Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 5 September 1959 — Page 1
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Pregnant Lady Drag-Racer's Wife Lose Lives in Spectacular Crash
Police blamed a 40-year-old suspected drag-racer for the
gruesome head-on collision which killed two people and injured
five others Saturday evening at 22nd and Martindale. Police arrested Roosevelt Randle, 1325 Cornell, on a
preliminary charge of involuntary manslaughter after his car, loaded with five other passengers, crashed head-on into an
auto driven by Mrs. Vernell Peters, 1527 E. 19th.
Dead in the crash are Mrs. Carrie soene. Thrown cl.^cr of the wreckMae RandL?, 30, of the Cornell age, she suffered severe facial address, and Mrs. Peters, who lacerations, internal injuries and -a.
doctors say was seven months fractured skull,
pregnant. Mrs. Peter*, rushed to General The injured include Randle, Hospital with facial lacerations and Ersic Davidson, 39, 1557 Yandes; internal injuries, died at 8:45, more Mrs. Lillie Blanchard, 29, 1137 E. than two hours after the crash, of
15th; Gates Robinson, 47, 2209 a ruptured diaphragm.
Kilroy, and Clemen Quinn, 30, 1139 Randle, trapped In his car. sufE. 15th. All were ]>assengers in f^red a possible broken left ankle the Randle car. i.-hd facial laceration; Davidson was According to wKnosses, Randle thrown from the car and sustained had been drag-racing with an un- injuries to his hands and right knee, identified car when he lost control Mrs. Blanchard, also thrown of his 1957 Ford at the Belt Rail- clear of the car, escaped with
AFTER THE DRAG-RACE IS OVER: A 23-year-old expectant mother was killed outright Saturday evening when a car police believe was involved in a drag-race caromed off a utility pole and smashed head-on into her 1951 Chevrolet. Mrs. Vernell Peters, 1527 E. 19th, dead shortly
after police arrived at the scene, was one of two women killed in the spectacular crash. Police and fire rescue workers (center photo) try to revive the second victim, Mrs. Carrie Mae Randle, 30, 1325 Cornell, who was thrown from the 1957 Ford driven by her husband, Roosevelt.
Randle, who witnesses say lost control of his car when he hit the Belt Railroad track at 21st and Martindale during a drag race, was arrested on a preliminary charge of involuntary manslaughter. (Recorder photos by Jim Burres)
road (21st) and Martindale. The car then spun crazily out of control, ran upon the east sidewalk, careened off a utility nole and smashed into Mrs. Peters’ car headed south
on Martindale.
MRS. RANDLE DIED at the
chest Injuries and abrasions, while Quinn suffered head and possible internal injuries. He, too, was thrown from the car as was Robinson, who sustained injuries to his chest and
Continued on Page 7
15c
GREATEST
W ECKLY
Indianapolis, Indiana, 518 Indiana Avon WANT ADS — ME. 4-1545
ue. Portal Zona 9
64th Year
The Indianapolis Recorder, Sept. 5,1959
No. 36
POLICE CMEF VOWS ACTWN
FAMILY FEUDS BLAMED IN 3 WEEKEND DEATHS
Woman Held in Fatal Stabbing
NAACP Files Protest Against Police Abuse
The Indianapolis branch NAACP has lodged a protest against police abuse and brutality with Mayor Charles H. Boswell, it was learned
this week.
Copies of the letter over the
signature of Re. Ford Gibson, branch president, were forwarded to The Recorder, David Silver, president of the board of Safety,
and Chief of Police Robert Reilly.
“We, the officers and members
of the Indianapolis branch NAACP,” the letter said, “are seriously concerned over the numben of instances whereby certain police officers are resorting to the infliction of grievous bodily injuries in effecting the arrest of our Negro citizens. “We offer this letter as protest to you, as mayor of this city, against the abuse of police authority against any groups or classes of people because of their racial designation or under any other pretext whatsoever. “We recognize the duty of an arresting officer to use
every reasonable means in
effectind the arrest of any
person suspected of having vio-
lated our laws, but we cannot
help but note that in so many
instances where the arresting
officer is a white person and
the suspect a Negro, the trans-
by the alleged suspect reciev-
ing severe bodily injuries at
the hands of the arresting officer.
“We are further alarmed over
the fact that in the great number of
the aforementioned instances, the people because of their racial designation or under any other pre-
person being arrested is suspected
of having committed an offense denominated by law as a misdemeanor, which, while prohibited under the law, is not considered such a grievous offense as would entail such extreme measures as are now being employed by certain officers of the police department. “It is reported that in a number of instances the victim is denied
any medical attention. “Therefore, we feel that we can no longer sit patiently while the person liberties of our Negro populace are being violated by what we believe to be a capricious and absolute abuse of the police authroaty, and we hereby implore you, as mayor of the City of Indianapolis, to employ your office, in interest of
the public good and sense of fair
play, to take whatever steps neces-
say to insure that all citizens of
our community are receiving equal
protection under the law.”
Shot by Cop, Files Against
Officials
One Thing Clear - Man WAS Shot!
At 10:58 Friday night of last week, police received a call from Miss Helen Maluie who said she had just taken a shot at a prowler
• I who tried to break into her home, C ITV (JTTirink 1232 W. New York. ■■■V.iVGU j ust three minutes later, William
In protest of the apparently Johnson, 29, 942 Indiana, called to senseless and unprovoked shooting j .~?port he had just been shot in
of James Stevenson by off-duty *he stomach.
Officer Don Darland on Aug. 21 John-on told police he had had and similar alleged abuses by mem- j an argument with his girlfriend, hers of the police force, a complaint j Miss Malone, who had shot him. for a temporary restraining order The 30-year-old Miss Malone, and permanent injunction prohibit-1 however told investigators Johning attacks has been filed in Marion son had broken a window at her
conducted unlawful searches and seizures; shot, beaten and otherwise
County Circuit Court. Acting on behalf of all the citizens of Indianapolis and through his attorney, Frank R. Beckwith, Stevenson named as defendants Mayor Charles H. Boswell, Chief of Police Robert E. Reilly and David M. Silver, Frank A. Mueller and Shirley D. Murphy, members of the Board of Public Safety. According to the complaint. Indianapolis police officers have
OIK eizi
maimed helpless prisoners and other citizens, treated arrested persons "with unnecessary rigor while having them confined in the city jail" and “usurped the authority of courts, judges aand juries by arresting persons . .. and punishing them without waiting for them to be tried . . ." The suit contends that the overwhelming majority of persons thus punished, beaten or killed, have been Negroess although police officers have on occasion “carelessly or inadvertently killed person who were not members of the Negro race."
home and was trying to break in when she fired at him with a .25caliber pistol. She said »he didn’t know whether the bullet had found
its mark
Police arrested her on a preliminary chatge of assault and battery with intent to murder.
Police Protection, Brutality Topics Of Mass Meeting The Yankee Doodle Civic Foundation has set a mass protest meeting for Tuesday night at 7:2ti at Mt. Helm Baptist Church, 17th and Yandes, Atty. Frank R. Beckwith, president, anounced Thursday. Police protection and police brutality will be discussed at the meeting, which is open to the public. Beckwith said instances have been brought to his attention where prompt police action might have averted a murder or other serious crime, but officers apparently chose to ignore the calls.
Says Department Hamstrung by No Witnesses The Indianopolis Police Department is often hamstrung in investigations of alleged police brutality by the lack of reliable witnesses. Chief of Police Robert E. Reilly told The Recorder this week. "We moke os thorough an investigation as possilble any time an officer has to use force to make an arrest," the high-est-ranking police official said Monday, "but without reliable witnesses on the 'other side of the fence' what con we do?" In a conference which the chief and InF.'ector Carl Schmidt requested with Recorder Reporter Bill Raspberry and Richard C. Henderson, managing editor, following emphasis laid by the paper in recent weeks to the increasing number of instances of alleged police brutality. Chief Reiliv stressed that he was “concerned” about the problem, but had to be sure it actually exists. He pointed out that every officer j is required to make a special report i to him in any instance of the use i of force in making an arrest or whenever a charge of resisting arrest is made against any person. He further noted that in such instances, superior officers must be called to the scene and must also report. While he expressed confidence in all his men, he did admit that it was possible for inaccurate reports to b.? made, but stressed that he was constantly on the alert for anything which didn’t “look right”
to him.
“Why, the minute after I read the report of Don Darland (the policeman who shot a Negro man Aug. 21 under questionable circumstances), he was suspended, and he has not worked for this department one second since,” the department head remarked. “But when self-serving statements’ made by witnesses under arrest do not agree with those made by ofticers i nave known to be generally reliable!, can you blame me for not acting on the strength of such statements alone?”
he queried.
The chief — and he was energetically underscored by Inspector Schmidt — said he is always available to persons wishing to make .statements or complaints against police officers, especially persons not intimately connected with incidents, removing their testimony from the realm of "self-serving.”
In stressing the important role! who suffered an injured eye. policeman, ‘He said he would hit of the disinterested witness, the Bridgewater's left eye was also me again.’ The officer asked Car-
Accusations Fly, Arrests Made On 'Both Sides' A police officer cruteing near 24th and Indianapolis early Saturday morning noticed a curious crowd witnessing an argument be‘tweenja man and a woman. He Investigated, and Claudie Lee Smith, 44, 1049 W. 28th, told him his common-law wife, Lucille Glass, 35, 1069 Eugene, had fired two shots at him. Mrs. Glass denied the accusation and said Smith had tried to run her down with his 1957 Buick. But when the officer found the nine-shot nickle-plated revolver in the weeds where Smith said his mate had thrown it, he arrested the pair for being disorderly per-
sons.
Fi'ee on Bond after Mail Theft Arrest A 25-year-old man, arrested last week on a mail theft charge, is free on $2,000 bond. Otha Holmes Jr., 635 gan, was accused of havii possession stolen mail w eluded an unemployment compensation check. He was arraigned before U. S. Commissioner Lawrence T. Turner, who fixed bond.
Grandparents Are Victims in
Of Her HusbandiSlayings over TV
Assault' charges against a 42-year-old Eastside woman, arrested for Aug. 26 stabbing of her husband, were dropped Saturday and she was re-ar-rested on a first-degree murder charge. The stab victim died Friday night ot General Hospital. Fred C. Halsell, 48, 2215 Carrollton, had engaged in an argument with his wife. Mary, when she reportedly drew a knife and stabbed him at 22nd and College. Police called to the scene found Halsell slumped unconscious beside his car, blood gushing from a stab wound. Arrested on preliminary charges of assault and battery with intent to kill, Mrs. Halsell was ordered into Municipal Court, Room 4, on Saturday. But when Judge Pro Tern Leroy New learned Halsell had died, he had Mrs. Halsell reslated on the murder charge. She was bound over to the Mari(Continued on Page 2)
An enraged grandfather fatally wounded his wife last weekend in an argument which started over a choice of television programs. Minutes later, the aged man himself was dead — slain by his grandson with whom he had argued. Dead are Mr. and Mrs. Kelly Rucker, 1721 Bellefontaine. Arrested on a preliminary murder charge in the death ‘of his grandfather, was 20-year-old Marion Francis Dunson, whose part in the double tragedy halted plans for hi's wedding next day. The charge was later reduced to involuntary manslaughter, and Dunson was bound over to the Marion County Grand Jury. He is free on $2,500 bond. At 9:39 Friday night, police were summoned to 1721 Bellefontaine by a report of a woman shot. They checked the address but got no response. inquiries at neighboring homes (Continued on Page 2)
Milwaukee Notes 'Unrest'; Arrest Muhammed Followers
Attacks Night School Offers Chance for Special Courses
AND DON'T TRY TO DITCH ME, SISTER: The two-week-old foundling known to General Hospital workers as "Baby Doe" seems distrustful of all women since his mother abandoned him in the rear of 1022 N. West last week. The unsmiling, but healthy, lad appears to be laying down the law to Student Nurse Barbara Landes, despite her friendly overtures. The infant was discovered at the N. West address by Miss Pearl Cowherd, a resident of the apartment building there. (Recorder photo by Jim Burres)
Anyone with an active curiosity, World Politics, American Foreign a desire to learn and a willingness Policy and American Democracy, to share his thinking with other Chartes D. Walker, director of people will find both fun and profit the evening division, hopes interest in a series of adult courses offered will sustain classes beyond the by the Attucks Evening Division in regular period. Since the courses conjunction with the Fund for are not tied in with regular enAdult Education. rollment, he pointed out. they can If 15 or more person indicate begin at any time, interest in any of the available The program would be supported courses, classes will be held one by Attucks, with the school board two-hour period a week for 10 furnishing buildings, library and weeks. administration. Student fee would Courses offered include The pay the expense* of teachers. Ways of Mankind, Economic Rea- THE NIGHT SCHOOL has presoning. Parenthood in a Free Na- pared a brochure announcing tion, Looking at Modem Painting, proposed classes, and already 10,000 (Continued on Page 7)
Cop Blamed in Man's Death After Bus Station Fracas Conflicting testimony of witnesses has prompted investigations by the Police Department and Prosecutor's Office into the death Friday night of last weak of a 40-year-old Greencastle
man, David E. Carbon.
Carbon died in General Hospital two days after he was involved in an altercation in the
Bus Terminal.
Officers Charles N. Bums and Anthony Miles went to the terminal Wednesday night after a report of a fight and arrested Carbon on charges of disorderly conduct and
assault and battery.
/ ‘While under arrest,” Bums re-
Rev. Mozel Sanders, who said he was at the terminal when
-.“I WENT OVER and raised up his head,” the pastor of Mt. Ver-
he saw the police officers drive non Baptist Church said “and the up. officer wanted to know if I was a He said he entered the station doctor. I told him, ‘No, I’m a min-
behind the officers. ister.’
J P a\ r n ri ^ r w b a 0 ir a ^T3 , r ! N t0 C a h U t * ^ S Jack Bridgewater, 43, 738 N. Cali- man K who was ho ,^ ng hjs hand man was out . He said yes , and the
fornia. While attempting to hit
r» -j , . * , . . , , over his eye what happened to partner went to the car and got a Bridgewater, he lost his balance him jj e pointed to Carbon and first aid kit and poured ammonia
and struck his head on the floor.’
said.
The officer said Carbon pre- a! * e< * Carb “': if , he did hlt hlm -
viouslv had asaulted John Mo- and be - ves *
lenda, 59, 453 VI E. Washington, “The other fellow said to the
pointed
‘He hit me.’ The policeman on a piece of cotton and I rubbed
police department head was in support of a recent editorial in The Recorder which pointed out that in the majority of ca£es where officers have been accused of "brutality” or abuses of civil rights, no one has been willing to testify exeept the arrested persons.
injured, he said. bon, ‘Did you say you’d hit him Burns listed as witnesses to the again?’ and Carbon said “Yes.” altercation Ervin Stone, 28, 2219 /‘The policeman said, “Well, hit
Haines, and Theodore Dickerson, hit, then.”
55, 710 Eugene, a porter at the Rev. Sanders said Carbon atstation. tempted to hit the man, whereupon The case first came to The the officer struck Carbon with his Recorder’s attention through fist and knocked him down.
(Continued on Page 7)
CAPTURE THAT MOMENT! Those special occasions— parties, family gatherings, special programs, guests, etc.— are but fleeting moments for most of us. But they can be captured by the camera forever. The Recorder has four photographers ready to serve you, night or day. Call ME. 4-1545 and ask for Mrs. Temple.
Bishop Raines Pulls no Punches On Church Bias DALLAS In a hard-hitting keynote addres before the first Methodist Conference on Human Relations on Monday night, Bishop Richard C. Raines of Indianapolis challenged the denomination’s forthcoming general conference to “remove any question as to whether we have segregation written into our discipline.” The outspoken bishop said, “We should speak the truth concerning the evils of Christian love and brotherhood in recognizing the Godgiven dignity and rights of man. “We should put these enunciated principles to work in our churches, schools, hospitals, homes and all other institutions owned or contolled by the Methodist church.” He spoke before some 1,200 Methodist leaders attending the conference at Southern Methodist University here. “The integration of the public school system,” Bishop Raines continued, “may well involve making less effective, temporarily, education of the white group. But there is no reason why the suffering or the inconvenience should continue to be borne almost exclusively by (Continued on Pago 7)
MILWAUKEE (ANP) —. Several Negroes, whose last names were listed on police blotters as “X”, were arrested here last week. At first they declined to give their surnames, but finally agreed to fu ly identify themselves. They told police they were Muslims (or Moslem's) and followers of Elijah Muhammed of Chicago who tells Negroes that they will soon be freed of the “white man’s yoke.” Police showed some concern because of unrest noted among Negroes in certain sections of this city. According to a police lieuenant, 'some merchants have been pressured into hiring Negro help. One firm complained it had been threatened with shopliftings unless Negro help was hired. Recent’y, an ice cream store was picketed for the same reason. Yet, police officers say they cannot pin thi's unrest to the Muslims. Muhammed who claims to be a “messenger of Allah,” says he has 250,000 followers, but other sources credit him with only about 70,000. There are an estimated 100,000 “orthodox” Moslems in the United States. A district judge said there had been a few members of the suspect sect brought before him last year, but the charges were based on individual misbehavior rather than cult ac'ivity. A local Negro leader, Cornoff Taylor, executive secretary of the Human Rights Commission, said there had been a ^sprinkling” of Muslims in the city, but knew of no trouble caused by the cult. In Washington, D. C, both con-srea-ional committees investigating subversion denied rumors they would call representatives of this group before them for question-
ing.
A spokesman for the House Committee on Un-American Activities said they had received correspondence dealing with the cult, but planned no investigation. The Senate Committee on Internal Security stated emphatically that it had scheduled no hearings for Muslim's.
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