The Miami times. [volume], October 10, 1953, Image 1

About The Miami times. [volume] (Miami, Fla.) 1923-current

Image provided by: University of Florida

                
Born January 28, 1898 at Ocala,
Fla., L. E. Thomas attended the
public schools of Ocala, was grad
uated bachelor of science from
Florida A and M College, class of
1919, bachelor of laws University
of Michigan class of 1923, ad
mitted to practice Michigan 1926
practicing in Detroit until March,
1928; associated with the offices
of McGill and McGill 1929-1934
in Jacksonville, Fla., practiced in
Miami Since Oct. 1935.
He filed and tried the first
teachers’ salary suit in Marion
County, followed by Colbert v.
Board of Public Instruction, Lake
County; filed and carried to a
successful conclusion through the
U. S. Circuit Court of Appeal the
case of Clarence C. Walker Civic
League, etc., et al v. Board of
Public Instruction for Broward
County, et al, a unique case
brought to enjoin and restrain the
Board from closing Negro schools
during the vegetable season to
enable children to pick beans and
tomatoes, and commonly known
as the “bean-picking” suit. In the
murder case of State v. Aaron
Quince, 1947, as defense counsel
he raised the constitutional ques
tion of exclusion of Negroes from
jury service, and for the first
time in the history of the south
the trial judge sustained his con
tention, quashed the indictment
and discharged the grand jury.
Since this time Negroes’ names
regularly appear in the prospec
tive jury list in all of the large
counties of the state of Florida
and Negroes are actually partici
pating in jury service. He filed
brief Amiens Curiae in the Su
preme Court of Florida, Felton
(See L. E. THOMAS, page 16)
MISSING EVIDENCE NO
PROBLEM IN COCO CASE
County Solicitor John D.
Marsh said this week that the
missing evidence in the trial of
Edward Coco will not weaken the
case against the convicted mur
derer.
Marsh said in spite of the miss
ing bullets and other evidence, a
stronger case will be presented
than the one heard in Circuit
Court for the murder of Johnnie
B. Smith.
Coco, former fight promoter,
was tried in Circuit Court on a
first degree murder charge, but
was convicted of second degree
murder June 12, 1951. The Su
preme court ruled that the tes
timony of the single eye witness
was insufficient and ordered a
new trial.
Herbert Williams, the lone eye
LOItLCQMPANIES PROBES BY JURY
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Tempora Mutinur ErNoa Mutamur In * -
VOL. XXX, NO. 5
State Principals
Confer In Miami
Dade County schools eagerly
await the coming of more than
250 Florida principals and super
visors who will invade Miami on
October 15, 16 for their annual
conference.
Having as their general aim the
improvement of educational, and
out-of-efass activities, and, the
modernization of the physical
plant in their separate schools,
the principals will visit Carver,
the typical 1-12 grade schools;
Dorsey Vocational school, Liber
ty City elementary, and get a
glimpse at Booker T. Washington.
After visiting these schools, the
principals will reassemble to dis
witness, has been reported dead
since then, but Marsh said he is
very much alive. Marsh also in
dicated the state might present a
surprise witness to the early
morning shooting.
Missing evidence, including the
bullets and photographs, were in
the custody of the Circuit court
clerk since the first trial. Less
than half of the original 10 ex
hibits now are held by the Crim
inal court clerk.
Friends of Francis Gould, for
mer deputy Circuit court clerk
who had access to the exhibits,
recalled seeing him after he cut
himself adrift from his job and
associates a few months after the
Coco trial. They said he told
them he was “in hiding because
they are trying to get me in con
cuss their findings.
Mrs. Alma F. Brooks, chairman
of the local principals’ council,
announces that the theme for the
occasion is: Dade County Works
Cooperatively for Child Develop
ment.”
A panel will be presented by a
group giving a composite picture
of Dade County schools in
the past, present and plans for the
future. All meetings will be held
at Dade County School Board
building, 275 NW 2nd st. All ad
ministrative and supervisory per
sonnel will attend these sessions.
Booker T. Washington is sched
uled to be used for headauarters
nection with a murder case.”
His remarks were not taken
seriously at the time —about a
week before he was taken to
Jackson Memorial Hospital last
Nov. 28. Ha died there Dec. 15,
leaving his wife, his superiors and
his former associates baffled as
to why he just walked off after
27 years as a deputy court clerk.
TWO ROAD
PATROLMEN
HIRED
Ernest Ferguson and Nathaniel
Dean were hired last week by
Sheriff Tom Kelly as Dade Coun
ty Road Patrolmen. The two dep
uties became the first such uni
formed patrolmen hired by the
MIAMI, FLORIDA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1953
Registration Drive In Swing
The Citizens Committee for
Registration and voting started
the city of Miami registration
drive on Tuesday, October 6, at
which time the registration books
were placed in the various vot
ing precincts. During the drive
therew ill be volunteer workers
canvassing from door to door to
encourage all citizens who are
not voters to go to their respec
tive precincts and register. The
effort is also aimed at re-regis
tering those whose voting privi
lege has been lost by their fail
ure to vote within the past four
years.
If a voter has failed to vote
within the four years last past, it
will be necessary for him to re
register before voting again. If a
voter has moved since his regis
tration and has not changed his
address in the office of the super
visor of registration, he must do
so before he can vote again.
7he deadline for registration in
the precincts is Saturday, Oct. 10
at 5:00 p.m. On that date between
the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 5:00
p.m. the Citizens Committee will
have courtesy cars available for
during the conference.
For the past 22 years the con
ference has met at Florida A and
M University, under the super
vision of Mr. I). E. Williams, state
consultant for Negro schools. This
year, t,hey have planned a “study
tour” to keep abreast with chang
ing educational trends.
A social hour honoring the vis
iting principals and all new
teachers in the county has been
planned by the Dade County
Teachers’ Association on October
15 in the Liberty City cafetorium.
county.
A total of six Negroes will be
hired as Road Patrolmen to cov
er all unincorporated areas of
the county. The territory will ex
tend from Florida City to OJus.
those who have no way of get
ting to their precincts to regis
ter. For information concerning
the registration of voters or if a
courtesy car is needed on Sat
urday, Oct. 10, call the North
Travel Bureau, 1104 NW 3rd ave.
3-0758 or the Third Avenue Real
ty Co., 1161 NW 3rd ave., 2-3297.
WOMAN FREED;
PROBE STARTED
Although the prosecution had
presented only about half its case
Judge Ben C. Willard ordered a
directed verdict of not guilty in
Criminal court Wednesday for
Effie Mae Roberts, charged with
slaying her boy friend.
Willard’s action followed intro
duction of testimony that the vic
tim, Nathaniel Oats, weighed
more than 200 pounds, while sh«
was considerably smaller.
Va. Key Postal Card Drive Launched
The Northwest Miami Junior
Chamber of Commerce and Wo
men’s Auxiliary will launch its
"Virginia Key Postal Card Drive"
on Saturday, October 10. The
drive will continue through Sun
day, Oct. 11. This is the second
phase of a drive spearheaded by
the Jaycees which is designed to
remind the city commission hat
thousands of Miamians are great
ly concerned over the lack of re
sort facilities for visiting Negro
tourists, and the absence of ex
pansion areas for the rapidly in
creasing Negro population of this
area. And further, that if the city
owned portion of Virginia Key is
PRICE: TEN CENTS
i Regii.ning Monday, October 12,
j the registration books will be
i back in the office of the super
visor of registration. The dead
line for registration there will
be Saturday, Oct. 17.
1 ake advantage of this oppor
i tunity and be a “first class citi
zen.”
She had said under questioning
that she stabbed Oats when he
attacked her with a curtain rod.
State Attorney George A.
Brautigam started action Thurs
day to find out why all the wit
nesses were not permitted to tes
tify. He asked John Marsh,
county solicitor, to give him an
explanation of the entire affair.
His findings will bo presented
to the grand jury.
going to be developed it should
be delevolped ns a Negro resort
and housing area.
SIGNATURES SOUGHT
During the drive, the Jaycees
vvill ask the eihzens of Miami to
sign postal eards, addressed to the
city commission and carrying the
following message: "Being a tax
payer and citizen of the city of
Miami, i am greatly concerned
over the lack of resort facilities
and expansion areas for the rapid
ly increasing Negro population of
this area. 1 do hereby respectfully
request that Virginia Key be de
veloped as a N?gro resort area
Small loan companies, one of
i the biggest rackets In Miami.
came fe. *° r Pknty attention from
state attorney George A. Brauti
gam this week as the grand Jur.
seized the books of three locai
loan companies.
Investigators who perused the
records estimated that borrow
ers may stand to regain as much
as half a million dollars if usury
is proved.
The estimated amount they
said, represents both principal
and interest on allegedly usuri
ous loans.
Brautigam subpoenaed'the rec
ords from the Colonial Acceptance
Corp. and Colonial Finance Coro
both of 827 W. Flagler st. and
Causeway Loan Co., Inc. 622 W
Flagler st., after a two month in
vestigation ripening the case for
the grand jury
He identified Paul A. Harold
and Harry Havmond, both of Hol
l.vwood, as major stockholders in
the finance companies and ex
plained that loans of more than
the legal limit of S3OO were made
under the 42 per cent annual in
terest small loans law.
This law allows 3Vi per cent
per month interest charges op
loans up to a maximum of S3OO.
Large loans come under another
state law limiting annual interest
to 10 per cent.
YOUNG WOMAN
INJURED IN
SEWER DITCH
Miss Willie Mae Williams of
560 Vi NW 13th st., suffered ex
ternal injuries Wednesday after
noon when she accidentally fell
into a ditch, dug for the new
sewer lines, at NW 12th st. near
3rd court. A quantity of water,
resulting from the recent heavy
rains, w-as in the ditch. Miss Wil
liams was rushed to the Jack
son Memorial hospital in a H.
Solomon Funeral Home ambulance
w here .she was treated for lacer
ations and released.
and urban redevelopment and re
loeation area.’’
Desks will be set up for postal
card signing at the following lo
cations:
Ritz Theatre, Community Drug
Store, 6750 NW 15th ave., J. and
J. Sundries, 1410 NW 02nd st..
NW 2nd ave. and 11th st, NW 7th
ave and nth st., NW 6th ave. and *
20th st., NW 3rd ave. and 14th
st., NW 3rd ave and 9th st., and
at the Mary Elizabeth Hotel, 642
”W 2nd ave. The goal Is a mini
mum of 5,000 signatures.
(continued on page 16)