Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 December 1978 — Page 7

Jones steadfast liberal during Indianapolis days

Superfly star, Ron O’Neal in All series

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER pAGE y SATURDAY. DECEMBER 2, 1978

In the late 1940’s while an Indiana University student Jim Jones learned what true racial hatred was. Being white and from the lily-white town of Lynn, he had never even seen a black person until age 12, yet harbored no animosity toward them. This “brotherly’ feeling one day manifested itself explosively in a Bloomington barber shop. While waiting for service a black was shooed from the shop strictly faor racial reasons Young Jones stalked out, hair half cut, and never returned. From then on his life, heavily involved with integration and religion, took twisting and bizarre turns ending with his death Monday in Guyana. But he remained bullish on the racial issue until the end as evidenced by the population mixture in his Guyana com-

mune.

By the time of his death, he had picked up such labels as radical and con artist. His life in Indianapolis, though, had been one of giving while being after scorned by both blacks and whites. He came to this city after completing his university education and opened a southside Somerset church. Rev. Jones, though, was forced out for readily accepting blacks, so he turned to the Community Unity Church. The pastor’s reputation as being outspoken on anti-bias had gained him quite a reputation and in 1961 at the “ripe old age of 29" he was appointed Mayors' Human Rights Commission director. This meant more nightmares. He and his wife were living at 23rd and Carrollton, and operating Peoples Temple Disciples of Christ Church, 975 N. Delaware. It was nothing for them to hear such terms as “nigger lovers” or be spat upon. One frightening experience saw explosives being hurled at their home in the predominantly

black neighborhood.

Yet, Rev. Jones persisted. He fed hundreds of people from his church and was later to be harassed for trying to

have blacks and whites share rooms in Peoples Nursing

Home.

Whites played their game from the anti-black angle, while black antaganists pinpoint a reason for theirs. In 1962, the pressure became too much. The Jones packed up, on doctor’s advice, to get away from it all. They spent two years in Brazil, where again he continued generous ways by feeding hundreds of people each week from a religious site. On return, they were confronted with more of the same. Their church, now located at 17th and Broadway, saw a mass exodus of whites because of his racial views. Once a weary, but determined Rev. Jones was quoted as saying of his remaining congregation, “We have the best of white people and strongest of black.” He’s personally credited with integrating rooms at Methodist Hospital. His physician at the time was Dr. E. Paul Thomas, a black, and admittance naturally expected all of Dr. Thomas’ patients to be black. Being shown to his room and encountering a black roommate didn’t bother the good Rev. Jones, but officials tried forcing him out after learning. He naturally protested and refused

to leave.

The couple adopted several children of mixed decent including a young black. Mrs. Jones, a Richmond native, says one of her worse incidents was

Multi-award winner Ron

The thoughts stuck with the < ™ eal ’ t st " of ‘ h J “l 01 ' 0 ” . , . . Picture hit Simerflv and one

He just wanted to belong

* ne mougnis siuck wnn me . .. ~ , It all started 46 years ago on not say that the field of civil shy youngster, turning him P| ct “ re hlt Superfly and one a small Indiana farm with a boy rights is no place for “Comproeven more inward. °‘ t ” e °I Ih® upcoming who did not belong...it ended mising souls’? Was he not the Despite all his Indianapolis nov ®l for television, “Brave nearly two weeks ago in a small man who integrated the wards . ~ abuse, Jones still maintained an New World,” has been cast in agricultural community with a of Methodist hospital? Wasn’t ;es share endeared steady following. By NBC-TV’s “Freedom Road,” the “paronoic” madman surrounded he the one with an “intemationNursing the mid-60’s, he was heavy into six-hour special starring heavy- by people who wanted, more al family’?

“healing,” steadily and people weight boxing champion Mu-

hammad Ali.

flocked bringing donations. In 1962, he earned a spot on The Recorder Human Relations Honor Roll, having aligned himself with civil rights struggles often being in the

forefront.

His decision to leave Indianapolis must have been one of mixed emotions. He had made up his mind to go west and evidence of the often overshadowed esteem held for the man was the fact some 500 local followers left with him.

His motion picture credits, in addition to “Superfly”, include “The Master Gunfighter”, “The Organization”, “Move”, “The Interns”, and “Brothers”. “Freedom Road” is being produced by Leland Nolan for Zev Braun Pictures, Inc. Jan Kadar is director. David Zelag Goodman’s screenplay is based on the novel by Howard Fast. Production is under way in Natchez, Miss.

than any thing in the world, to

be loir.

A quick character sketch nirtures Jones as a man in Iovp with humanity-a “Champion of CWil Rights”. After all, did he not teach and feed meat regularly to 200 underprivaledged children from 1962 to 1964 at an Escola DaFavela, school of the slums? Was he not a member of the Human Rights Commision here in Indianapolis in 1960 despite being the victim of verbal and physical abuse by both blacks and whites? Did he

Defector says -

Jones “brainwashed” followers

Speculation which claimed .that the Rev. James Jones, father of the Peoples Temple, was suffering from mental illness may have been the catalysis that caused him to order the masssuicide of some 912 members of the Temole at the settlement in Jonestown. Guyana nearly two weeks ago. Many former members of the cult, including Jones’ son, Stephan, characterized him as a fanatic in health who had turned paranoid in recent years. Jones alledegly feared

In an interview at the settlement with Mark Lane and Charles Garry, Jonestown’s two lawyers, Jones reportedly cried: “They can have me. In many ways I feel like I’m dying. I’ve never felt this way before

fighting. But if we don’t, I don’t know what’s going to happen to

the 1,200 lives here.”

Jones believed that there was a conspiracy against him which he blamed for a number of law suits which he claimed

After further questioning by prevented him from returning

reporters the day before Congressman Ryan was to arrive in Jonestown, sources say Jones seemed to be on edge. When he was questioned about a black box that residents were said to be placed in for days at a time when they did

v ^ ~ ~ Util UIU that outside forces were trying things Jones didn’t like, Jones to destroy what h e had accom- reportedly flew into a rage

plished.

On the contrary, Stephan Jones, iy, stated: '1 can almost hate this man because he has

, . . . destroyed everything I've hawng a white stranger spit in worked for.” Stephan has spent their faces one day while his whole life as a member of waiting at a bus stop. thz cult. He avoided being It's been said the reverend's party to the mass-suicide be-

understanding of racial torment cause he had traveled to „w« tuai x was never dates back to childhood days in Georgetown with the Temples born. All I want is peace. I’m Lynn where his widowed dark- basketball team to participate not worried about my image If skinned mother was often in games there. we could just stop it, stop this

taunted as being “part nigger.”

saying: “I don’t believe in

violence! Violence corrupts.

And they say I want power. What kind of power do I have walking down the path talking

to my little old seniors?” Jones continued, seeming to be more incenced as he con

tinued to speak. “I hate power. I hate money. The only thing I wish now is that I was never

Safely Insuring Indianapolis For Over 83 Years

GREGORY & APPEL

1201. Vermont • 634-7491 Automobile Financing

Jones' mental illness triggered mass killings ?

to the United States. He then exclaimed: “I wish somebody had shot me. Now we’re substituting a media smear for

assassinations.”

When hard pressed by questions from Don Harris, a reporter, about the growing number of people that wanted to leave Jonestown, Jones said: “The only thing I feel is that every time they go, they lie. What I thought was keeping them here was the fear of the ghetto, alienation, the fear of a industrialized society. I must have failed somehow.” As the situation began to move beyond his control Jones conceded to let the people go who wanted to leave. “I will let them. But they will try to destroy us. They’ll try. They always lie when they leave.”

BERKELEY, CALIF. The Rev. Jim Jones

hersed members of the People’s

Twenty six-year-old Teresa Cobb, whose three sisters, two brothers and mother are at the

“Slowly,” Myrtle recaiieo, “he trapped us, brainwashed

nerseo memoers oi me reopie s brothers and mother are at the , . A , ., , Temple cult in suicide tactics Guyana camp, declared reports us * wher ® coul ^ n ^ »!■ ami .11«x*—ii.« — r* • • i . .» ictlYcnurcn. us rxcici

A ^more detailed study of Jones background begins digging up dirt, and hints at the possibility that the whole riightmare was the culmination of Jones’ thirst for power: like the rise and fall of Hitler and the rise and fall of Manson--if you recall, both men, even in their physical detachment from their followers still possess a great deal of “spiritual” control over

them.

Even in his earlier years in Lynn, Indiana Jones sensed that he didn’t belong. He described his father as a member of the Klu Klux Klan. Blacks weren’t allowed in his hometown after sundown. Jones did not see a negro until he was twelve years old, yet he said he realized “through some supernatural power” that his father’s racist attitude was not

right.

At 16-years-old Jimmy Jones enrolled at Indiana University. He was one of the youngest freshman at I.U. in the post war era when many of the students were just returning from the war end in their 20’s. His former roomate, Kenneth Lemmons, 48, now an auditor for Ramada Inn at 3525 Shadeland Ave. claimed that Jones "considered himself to be a Messiah" even them. Lemmons continued, “H e was just kind of an embarrassment to everyone who knew him. No one actually made "fun of Jones, they just ignored him. We had to do that.” Once again, Jones did not belong. In 1962 Jones left Indianapolis for Brazel, South America where he was to do missionary work. Little is known of his activities there. What is known is that soon after he returned from Brazil, the long trek to “Jonestown” began. After returning from Brazil, Jones became very much involved in his pastorship at the Peoples Temple Disciples of Christ who were then meeting in the Broadway Christian Center 17th and Broadway. He began then building his enroll-

ment.

If the assumption that Jones

for years, disillusioned former of inass suicide at the remote leave the church ' AH of us had v „ puon l , ndl dones

followers declared Monday at * camn came as no surnri^ signfd .papers wing thft we

followers declared Monday at the Human Freedgm Center

here.

"Jim Jones always said, ‘if they ever put me, Jim Jones, in jail or if I am killed, we are all to commit suicide, killing children first, making sure they are dead, then killing ourselves," recalled Linda Myrtle, who broke with the cult a year ago just before she was due to go to Guyana.

camp came as no surprisa. “That’s the way the Heavenly Father (Jones) had planned it from the beginning,” she said. The former adherents had vivid memories of life with Jones from the time he brought a group of believers to Northern California from Indianapolis in the late 1960’s, until he moved his cult to San

Francisco.

will kill the President of the United States--that we want to kill the president-or that we have stolen a large sume of money from the church or from somebody and we would he prosecuted and taken away from the People’s Temple. Teeth are bones —but harder than most of the other bones

in the body.

said that the community saw the temple as “a little religious community” that “was helping out around the community with no fanfare.” He said that he thought favorably of Jones until his wife, a reporter for the paper, was assulted after she began investigating the community. Ross E. Case, an associate pastor who broke with the Peoples Temple after the church moved to Ukiah in 1965 said: “In a political way he had his people so under him that they’d vote the way he told them, they’d work for the politician he supported and they’d write letters of support through the night--changing their handwritting and names on each letter. He didn’t endorse anybody in name publicly, but when he backed a candidate, he seemed to put them in. He could deliver votes.” Jones also had a great deal of pull in the city and county offices in Ukiah. Thomas Martin, the county probation officer said; “There were members of his church not only in this department but in most county offices, but they never discussed their religion at work.” Birdie Marable who managed an old-age rest home for Jones until her break with the cult in 1976 said; “He (Jones) had people in every important office in the city and in private businesses like the telephone company. He ruled the welfare department from within. He never had trouble collecting people’s checks, and I never had to be examined or certified as I do these days.” Jones moved his church once again to San Francisco in 1970 where he then became a powerful force in local politics. The late San Francisco Mayor Georee Mascone, who was fatally shot Monday afternoon around 2:00 p.m., made Jones head of San Francisco's housing authority. Jones later resigned from the post under public pressure. He just didn’t belong. Then the roof caved in. The New West Magazine and the San Francisco Examiner printed accounts of alleged horrors within the church. Former

church members detailed beatings, slave-like working conditions, extortion and death threats to those who attempted to leave the church and discredit it in any way. The stories led to a public outcry and demand that Jones’ church be investigated. Once again, Jones moved his church; this time completely out of the United States to a South American settlement named Jonestown, Guyana. Black members of the church were reluctant to leave families and friends behind. However, they were told that if they did not follow him (Jones) to Guyana, they would be placed in concentration camps and killed. "White members of the church, also hesitant to leave the country, were instilled with the belief that their names appeared on a secret list of enemies of the state that was kept by the CIA and they would be tracked down, tortured, imprisoned and subsequently killed if they did not flee to Guyana.” Dr. Carlton Goodlet of San Francisco said that he had examined Jones in August and found he was seriously ill. He would not discuss the nature of Jones’ illness. However, Don aid Freed, a writer who also had visited Jones in Guyana in August, reported that Jones explained to him that he was terminally ill, possibly with cancer, and was “distressed" about the illness. The rest is historv! Yes. Jones has finally found a place he belongs and nghtiully so. He belongs in every paper throughout the world and on the lips of millions, possibly billions of people around the world. For the last time, Jones moved his church. This time they took the longest journey possible: OUT...way out! Three questions remain to be answered: -Will the movement Jones created continue? How many more will die as a result of the man’s selfish want to belong? Could Jones have killed himself when his gun was found some distance from his body?

through coersion for his own personal satisfaction is correct then it should come as no surprise that he transfered his ill-fated Peoples Temple to the I 'jeral state of California from the conservative heartland of Indiana where it all began nearly 15-years-ago. Looking back to 1964 in a Recorder interview, signs of discontent with the Indiana conservative mentality and support of socialist ideals are evident. Jones indicated that he felt the Negro “has tremendous talent and success but should share his resources in a cooperative manner with other Negroes as is common among the Jews." He also said the Negro should also stand firmly in the corner of those backing

his cause.

The 1964 Recorder story stated that Jones “Notes the lack of Negro voter registration by the less literate and uninformed citizens and feels too many Negroes are prone to an Uncle Tom mentality. Jones’ liberal attitude was extremely surprising considering he grew up in Lynn, Tndiana--at that time one of the strongest Klan holds in the United States. Nevertheless, Jones appealed to people who were much like himself: the

ignored.

He built a handful of stray drifters, old and young, into a strong church. Ninety percent of his followers were black with the other ten percent being made up predominately of tfc*aged and young whites...an three groups that have trouble being accepted. Jones move bis church to Ukiah, California explaining to his followers that he was moving them free of a holocaust which he predicted George Hunter, executive editor of The Ukiah Daily Journal, NAACP holds last meeting of the year The Indianapolis Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will hold it’s final meeting for the 1978 year at Pearls Lounge, 2154 N. Illinois, Thursday, December 7th at

8:00 pm.

The local chapter will close out the year with the election of* new officers. All committee members, members, community leaders and friends are urged to attend this meeting.

Jones family to be cremated

Adverse publicity caused the in-laws of the Rev. Jim Jones to cancel plans to hold burial services sometime this week in Richmond. Instead they opted to have Jones, his wife’s and two children’s bodies creamated and scattered over the Atlantic Ocean. Walter and Charlotte Baldwin made their decision late Saturday evening. The change in plans was announced through Ernest W. Mills of Doanx and Mills Funeral Home, who stated: “It is only natural that Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin wanted their daughter’s body

returned home for burial, and for this reason the original plans were made." Mills continued to say in the prepared statement; "I feel they have made a wise decision. However, I feel they were very influenced by what they felt was best for the community of Richmond and all concerned.” Jones was born in Lyn, Ind. and attended high school in Richmond where he met his wife. They, along with two of their seven children, Lew and Agnes, were found dead along with 912 cult members who died in the mass suicidal ritual.

f DON'T GIVE UP! * I REV. MOTHER MARTIN * C GUARANTEED RESULTS IN 24 HOUR& ** J Don't let distance Call 925-0395

^ stand in your way

A(THIS SOUTHERN BORN Spiritualist who Brings TO YOU the solutions to th$ r_mystries of the DEEP SOUTH, seeks to help many thousands of people who hove< «been CROSSED, HAVE SPELLS, CAN'T HOLD MONEY, WANT LUCK, WANT THEIR r LOVED ONES BACK, WANT TO STOP NATURE PROBLEMS or WANT TO GET RID 0E>« m STRANGE SICKNESS if you are seeking a sure fire woman to do for you the thinqi Tthat are needed or WISH TO GAIN FINANCIAL AID or PEACE, LOVE ond<« m PROSPERITY in the home, you need to see this woman of GOO today! SHE TELLS k TyOU ALL BEFORE YOU UTTER A WORD. SHE can bring in the SPIRIT OF RELEASE-* *ond CONTROL your every off^ond dealing. ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM ILLNESS XT

, OR DISEASE that YOU CANNOT CURE? There is a doctor of all doctors, k doctor is GOD. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ore amazed at the results gotten by ^ , REV. MOTHER MARTIN, WHEN YOUR CASE SEEMS HOPELESS, THERE IS A REMEDY^ 1 FOR YOU. Read James, Chapter 5, verses 13-16. Then come to see REVt^ ^ MOTHER MARTIN, as many other do from for and near. YOU'RE BOUND TO BE^

^ FOR YOU. Read James, Chapter 5, verses 13-16. Then come to see REVt W MOTHER MARTIN, as many other do from for and near. YOU'RE BOUND TO BE ^SATISFIED!!!! SATISFACTION DOUBLY GUARANTEED [One visit is all you need] REV. MOTHER MARTIN works her power to SATISFY each and everyone. She

{

‘SATISFIED!!!! SATISFACTION DOUBLY GUARANTEED [One visit is all you needL REV. MOTHER MARTIN works her power to SATISFY each and everyone. She r" reveals to you all of the hidden secrets, evil eyes and lurking dangers that mak^r harm you. If you really want something done about the matter... .HERE IS THf^ WOMAN WHO WILL DO IT FOR YOU IN A HURRY. DON'T TELL HR, LET HER TELL* YOU. See her in the morning, BE HAPPY AT NIGHT, THIS WOMAN DOES WHAlT

OTHERS CLAIM TO DO!!!!!!!! 925-0395'*

^ 3440 West 30th Street £ Indianapolis, Indiana 46222

AYLES™^'

HEATING AND DRAINAGE Boiler & Furnace C>AS Repair on NEW AND REPAIR WORK BATH A KITCHEN REMODELING

Free Estimates

• Garbage Disposals _ IhhUmmom • Furnaces • Well t Sump Pumps IT' \

• Water Heaters

•Gas PipMi m4 Leak Testin|^ : ; 0}

SEWER

CLEANING

924-2511

W£GET YOURSTWCRABSoiumytffiir.