Newspaper Page Text
RACKETEERS '
TRY TO BUY OFF TRiBU _ __
Offer To Put Newspaper on
Their Slush Fund Payroll
IF IT WOULD STOP CONDEMNING THE
NUMBERS GAMES IN
Glaring Front Page Headlines And
Scathing Articles
ANOTHER OLD GROUP WHICH FOLDED UP
TEN DAYS AGO, RESUMES OPERATIONS
Monday night of last week, just before the numbers
racketeers unleashed a veritable avalanche of sellers of
gambling tickets on the public, the “Big Boys” in the
games and the men who are fronting for them went into
a huddle to decide the best way to operate with the least
interference.
One of the leaders in the conference stated that the
most o.ninous source of opposition would, very likely, be
the newspapers, especially “that Tribune,” declaring: “Yes,
that, I tibune. it we could only hold them off we’d probably
have easy sailing.”
! his statement put the group to sober thinking as the
old timers in the gathering recalled only too well The
«'fl nbune’s vitriolic campaign against them several years
’ -ago.
Finally, after much discussion, they hit upon a plan
vhich they deemed both plausible and feasible. It was to
hush-mouth the paper by buying it off.
1 hen the problem arose as to how best to carry out
their plan. Considerable discussion followed, but, after a
little wrangling, ore of the new onerators made the smr-
gostion that the editor-proprietor of the paper be contact¬
ed and the proposition placed before him. This suggestion
the old timers, who knoiv the editor’s unalterable stand
against commercialized gambling, shouted down.
After a few minutes’ deliberation, the plan to contact
one oj the other members of the newspaper staff w as agreed
upon and an emissary of the group was selected to go and
see the newspaper’s representative.
The next night the selected spokesman for the opera¬
tors contacted the newspaperman on West Broad street,
laying the proposition before him in this wise:
“Last night I was asked by the numbers operators to
talk with you and see if you would not use your influence
with The Tribune to have them lay off the numbers game.”
Continuing, he said:
“The boys are willing to put you on their pav roll at
$50 a week if you will do this for them. Here’s the first
week’s payment. They don’t want those scarecrow head¬
lines knocking their game.”
The newspaner representative refused to accept the
money, stating: “Suppose you take that money right back
where it came from and inform the operators that The Tri¬
bune can’t use money like that. Also tell them that we’re
going to fight 1hem more strongly than ever and will keep
on doing so until the rackets have been run to earth.”
The next day, as is well known throughout the city,
the tv o old racket numbers houses and the two new ones
sent their gambling ticket sellers out on the streets, and,
what’s more, they operated without any apparent inter¬
ference.
On Thursday, which was the next day, The Tribune
made its usual weekly appearance and as* the newspaper¬
man had said it would do, it carried a lead article with an
eight column head, giving the salient facts in this renais¬
sance of the numbers racket, how it is operated, the number
of ticket sellers it has on the streets, how one of the games
will change its tactics in the event heat is turned on its
street ticket sellers and other information relative to the
games.
Yesterday (Wednesday) morning one of the old bole-
do houses which had been running for the past five or six
months but suspended operations about 10 days ago when
it could not get the desired “go-ahead” word from the “Big
Boys,” re-entered the field and its runners began selling
their tickets in the same brazen manner as the runners
from the other “organized” houses—that is, without any
apparent danger of interference.
With the re-appearance of the “Black Diamond” house
on the streets, it is estimated that a total of 99 runners
is now peddling gambling tickets, as follows: “Rodeo,”
21; “Greasy Fig,” 15; “Strawberry,” 15; “Black Diamond,"
12; independents (those who are selling numbers on their
own) 20; all the above offering boledo tickets for sale;
said A “Clearing House.” 16.
Day before yesterday a Tribune representative was
Among those who appeared before a special meeting of the
Chatham County Grand Jury to give information on the
numbers racket.
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SAVANNAH PIANIST THRILLS
ATLANTA HEARERS—Offering
works of Beethoven.
Schubert. Liszt and Chopin,
Alfonso Levy, senior muse stu¬
dent at Clarks college in Atlan¬
ta, played to a capacity
RETIRED—Last week
Francis Butler was placed on
the retired list by t.re Pilgrim
Health and Life Insurance
company. He had been con¬
nected with the company
over thirty years, beginning in
May 24, 1919, under the late A
B. Singfield, local manager.
The 74-year-oid Mr. Butler
was the oldest agent in the lo¬
cal office at the. time of h s re¬
tirement and also had by
the longest service record.
In recognition of his long
service the romnanv at a snec-
s k::
presented Mm with a
service mn. emblematic *.■ of r h u
unusual long, faiUful years
service, and his colleagues, led
by D strict Manager George S.
wished him many more
of good health and ser¬
vice.
Mr. Butler had one of
most widely spread-out debits
the local district, tak ng in
large portion of the west side
the city ar.d several adjacent
rural communities, Dittsmers-
ville, Sackv lie, Ogeecheeton
and Tatemville.
Altriough his insurance
required an unusual amount
of effort, he found time to give
much service n other direct
tions, particularly to St.
church where he was a
trustee for 40 years, recently
being * given emeritus status in
^ capacity He iR the oldest
c j ass i eade r in the church
served thus for 45 years.
Mr. Butler who is one of the
Continued on Page Seven
enre in Davase auditorium re-
cently. Pianist Levy hails,
frorn Savannah, is a member :
of the college Philharmonic
Ciety and the Omega ?si Phi!
fraternity. 1
tiwtir
LXVIII
Their High School Dream Became a Reality Monday
4
Willi iheir races exuberating
happiness over the reaiizat on
of a dream of many years come
true, a portion of the almost
1,100 students of Beach high
ichool is seen gathered in
rout of their new §800,000 high
school building Monday rnorn-
ng to go into the beautiful
building for its first class room
ictivity.
The opening of the new
structure did not only give joy
to the studeqfs but it brings
happiness to the ent re Negro
Set Aside Decision in Louisana
Death Case involving Young Doctor
population of the city who
longed for the day when their
children would nave a well
built, properly equ pped high
school.
The school is located on a big
plot of land at Hopkins and
46th streets.
Long before the hour for the
opening of school many stu¬
dents gathered at the building,
anxious to be the first to en¬
ter the bu lding. They had
heard about the many excellent
features the structure offered
ALEXANDRIA, La.—(ANP) —
jin an . unprecendented move here
jin the Rapides Parish Court house
i lest Thursday, District Court
|.Judge A. V. Hundley “annulled,
j voided and set aside” the verdict of
guilty arrived at by an all white
jury last October in the case of
youthful Dr. James E. Hines,
prominent local physician and sur-
geon. The accused was convicted of
manslaughter in connection with
the death of 17-year-old-Ethel
Jean Carr, May 1, 1949.
In setting aside the verdict, thus
granting a new trial, Judge Hund-
lay ruled, “It is unfortunate in
criminal trials that persons who
are un-tutored in the law' are re¬
quired to translate its intricate
provisions and upon their trans¬
lations determine the liberty of
a fellow human being.”
John R. Hunter, Jr., counsel for
Dr. Hines, presented the motion
for a new trial on the basis that
the jury’s verdict was contrary
to the law and the evidence. No
date was set for the new trial.
The physician’s conviction fol-
Interracial Baptist Council
To Sponsor Training Inst.
f avannah-Chatham , County
Februaiy ^ l3-2o * ri “f at the *
African Baptist church corner
Montgomery and st Julian
streets.
Classes will be held daily from
8 to 9 p. m. and 9 to 9:45 p. m.
during the first week with Dr.
W. Tippett, secretary of
BOWLES PROTEST “WHITE ONLY” POLICY
New York,—As a public
against the “white only” policy of
the American Bowling Congress,
top bowlers of the Negro, white
and Oriental races rolled together
here in an interracial howling ex-
hibition.
The exhibition was presented at
the City Hall Bowling Center un-
the sponsorship of the Greater
New York Division of the
tional Committee for Fair Play
ln Bowling.
Seven teams participated. Rep-
I ™«nted were: The United Bowl-
ing Association (Negro),
collegiate B o wj i n g Conference.
Umted Women’s Bowling Associa-
tion, Japanese-Amencan Bowling
League, Indonesian Bowling Club
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1950
the wed equipped cafeteria,
large gymnasium, workshops,
the well lighted ciass rooms,
the completely equ pped work¬
shops and the spacious audito¬
rium.
Every class room in the
building is glazed from front
to rear, and the concrete cano¬
pies jut out in three uniform
t ers above windows on the sou¬
thern side.
The building is constructed of
concrete, brick and steel and is
three stories.
f" p .....
j
RETIRED— Vice Pre
sistant Agency Director J.
Wheeler of the North
Mutual L fe Insurance
pany whose retirement was an
nounced last week by
C. C. Spaulding. He dlscon-
Continued on Page 7
lowed a sensational week-long
last October. Sentence had
been imposed pending the
scription of lengthy court
mony of more than 60
who testified at the trial.
At last week’s hearing,
F. Gravel, Jr., attorney
as a special prosecutor to
District Attorney Ben F.
[ son, sought unsuccessfully to
an additional week’s
ment on the new ruling, in
he said, to prepare against it.
Gravel charged that the
setting aside the verdict
rectly gives a direct
He said, “A new jury would
believe Dr. Hines and acquit him
or believe other witnesses and
find him guilty, and then there
would be another Trial until a jury
is selected that will acquit him.”
Since the trial a widely cir¬
culated petition declaring
signers’ disagreement with the ver ¬
dict had attracted the signatures
of several thousand Alexandrians,
colored and white, all prominent
citizens, it also bore the signu-
tures of the state's star witnesses.
I
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j
{ the S. 8 Department of the
“ * “ »*•»<*>» »" d
all ministers and laymen are
incited to attend
The council is interracially
sponsored under the
of the white Baptist City
.-ion committee and the
F.aptist Ministers Alliance of
Chatham county.
of America, Chinese Bowling Lea-
gue and Chinese Women’s Bowling
League. The eighth entry is the
City Hall team of the Metropoli-
tan Major League (white).
Chairman of the executive board
of the Greater New York Commit-
tee, which sponsored the exhibition,
is Father Charles T. Carov, of
faculty of Cathedral College.
Brooklyn. For the past three years
Father Carow has attended the
annual conventions of the Ameri¬
can Bowling Congees* in a vein
attempt to have the A. 15. C.
< rase from its membership n-
quiremonts the discriminate,y
i phrase, individuals of the white
race.”
| JORDAN POST PRESENTS
AWARDS TO GRADUATES—
A committee from the
P. Jordan Post, No. 500, Amcri-
can Leg on. is shown
ing trie Legion School
and another citation to
outstandmg graduates
the Beach high school
mencement exercises on
The day’s activities were be-
gun with a prayer by the Rev.
P. A. Patterson, pastor of But¬
ler Memorial Presbyter an
church, followed by organized
groups of students on a tour of
the building.
The school is headed by
O I'll a h. Douglas, as principal.
The entire faculty is as follows:
Janie L. Blake, Leroy Bolden,
Lyd a G. Brown, Theodora Clif¬
ford, James Cole, Lottie Cro-
martie, W. D. Donnelly, Chrys-
tobell Etlerbe, Annie Givens, Eu
Branch Rickey Assaulted
Alter Liberal Speech
By Richard V. Jackson
NEW YORK—(ANP)—Branch
Hickey was the tvaget of a hefty
right tossed by an irate guest
at the 'Second Annual Awards din¬
ner of the Sport Magazine re¬
cently at the Hotel Astor. The
assailant resented Mr. Rickey’s ap-
j neal for racial equality made to
more than 1,000 leaders of the
sports world.
The Brooklyn mogul had com-
plcted tire main address and was
receiving handshakes, when the
New Orleans Hate Baiter
Routed By Police
By James B. Lal’mirche
NEW ORLEANS—(ANP) — A
race-baiting political demagogue
who styles himself the defender
of “white supremacy” and falsely
paiades under the guise of a
Dixiecrat was given the bums
rush by police here last week
when he attempted to hold a “hate
Friday night at the Municipal
Auditorium.
In the picture above, reading
left to right, stand ng, are W.W.
Law post commander- Princi-
pal Otha L. Douglas rin back-
ground); Miss Cuater B. Weav-
er, Miss Rethei s. Gould, recipi-
of the Legion School award:
Glor.a Hamilton, who received
Member Audit Bureau Circulations
Price 7c
68 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS
PUBLIC SERVICE
2 NEGROES ON SAN
\NTONIO SCHOOL
\DVISGRY GROUP
SAN ANTONIO, TEX.—(ANP)
Two Negroes are members of
he nine-member city-wide school
;dvisory study, committee recent-
y appointed to study ami survey
probable school needs, it was
learned here last week. The two
Negroes arc Mrs. William Sober,
’arcnt-Teacher association coun-
jel; and W. K. Bryant, insurance
•xecutive.
Aside from surveying and study-
ng probable school needs, the
group will also keep a constant
■heck on the population growth
and demands, determine building
requirements to meet school hous¬
ing needs for the next five years
nt of bond Issues
needed to provide school buildings.
Bryant and Mrs. Suber are to
report on Negro school needs.
Mr. Victory Visits City
(George M. Victory of Phila¬
delphia is In the city visiting
nks sister, Mrs. M. V. Hannah.
Mr. Victory who Is a former Sa-
vannahlan, Is a retired Reel
Cap of the Pennsylvania rail¬
road and a well known amateur
artist, his paintings having re¬
cently received wide recognit on
in t'heir display In several met¬
ropolitan centers. He s also
a leading promoter in baseball
circles in the East.
la T. Graham, Miriam Grant,
Joseph Greene, Gwendolyn
Hallman, Alethia E. Hamilton,
Bessie Hardw.ck, Esther Har¬
den, Nathaniel Harris, Charles
Johnson, Jr., Lester B. Johnson,
Dorothy Lampkln, Ella P. Law,
John H. Law, Margaret K.
Law, Alfonso McLean, Hatt.e
B. Payne, Vernon Rhaney, Stel¬
la J. Reeves, Peter J. Smalls,
Virginia Smith, Raymond
Wash ngton, Carl Wright, Nor¬
man Elmore, Susan Waters,
Irene Elexis, secretary.
incensed race-hater pushed for¬
ward exclaiming:
“As an American I want to t«H
you that was the worst speech I
ever heard.”
The surprised Rickey, trying to-
console the infuriated guest re-,
plied, "I am sorry we disagree” anti
extended his hand.
Before anybody knew what was
happening, the man shoved Mr.
Rickey with both hands. He follow-
Continued on Page Seven
meeting” at the foot of the monu¬
ment where on September 14,
1874, many Negroes and whites
were killed as the result of the
overthrow of the carpet-baggen
government.
The meeting had been giver
Continued on Page 7
honorable mention; Carl 1!
White, an Eagle Scout, who re«
ceived a contribution towarr
his expense in attending the
National Scout jamboree in
June, and Noble Spaulding.
Miss Weaver and Mr. Spau.-
ding„ both members of Post
500. assisted Commander Lav)
in making trie presentation.
NUMBER 16