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JURY CALLS' 17
NEW WITNESSES
IN LYNCH PROBE
3 Negroes In Group Added To 102 Originally
» Listed In Inquiry
INQUEST QUESTIONS SHORE POLICE CHIEF
Murder, Hanging Of Colored Man, Radical Activities Studied
[By the Associated Press]
Salisbury, March 16 — Additional witnesses, not originally included in the list announced by State's Attorney Levin C. Bailey, appeared today in the long queue, ..waiting a call into the grand jury room where that tribunal is engaged in a triple investigation of the murder of Daniel J. Elliott, prominent lumber manufacturer; of the mob hanging of Matthew Williams, colored, confessed murderer of Elliott, and of alleged communist activities here prior to those two crimes.
Judge Joseph L. Bailey instructed the jurors to inquire into all three phases.
17 New Witnesses Called
Seventeen new witnesses were summoned today in addition to the original list of 102. They included Dr. H. A. Barnes, Miss Mary Massey (nurse), Graydon L. Ware, Fred A. Grier, Jr., Harry Waller, Marion Brown, John Croswell, John Martin, Sr., John Martin, Jr., L. Carroll Hopkins, Loran Niblett, from Salisbury, and "Fats" Wilson, L, Thomas Webster and Russell Webster, of Somerset county.
There were also Salisbury Negroes, considered representative of that race here. They were Randolph Ralph, Daniel J. Elzey, Roger Jennings, George Farlow.
Police Chief Quizzed
Chief of Police N. H. Holland, who with Deputy Sheriff Donald A. Parks, was on duty at the hospital from which Williams was taken to be hanged was questioned by the grand jury for more than an hour this morning. Eight other witnesses were heard before noon.
"Outside Organization" Cited
The jurors had been instructed by Judge Bailey to look into all circumstances surrounding the lynching and the actions of an "outside organization" on the Eastern Shore.
While that "outside organization" was not mentioned fay name by the court, the International Labor Defense League representatives said their organization had been in the mind oi; the jurist. In a telegram to Governor Ritchie, Louis Berger, secretary of the league, demanded the impeachment of the judge. Berger said the league had been insulted by the court
Jury Selection Protested The league also protested the selection of jury, declaring it had been "hand picked" to perfect "lynch rule." The league representatives protested that there were no Negroes on the jury or representatives of the poor working classes.
The jurist said that he had not received the telegram repoited to have been sent him by the league and that when it arrived it would be given to Judge John R. Pattison, head of the judicial circuit.
In Baltimore, Governor Ritchie made no comment on the request made of him by Berger.
Attorney-General Aiding Attorney-General William Preston Lane, Jr., with an assistant, is here aiding the county officers to present the evidence to the grand jury.
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