Tabor City Tribune

Three Nakina Men Get Road Terms For Threatening To "Klux" Farmer

Three Nakina men who allegedly took it upon themselves to tell Dan Ward, farmer, one of his Negro tenants on his property would be burned saw a two year road sentence in recorders court Tuesday. Making their ill-fated trip on Christmas day, according to testimony given in court Tuesday by both Ward and his wife Ella, the trio allegedly told Ward that the Negro would have to be off Ward's property by Sunday, December 30. However, the tenant is still there and the defendants in Tuesday's case are facing a two year road sentence. They are currently out on bond after appealing the case, but bonds have been set at $2500 for each of them, an indication of the seriousness of the charge. All three are charged with assault and trespassing. The three defendants who allegedly made the threats are Pink Jacobs, Russell Blackmon and Johnnie Ward, all of the Nakina section. According to testimony heard by the court, the trio told Ward that a Negro tenant who had recently moved on his farm would have to leave by the following weekend and that if he didn't they "would burn his property and 'Klux' him." Edison Simmons testified that the trio had talked to him about this situation, but he took no part in it. James Callahan testified that the trio had tried to get him to go along when the warning was made to Ward but that he refused. He also said that no mention was made to him that the warning might be the work of the Ku Klux Klan. Of the three facing charges, only Blackmon took the stand to testify. He denied that any threats were made. Solicitor Robert Schulken pointed out to the court, "This, in my opinion, is the most terrible thing that has ever happened in Columbus county. When things come to a place where you can't say who is going to live on your own property, it's time to regard the matter seriously." Whether this incident was in any way connected with the Ku Klux Klan that has been quite active in Columbus and Horry counties for some time was not known. However, several unpublicized cases of Saturday night floggings have come to light in recent weeks, and it is believed that county, state and federal officers are making progress toward an eventual solution of the crimes.