necessry. Vice Chirmn Storey. You sy you were wh the group. ws tht? A group when? Mr. Atls. Tht ws this lst July ; July 25. Vice Chirmn Storey. July this yer? Wl
COMMSSON ON CVL RGHTS 27 Generted on 2015-06-25 01:29 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google Mr. Atls. Tht's right. Vice Chirmn Storet. About how mny went? Mr. Atls. About 21, s recll. Vice Chirmn Stokbt. You found out tht some of them couldn't register? Mr. Atls. Tht's right. Vice Chirmn Storey. Did ny of them register? Mr. Atls. No, not one. Vice Chirmn Storet. And when cme to your turn, you just gve up, did you? Mr. Atls. didn't feel like ws necessry. Vice Chirmn Storey. Any questions from the Commission? Fther Hesburgh? Commissioner Hesburgh. Mr. Atls, did you hve difficulty regis tering for the Army? Mr. Atls. No; did not. Commissioner Hesburgh. Thnk you. Vice Chirmn Storey. Any other questions? Why do you wnt to vote, Mr. Atls? Mr. Atls. m txpyer. wnt voice in the government in which live. feel tht is my constutionl right, nd just feel like is my responsibily s cizen to tke whtever if cn shre s txpyer nd other resons, think should vote. Vice Chirmn Storey. Well, thnk you. Any other questions? f not, you my be excused. Colonel Rosenfeld. The next wness is the Reverend Willim J. Nel, of Mdison Prish. Vice Chirmn Storey. Come round, Reverend Nel. Will you hold up your right hnd? Do you solemnly swer or ffirm tht the testimony you re bout to give will be the truth, the whole truth, nd nothing but the truth, so help you God? Reverend Nel. do. Vice Chirmn Storey. Will you hve set over there, plese? TESTMONY OF WLLAM J. NEAL, MADSON PARSH Vice Chirmn Storey. Mr. Bernhrd, do you wnt to identify this prish? Mr. Berxhrd. Yes. This prish is Mdison Prish. t is directly below Est Crroll Prish, the prish in which the prior wness resides. You will observe tht in this prish Negro cizens ge 21 nd over mount to 5,933. There re none registered. The percentge is therefore zero. The whe ge 21 nd over re 3,160; 2,633 re registered, nd the percentge of the whe registrtion is therefore 83.3 percent.
COMMSSON ON CVL RGHTS 387 Generted on 2015-06-25 01:31 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google Vice Chirmn Storey. Which prish? Mr. Bernhkd. Cddo Prish. Vice Chirmn Storey. All right. Any wnesses from Cddo Prish re excused. Mr. Bern-hrd. f the Commission plese, would like to sk Mr. sbell to mke short stff sttement regrding Est Crroll Prish. Vice Chirmn Storey. All right. This is Est Crroll, Mr. sbell, believe, you re deling wh. Mr. sbell. Yes, sir. would like to put on the record the fct tht the Commission, when scheduled this hering, subpened the Registrr of Est Crroll Prish. However, on April 28 the U.S. Deprtment of Justice filed su wh respect to voting irregulries in tht prish. On tht dte, pursunt to Commission direction, the Registrr of tht prish ws relesed from subpen. There will be no testimony s to tht prish. would, however, like to put in the record certin documents pertining to Frncis Joseph Atls, who ws wness in the Com mission's hering in September. After Mr. Atls hd testified he informed the Commission tht he ws being subjected to, in effect, n economic boycott. As result of these complints su ws filed by the U.S. Deprtment of Justice on his behlf, nd tht su re sulted in stipultion by which the defendnts therein greed to cese the ctivies complined of. t is our understnding tht since tht time there hs been no further difficulty long this line. would like to identify s exhibs in this connection: Exhib Z, ffidv submted by Mr. Atls in support of complint in tht proceeding; s Exhib Z-l, copy of the stipultion in tht proceeding to which hve referred; s Exhib Z-2, letter to Dr. Hnnh from the Acting Assistnt Attorney Generl of the Civil Rights Division ex plining wht hppened in tht su. Vice Chirmn Storey. You offer ll those in evidence s prt of the record Mr. sbell. do, sir. Vice Chirmn Storey. And they re ll in connection wh the proceedings? Mr. sbell. They re ll in connection wh the Atls cse; yes, sir. (The documents referred to were mrked for identifiction nd received in evidence s Exhibs Z, Z-l, nd Z-2, nd re reproduced in the ppendix.) Vice Chirmn Storey. Mr. District Attorney. Mr. Clrke. Yes. f Your Honor plese, my nme is Thompson Clrke. m District Attorney of the Sixth District. One of the prishes whin the district is Est Crroll Prish. notice tht counsel for the Commission hs introduced stipultions wh reference to the settlement of the controversy tht grew out of this Atls
COMMSSON ON CVL RGHTS 793 Exhib Y-l eleoru From Mb. Albin P. Lsseb, District Attorney, Fourth Judicil District, to Chirmn John Hnnh, September 28, 1960 Monroe, L., September 28, 1960. on. John A. Hnnh, Kirmn, Commtee on Civil Rights : Your public reltions mn complined to news medi tht Louisin would ot cooperte, cusing expendure of thousnds of dollrs. Testimony reference tuch Prish is vilble through FB investigtion nd report to U.S. Atorney Generl since 1956, nd through reported Federl cses vilble every wyer. See Hnnh v. Lrchc, U.S. Supreme Court No. 549; nd Reddix v..ucky. No. 16688 U.S. Court of Appels, New Orlens, nd Shrp v. Lucky, No. 6687 nd No. 17571 of sme court ; nd U.S. v. Lucky, No. M7971 pending U.S. District Court, Shreveport. Reddix, his wife, nd Crroll chllenged long wh >,938 other negroes nd 6,778 whe voters. Crroll nd wife of Reddix i nswered nd were restored nd re voters. Reddix hs consistently refused for yers to reregister on theory grievnce is greter right thn privilege to vote, iven ginst dvice of his own lwyers, nd now of your commission. Rev. Phillip R. Brown only one time ppered registrr's office bout 2 weeks go nd refused to prove 1-yer residence s required by lw. Suggest entire record be referred to U.S. ttorney for possible perjury chrges nd Reddix for contempt U.S. judiciry, ll in ccord wh tle V, section H, 960 Civil Rights Act. Further suggest tht President Eisenhower would not be impressed by wness or wnesses fter hering Khrushchev, Cstro nd Lumumb. Albin P. Lsser, District Attorney. Exhib Z Generted on 2015-06-25 01:41 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google Me. Frncis J. Atls' Affidv Filed in the Cse of U.S. v. Del, et, l. Stte of Louisin, Prish of : On this dy of Jnury, 1961 Frncis Joseph Atls, being first duly sworn, sys s follows : My nme is Frncis Joseph Atls. live on sixty-five cre frm which own in Est Crroll Prish, Louisin. m fifty-six yers old. hve lived in Est Crroll Prish ll of my life. m mrried. My wife nd hve rised twelve children, seven boys nd five girls. Three of our children re school techers ; two of the boys re in the rmy : Susie is nurse in Chicgo ; Frncis Joseph. Jr., works for the trns compny in Chicgo : three of the younger children re in college, two t Grmbling nd one t Tennessee Stte A & ; one of the girls is t home ; nd our youngest child Willie Jmes, ge fifteen, is going to Griffin High School in Lke Providence. Two grnd-children re lso living wh us. hve three yers of High School eduction t Tuskegee nstute in Tuskegee, Albm where lerned the trde of plstery nd brick msonry. After finished High School, cme bck to my dddy's frm in Est Crroll Prish nd heli>ed him. His nme ws Louis Brdford Atls, nd he owned one hundred nd eleven cres of frm lnd in Est Crroll Prish. Since then hve worked s frmer. When my dddy becme ill in 1958, took over the opertion of his frm. My dddy died n July 1958, nd only own one-eighth of the frm. The rest belong to my brothers nd sisters. m member of the Progressive Bptist Church in Lke Providence. hve been decon for thirty yers, superintendent of the Sundy School for twenty yers nd tresurer of the Church for the pst two or three yers. m lso member of the Prent Techer's Associon of our school in Lke Providence. ws President of the Prent Techer's Associon for bout four yers. believe tht the lst yer cted s President ws in 1951. My wife nd re proud of the eduction tht we hve given our children. Five of our children hve college degrees, three re working towrd college degrees, two re in the rmy nd one is n high school. Except for one trffic ticket hve never been rrested.
794 COMMSSON ON CVL RGHTS Generted on 2015-06-25 01:41 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google My frming business consists of rising cotton, soy bens, smll grin nd cttle. We bought the sixty-five cre frm in 1942 for $4,580.00. t ws purchsed under the Bnkhed-Jones Tennt Purchse Act. The frm hs electricy, running wter nd lst fll we borrowed severl thousnd dollrs from :t- Frm Home Administrtion to repir nd remodel the house ncluding instllisj of n inside bthroom. The frm is locted in the N% of the NV4 of Section 4S- Township 21, X. Rnge 12 Est, Est Crroll Prish nd is bout five miles wex of Lke Providence. t lies next to the one hundred nd eleven cres owned my dddy. lso rent forty cres of ground from Them on Prnell for csh rent of $300.00. n 1960 the frm crried cotton llotment of fifty-one cres on Pln A operte my frm wh mchinery. The frm mchinery consists of two John Deere A trctors, triler, three row middle buster, two row mldd> buster, two two row cultivting rigs, two two row plnting rigs, fertilier spreder, grin drill, two disc hrrows, hrrow, soil pulveriser nd n eight row poison mchine. lso own 1952 Chevrolet. n 1959 grossed bout $10,400.00 from the frm. About $7,300.00 of this ncome ws from the sle of cotton :$1,900.00 from the sle of soy bens. For the pst severl yers hve crried most of my cotton to the Olivedell Gin which is locted bout two miles from my frm. There the cotton is ginned. The gin tickets which received from the Olivedell Gin in 1959 for 39 bles of cotton re ttched nd mrked s Exhib 1. After is ginned, the ginner huls the cotton to the Federl Wrehouse in Lke Providence. The cotton then sold from the wrehouse. As for the soy bens, they re hrvested s follows :ech fll contrct wh the owners of combine to combine the bens for percentge of the sle price of the bens. After the bens re combined, they re huled to the grin elevtor where they re weighed, nd grded nd sold. hve been selling my bens to the Terrl-Norris Seed Compny. nc, Lke Providence or to Wrren nd Coody Grin Compny in Lke Providence, The sles slips for my 1959 ben crop re ttched nd mrked s Exhibnd m not registered to vote nd since m not registered cnnot vote in ny federl election. first tried to register bout 1948. Certin Negroes in Est Crroll Prish orgnized Voters Legue. served s Secretry of tht orgniztion. As Secretry ws member of commtee tht met wh the then Sheriff of Est Crroll, Mr. Mc Long to see bout registering, but we did not get nywhere. Severl yers lter group of us went to see the Registrr Mrs. Berd. We told her tht we would like to fill out crd to qulify to vote. Mrs. Berd gve me crd nd fter severl ttempts on different dys, filled out crd correctly. She then sked me to get two or three qulified electors to identify me. Since there were no Negro electors in Est Crroll Prish, hd to go to my whe friends but none of my whe friends felt tht they could fford to do. So didn't get registered. ltle lter, group of us filed lwsu in the Federl Court. The pur pose of this lwsu ws to try to be registered to vote. But the lwsu ws not successful nd still wsn't registered. n the summer of 1959, one of my neighbors sked me to come tomeeting t the church to see bout registering. went to the meeting nd two gentlemen from the Civil Rights Commission were there. They introduced themselves nd sid they wnted to tlk bout voting problems of Negroes in Est OrroU Prish. told them wht knew bout. At tht time ws subpoened to pper before the Civil Rights Commission t Shreveport. However, never went to Shreveport s received word tht the hering ws cncelled. Lst summer, ws sked to meeting of Negro cizens who were nterested in registering nd voting. The object of the meeting ws to see f ny one of us could register to vote. When got to the meeting some of the cizens hd Just returned from the Court House. t ws reported tht none ws llowed to register. On September 22 or September 23, 1960 received subpoen to pper before the Civil Rights Commission in New Orlens on September 27, 1960. As m in the frming business, most of my business is done wh whe people n Est Crroll Prish. No Negroes own gins or grin elevtors n the County, nd side from smll grocery stores, cfes nd filling sttions, no Negro is ctive in business in Est Crroll Prish lrge enough to tke cre of my frming needs or to dispose of my frm products. 2 A 3. fcj is
COMMSSON ON CVL RGHTS 795 Generted on 2015-06-25 01:42 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google The fll of the yer, before the crops re hrvested is the time of the yer lt owe the most money. n the fll of 1960 owed the Tllulh Producon Cred Associon round $6,000.00. lso owed the following mounts : Frm Home Administrtion pproximtely $6,500.00 Frmers Seed nd Feed Compny 580. 10 John Deere Compny 219.80 Plnter Butne Compny pproximtely 150. 00 Goodstein Furnure Compny pproximtely 83.00 Lke Providence Equipment Compny pproximtely 75.00 Texco nc. pproximtely 315.00 Olivedell Gin pproximtely 250.00 Miscellneous bills pproximtely 250.00 The lon from the Frm Home Administrtion ws secured by my frm. rm is pprised for $6,500 by the Frm Home Administrtion. This is ind pprisl s is less thn the mrket vlue. t does not tke into ccount he improvements we mde lst spring. The lon from the Production Cred ssocion ws secured by chttel mortgge on my cotton nd ben crop nd n ll the mchinery nd cttle (24 hed). The John Deere Compny debt rs for the unpid blnce on the grin drill. t ws lso secured wh bttel mortgge. The Frmer Seed nd Feed Store hd cut my cred off st spring becuse could not cler up the $580.10 indebtedness. So this 'er ll the supplies bought there were bought for csh wh the exception >f one ltle purchse in September, 1960 of poison for bout $36.00. On tht mrchse ws given thirty dys. The other business plces were not pushing me, lthough did get periodic lotices from them nd ws pying them wht could on these bills. On Sturdy, September 24, 1930 took triler lod of cotton to the Olivelell Gin which is bout two miles from my frm. When got there drove he wgon under the sucker nd the cotton ws ginned. While wed for the cotton to be ginned, tlked to Mr. Howrd Gtinger. le s the son-in-lw of Mr. Tib Mchiner who ownes the gin. We tlked bout he cotton crop. remember tht Mr. Gtinger sked me if would consider -enting eighty cres of lnd tht lies next to my plce. told him would ther buy thn rent. He sid ws not for sle, but he sid could rent t lor brgin. He sid the reson he didn't wnt to sell ws becuse there might >e oil on some dy. As hve sid, t tht time owed the Olivedell Gin >etween $200.00 nd $300.00. This ws mostly for some dching on the frm, rt ws lso for cotton seed nd ginning chrges. They hd been good bout :his. n 1959 hd signed note for the lrgest prt of, for the dching. They hd never pressed me on this, but usully sent me one or two notices per yer nd would see them nd explin to them my finncil condion. Mr. Grlttinger didn't sk me bout t this time. On September 27, 1960 went to New Orlens. ppered before the Civil Rights Commission nd testified s to my difficulties in ttempting to register for voting in Est Crroll Prish. returned home the following dy. know :ht my testimony received publicy s both the Monroe nd New Orlens pper hd report of. The next dy, September 28, in the evening Mr. John Gilbert who is Sher'ff in Est Crroll Prish cme to my house nd sked me to come out nd sked him to come on in. He cme up on the porch nd told me tht the ginners told him to tell me don't bring no more cotton to their gins. sked him why nd he sid "Civil Rights". sked him if ws violtion of the lw to crry t to their gins nd he sid no, nd neher is violtion of the lv.' for them not to gin. The sheriff went bck to the cr nd left. There were some one else in the cr, but couldn't recognize nyone. On the next morning, September 29, 1960 went over to the Olivedell Gin nd tlked to Mr. Mchiner nd Mr. Gtinger. told them wht the Sheriff hd told me nd Mr. Mchiner sid tht he hted s much s did, but he couldn't do nything bout. He sid h him like ton of bricks, but the ginners greed to. understood this to men the ginners in the Prish. He sked me if hd been subpoened to go to New Orlens nd told him hd nd we hd some further discussion bout the reltionship between the whe nd colored nd he remrked how instrumentl he hd been in keeping hrmony. He sid, your dddy Lou nd were good friends. He finlly sid if something could be worked out he would let me know. My
796 COMMSSON ON CVL RGHTS Generted on 2015-06-25 01:42 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google Lter tht dy or erly the next morning Mr. Gttinger cme over to my how nd told me don't bring ny cotton over to be ginned, he sid would embrns him if brought some over. sked him why, nd he sid "pressure". He id there hd been meetings held nd pressure hd built up so. sked him wto ws tht ws hving the meetings, but he didn't nswer. sked him wi'; his gin nd wht hs other people got to do wh t told him ws wonyij bout, nd he sid tht wsn't worth getting into such worrri; condion. He didn't hve no suggestions bout though. A few dys lter went to Mr. George Hider, who lso owns gin in Est Crroll. hve hd some cotton ginned there in the pst. He sid wht is nd told him tht the Sheriff hd sid not to bring ny cotton to the pes told him he hd sked me to gin some wh him this yer. He sid the ginners ssocion hd greed not to gin my cotton becuse hd done some thing, in his judgment, not in the best interest of the Prish nd tht from now on 'd hve to hustle for myself. sked him if he would her my side of the story, nd he sid to come bck tht night. went bck nd we tlked bout We tlked bout the condions in the Prish nd bout how long he hd bew doing business wh me. He could remember when huled cotton to his pi for my dddy when ws boy. He sid he would put before the grot nd tht he'd let Mr. Tip Mohiner hndle becuse he ws the most influentil mn n the Prish. He sid he'd let me know. After the weekend went hd to see him nd he told me tht ws, nd ws stuck wh hot potto. He sked me if hd been subpoened to go to New Orlens nd told him tht hd nd tht they hd pid my wy. A few dys lter bout October 14, 1960, took some cotton to the Olivette!. Gin. The gin wsn't running t tht time but Ernest Berd, colored employs of the gin, tgged the cotton. put under the shed nd then went home About n hour or so lter the deputy sheriffs, Mr. Clir Wrner nd Mr. Bi'.l Rglnd cme to my house nd clled me out. Mr. Wrner sid tht someone sid hd some cotton over t the gin. sid yes, hd crried over bout ble nd left to be ginned. He sid someone sid the gin ws not running sod for me to go over nd see bout the cotton. sid would go over to the pi nd sked Mr. Wrner if they hd sent him over here. He did not nswer went over to the gin nd tlked to Mr. Mchiner nd Mr. Gtlnger. Mr. Moh iner told me they couldn't gin my cotton. sked him f could let sty 'til morning becuse ws getting drk nd did not wnt my trctor on the rod t night becuse the lights were not working. They sid oky nd they would put wtchmn t the gin. lso sked them if they sent the deputies over nd they didn't nswer. They told me if Tllulh told them to gin t they would gin. The Tllulh Production Cred Associon holds chttel mortgge on my crops. They sid they would gin t under the nme of Production Cred. The next dy went over nd got the cotton nd crried down the rod to Mr. Hider's gin. Mr. Hider sid cn't gin tht cotton don't bring t here. sked him if could leve here so could cll Tllulh nd he sid no don't leve on the yrd. So brought home. On Sturdy, October 15, 1960, went over to Briggs Gin t Ok Grove n West Crroll Prish nd sked the mn who wres tickets f they ginned ny cotton from outside the Prish. He sid yes nd told him didn't hve wh me but would bring over. About tht, time nother mn who ppered to rn the gin cme up nd sked ifwnted to see him. sked him if they ginned cotton from out of the Prish nd he sid yes whose cotton is. told him "Atls" nd he sid oh no we won't gin tht. He sid we gin some people out of the Prish nd some we don't, so went on home. On bout October 18, 960 tlked to the owner of Hollybrook Gin which six miles south of Lke Providence on highwy 65, in Est Crroll Prish. Mr. Robert Amker. Mr. Amker told me he hd turned over mngement of the gin to nother mn but he understood they wouldn't gin :he sid tht some one hd clled him nd told him tht they could not gin my cotton. Lter tht dy went to the Tllulh Production Cred Associon nd told them my story. They red me my contrct nd sid tht under the onlj wy we cn come in is if you bndon the crop. sked them to give me Utile time so could see wht could do. Around the 27th of October. 1960, went to the Frmer's Seed nd Feed Store in Lke Providence wh purchse order from the ASC Office to buy some grss seed. The Government will py portion of the cost of the seed. However. Mr. Reed who is clerk in the store told me tht he hs orders not to hndle nd would hve to see Mr. Norris who is the mnger. t t, i i<
COMMSSON ON CVL RGHTS 797 Generted on 2015-06-25 01:43 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google the next dy returned to the Frmer's Seed nd Feed Store to see Mr. Norris. told him wht Mr. Reed sid. Mr. Norris sid yes, gve him rder. He sid, hve enough customers whout you. do not need your iess. would pprece if you don't come bck. sked him why, nd id " just don't need your business". sked him if tht went for the grin elevtor, nd he sid yes. The grin tor is the Terrl-Norris Seed Co. t Lke Providence. Mr. Norris owns of the elevtor. ter Mr. Norris told me he didn't wnt my business, he turned over my old nt of $580.10 to lwyer for collection. hve pid this mount in full nd ntter is settled except tht the lwyer sys still owe some 12 dollrs sts. ie John Deere Co. lso turned my ccount over to lwyer nd received r from their lwyer. hve settled this ccount. The compny ws sending collection letters lst summer. verl dys lter bout November 1, 1960 went to Shreveport, Louisin tlked to Mr. Wilson the Uned Sttes Attorney. He told me tht he rstood tht the Outpost Gin t Alsti, Est Crroll Prish, would gin my >n nd to go by nd check wh them. On November 2, 1960, drove over ie Outpost Gin which is locted bout 18 miles from my frm nd tlked ie mnger of the Outpost Gin nd told him who ws nd sked him if rould gin my cotton. He sid he ws public ginner nd would be gld to. He told me he hd hd good experience in working colored lbor. So owed truck from neighbor 18 miles is too fr for trctor nd triler the next dy November 3, 1960 hd four bles ginned t the Outpost Gin, hd two bles ginned on November 5, 1960. The mnger sked me t time why brought the cotton so fr nd told him there ws misunderding wh the ginners n Lke Providence nd couldn't get ginned e. He sked me how mny bles would hve nd told him twenty-five hirty nd he sid he'd be gld to gin. election dy took two more bles over to Outpost to be ginned, nd r the triler ws under the sucker the mnger clled me side nd sid > cn't do " ; he sid they got him on Sturdy nd Sundy nd he dn't gin. sked him why nd he sid ws the pressure from the le. The mnger told me tht some people hd gone to Mound, Louisin hd tlked to the owner of the gin, Mr. Yerger. He sid tht Mr. Yerger contcted him nd instructed him not to gin Atls' cotton. offered him e money to gin the two bles lredy hd there nd he sid he couldn't. So brought the cotton bck home. bout November 11, 1960 went bck to Olivedell Gin nd sked Mr. G- ;er if he could gin the cotton for me. He shook his hed ndicting tht he dn't. sked him does tht men we cn't do business nymore, nd he 1 " didn't sy tht." hve mde ttempts through my friends t other gins in Bst Crroll ish to see if they would gin my cotton, but no one seems to be willing to..1 went to the Trnsylvni Gin in Trnsylvni, Est Crroll Prish,. tlked to Mr. Louis Dlfleume the mnger of the gin. He told me the ws not running nd tht they couldn't gin no wy. lso tlked to Mr. J. P. Brown of the Gillird Plnttion Gin t Lke ividence. He expressed his regrets bout the sution nd sid he would to work something out. sw him severl times bout over three?k period in December nd he finlly sid would hve to go bck to the pie hd been doing business wh. He sid tht if hd been his cusler he would hve hd the cotton ginned. But he refused to gin the cotton, week or so go tlked to Mr. Mchiner gin nd he told me tht he Tetted tht things were like they were nd tht he couldn't do nything rt, but, if he could, he would. first strted using butne gs in my frm house in bout 195.3. Since n hve run butne stove nd heter which ss in the living room i which hets the house wh butne gs. Lst spring instlled gs hot ter heter. hve been buying: gs from the Plnters Butne Het & Power in Lke Providence. Up until this fll hve been ble to purchse on d there. rhis fll, fter the trouble bout ginning my cotton strted, got letter >m the Plnters Butne Het & Power Co., dvising me tht if didn't py s pproximtely $150 which owed them, they would strt legl proceedings. 589998 O «l 51
798 COMMSSON ON CVL BGHTS Generted on 2015-06-25 01:43 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google n the pst they hve wrten notes to me bout pst due ccounts whet ts> sent me my monthly sttements. ws ble to py this bill over r, period of time nd for while ws ble to bny ddionl gs from Pluu^ for csh. Just before Christms, my tnk ws getting low so went into PUks nd tlked to one of the clerks bout n order of gs. The clerk sid i he didn't know. At tht point nother clerk spoke up nd sid, "Put i* down nd we'll get to him when we cn." A dy or so lter clled Mr. Del, the owner of the gs compny. isii him bout n order nd he sid tht he would see bout. He sid be n busy tht dy s he hd to go to Ok Grove. A dy or so lter, went into Plnters nd spoke to ldy there. She s she didn't known nything bout nd told me to come bck. cme :<M nd sked her if nybody hd sent my gs out nd she sid, not tht she tw nything bout. The ldy sid she would mrk down. went bck gin dy or so lter nd sked the clerk bout leving tt money there for delivery of gs. But the clerk sid, we re not doing r nymore. The clerk told me tht would hve to see Mr. Bxter Del l ws his compny. kept wtching for him nd finlly sw him few dys lter. He sui "No, Joe, cn't crry no gs out there." Then went to the Delt Butne Co. t Lke Providence. This comnuf lso sells gs. spoke to the mnger bout buying some gs. He sked who ws going to. sid ws going to Atls. He sid, we re out! sked him when will you hre some nd he sid he didn't know, so left. Since the gs rn out just before Christms, hve heted the house t3 h $4.75 wood stove nd my wife cooks wh $72.00 wood kchen stote us went out nd purchsed. Erly in the fll, rrnged wh rving Jckson, colored mn who osi combine to combine my soy bens for one-fifth of the sle price. n the middle of November, the bens were redy to be hrvested. t m pretty good crop, s good s lst yer. went to rving Jckson bnt be si "Joe, cn't do." He sid, " m frid the whe people might tb d prisls ginst me for helping you combine your bens." He suggested tht contct Mr. Wrren of Wrren nd Coody Grin 0» pny, Lke Providence, bout combining the bens. Wrren nd Coody Gru Compny is n elevtor to whom hve sold bens in the pst. t lso open* combines. But Mr. Wrren sid he couldn't hndle. contcted nother Negro who owns combine nd he greed to do i soon s he finished hrvesting his own ben crop. But his combine buns' nd he hs not been ble to do. contcted Rev. Otis Virgil Negro. Virgil lso owns combine. He t<* me tht Mr. Wrren sid he would not buy my bens. Virgil told me be sk«mr. Wrren bout the possibily of buying the bens in the field nd then com bining them nd selling them to Mr. Wrren. According to Rev. Virgil. Mi Wrren sid he wouldn't hndle tht wy eher. My bens re still in the field. m frid over 50% of the crop is lost think my be ble to borrow combine nd when cn get into the M will hrvest wht is left of the crop. As of tody, hve been ble to gin ten bles of cotton from my sesonl crop. Two of the bles were ginned before testified in New Orlens, t the Outpost Gin in November. These gin tickets re ttched nd mrk* Exhibs nd 5. The other two were ginned in the nme of friend nine hve bout thirteen bles of cotton picked, which hve not been ble ginned. This cotton is stored in my brn nd two old tennt houses on nj plce. There is bout six bles in the field which hven't picked becuse don't know whether cn get ginned nd don't hve ny other plce store. The tennt houses do not keep out the rin too well. One house lefci wfully bd nd don't dre fill tht up wh ny more cotton. The other pretty much full. m still trying to get the cotton ginned. m tlking wh the people the Production Cred Associon to see if they cn work out wy to get ;Se cotton ginned. All of the proceeds from the cotton will be pplied on my den to them so they my be willing to tke power of ttorney from me nd br 4 of sii to & 1 t< is
COMMSSON ON CVL RGHTS 799 the cotton ginned nd cred their ccount wh the proceeds. don't know whether this will cost me nything extr or whether they will be ble to do. hve lredy lost prt of my crop becuse couldn't get the cotton ginned when ws redy. This loss of the crop, plus the fct tht my bens re shelling out in the field, mens tht will not be ble to py off s much s should hve been ble to on the Production Cred lon. The mount of tht debt s of December 12, 1960 ws $5,883.20. including nterest. m n bd wy finncilly becuse will need to borrow ddionl money to run my frm. Tht is, if cn get gs, seed, fertilizer, poison, nd other frm supplies necessry to operte, nd if cn get some ginner nd some elevtor to purchse my cotton nd soy bens. The frm seson strts soon in Est Crroll nd must mke some decisions wh respect to the opertion of the frm. cn't operte the frm unless the ordinry business chnnels in Est Crroll Prish re open to me. f cn't operte, there is no sense in my plnting these crops. f these condions re not lleved feel will be forced out of business. Unless the ordinry business chnnels re open to me s frmer s they re to other whe nd Negro cizens of the Prish, nd m forced out of business, registrtion nd voting by Negroes in Est Crroll Prish will never become rely. This is becuse of the fer tht most of the Negro people hve of the whe communy in Est Crroll Prish. Alredy notice tht my Negro friends in Est Crroll seem frid to know me; they shke hnds quickly nd wlk on by. m sure tht the squeeze tht hve been put in will, unless stopped. keep mny Negro cizens from ttempting to register to vote in Est Crroll Prish. Frncis Joseph Atls. Subscribed nd sworn to before me on this the dy of Jnury 1961., Notni Public. My commission expires. Exhib Z-l Stipultion in the Cse of U.S. v. Del, et l. n the Uned Sttes District Court for the Western Monroe Division District of Louisin, Generted on 2015-06-25 01:43 GMT / http://hdl.hndle.net/2027/mdp.39015027011793 Public Domin, Google-digized / http://www.hthrust.org/ccess_use#pd-google Civil Action No. 8132 Uned Sttes or Americ, Plintiff v. STPULATON Bxter Del, et l., Defendnts t s stipulted by ll prties hereto tht the bove entled nd numbered ction be continued indefinely, the sid prties hving greed s follows : A. Defendnts will rrnge for : (1) The prompt ginning of ll Frncis Joseph Atls' 1960 cotton crop: (2) A purchser, t fir current mrket vlue, of ll Frncis Joseph Atls' 1960 soyben crop ; nd, (3) A supplier of liquefied petroleum gs for the sid Frncis Joseph Atls; provided the sid Frncis Joseph Atls : (1) will be solely responsible for hrvesting nd trnsporting to mrket of his sid crops of cotton nd soybens ; provided, however, wh respect to the 1960 cotton crop, Frncis Joseph Atls shll not be required to ber huling expenses greter thn the expense necessry to trnsport the cotton to the nerest gin ; (2) will py the usul nd customry costs of ginning cotton, drying nd clening soybens, nd other such processing s my be necessry : nd. (3) will py csh money t the time of delivery of ll supplies of liquified petroleum gs. 3. Defendnts further gree tht they will not intimidte, threten, coerce. or ttempt to intimidte, threten, or coerce the sid Frncis Joseph Atls for the purpose of interfering wh the right of the sid Frncis Joseph Atls to 689902 0 61 B2