Atlanta Daily World

Seek Quashing Of Four Of 33 Returned Bills

5,000 Messages Received By Governor McCord

COLUMBIA, Tenn. - (ANP)- Attorneys for the NAACP filed pleas of abatement in Maury County Circuit Court last week asking that indictments against four of the 33 Negroes under charges in connection with the recent race riots here be quashed.

The pleas named Mary Stephenson and her son, James, and Meade Johnson and Cal Lockridge, all charged with assault with intent to kill. The Stephensons were implicated in the Feb. 28 altercation with a white man, which is said to have started the disturbances.

Maurice Weaver, Chattanooga, who signed the pleas along with Z. Alexander Looby, Nashville, and Thurgood Marshall, New York chief counsel for NAACP, said similar pleas would be filed for all 33 of the persons indicted.

SYSTEMATICALLY BARRED

The pleas based their legality on grounds that Negroes systematically are barred from jury service in Columbia, and pointed out that the indicting grand jury was composed entirely of whites, who generally are prejudiced against Negroes in their opinions. Weaver said also that chief counsel of NAACP would arrive in Columbia April 10.

Federal Judge Elmer Davies summoned the federal grand jury to convene in special session in Nashville on April 8 to investigate possible violation of federal civil rights during the disturbances. His order followed a directive from United States Attorney General Tom Clark, who acted after receiving numerous messages urging an inquiry.

A secretary in Tennessee's Gov. McCord's office estimated Thursday that "about 5,000" messages had been received there. Meanwhile, Columbia continued preparation to prosecute the 33 Negroes.

Original indictments returned by the Maury County Grand Jury last week made charges against 37 persons, four whites and 33 Negroes. Capias warrants were issued for their arrest. Only 18 have been apprehended, according to an announcement from the district attorney's office.