Hide Article Text (OCR)
SPECIAL EDITIONTHE NEGRO PRESS CREDOThe Negro Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national antagonisms when it accords to every man, regardless of race, color or creed, his human and legal rights. Hating no man, fearing no man, the Negro Press strives to help every man in the firm belief that all are hurt long as anyone held back.tT.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 498 Phoenix, Arizona Bulk Rateganized mankind may be likened to the culminating stage in the political evolution of the great American Republic — the stage which marked the emergence of a unified community of federated states.VOL. XVIII—No. 35Phoenix, Arizona, Thursday, February 9,1961Ten CentsONLY THE GOVERNOR CAN SAVE HIM!NEXT WEEK IN THE ARIZONA SUN THE SO-CALLED MURDER - H ow It Happened!PROGRESS-WATCHWORD OF WILLIAMS JONES COMPANYschool he entered the army en gineer corps. He was honorably discharged iif 1946 and entered Arizona State University in 1950.After graduating from ASU with, a B. S. in business, Mr. Williams joined the Williams Jones Contracting Co., as assistant secretary - treasurer, working in this position until 1954. He is married to the former Hazel Campbell from Mesa, Arizona. Thfey have three children, Robert, 9, Travis, Jr., 11 and Allen Cody, 1.Williams Jones started business in the Valley in Sep tember, 1949. At that time they were known as the Williams Jones Contracting Co B. W. Williams was president J. B. Jones, secretary-treasur er, R. L. Williams, construction superintendent and D. W. Wil liams project manager.In 1954 they moved to Cal ifornia and operated under the tame organization in Los An geles and the Bay Area.In Phoenix they have built 1200 homes throughout the city, apartment building, and small commercial and tract homes.In March, 1955 the Williams Jones Construction Co. was formed with D. W. Williams as president and Travis Williams as secretary - treasurer. The president, D. W. Williams is a man of 18 years experience in general construction. He started in 1942 as a mechanic. Since then he has served as ship fitter, carpenter, construction foreman and now president of the corporation. He is married to the former Merdine Moton of Phoenix. They have one son, D. W., Jr., age 6.Travis Williams, who is sec-retary-treasurer, began with his father in the construction business at the age of 15 in 19-39. Graduating from highSince 1954( when the Williams Jones Construction Co. was formed, they have built 72 houses in the East Broadway addition, 71 home^ in Park McDowell Subdivision, 49 homes in Princess Jean Park, some 80 custom homes in Phoenix and Scottsdale, ranging in price from $10,000 to $65,000.The Park South project was started in 1957 by the Park Central Developers who built the first unit of 60 homes. It was then turned over to Williams Jones Construction Co., who have built 92 homes to date. At present the firm is undertaking the completion of the subdivision which includes land for 150 additional homes, of which a third unit of 80 homes is now being built.The Williams Jones Con-GARSIE WILLIAMS — A Phoenix shoe-shiner who walked away from the Mississippi State Penitentiary where he was serving a life sentence for a murder he didn’t commit, and who is waiting, out on bond, for the Governor to decide whether or not to extradite him to Mississippi. (SUN—Staff Photo)struction Company’s plans for the future include completing the 150 homes’in Park South to provide homes for the community and employment opportunities for others. The plans for future growth of the Williams Jones Constructionparticipation in custom nomes, contract, commercial and remodelling.The Williams Jones story, of progress in home construction has been a consistent contribution to the development of the community and itsCo. will include expansion ofneeds.PARK SOUTH HOME — Shown is one of the attractive homes with many unique and modern features for your convenience and pleasure. This can be seen in the beautiful Park South Subdivision, 18th Place and Roeser Road.(SUN — Staff Photo)PHOENIX MAN FIGHTS FOR HIS LIFE BY ASKING THEY NOT EXTRADITE HIM TO MISS.Editor’s note: This is the first part of a series about Garsie Williams, a local man who works and sleeps among you. This series is written in hope that some of the readers will help save Williams from extradition, by writing to: Governor Paul Fannin, Capitol Building, Phoenix, Arizona in his behalf.Here in Phoenix, is a thin, cheerful man, Garsie Williams; who shines shoes, and is well-liked and well-thought of by all who know him—that is, all, except in Louisiana where he is considered a dangerous criminal and a murderer.The same hate—the same prejudice—the same ceaseless thought of “teaching a nigger aBut he is neither murderer nor criminal. The only crime he committed — if it is a crime—was being born a Negro. And now he is being prosecuted and is in the midst of a battle to extradite him to serve a life sentence for murder.This has become not just another case of a man paying for a murder which he actually did not commit but a battle between states and States Rights—a battle between Governor Barton of Mississippi and our Governor Fannin— a battle of Democracy and equal rights for Negroes—a battle of justice and fair-play. Williams, tn effect, is Tiort itnt fighting for his freedom but for all these things.If Williams is retured to Mississippi, it will not be a murderer returning, as far as Mississippians are concerned, but a “nigger.’’ This is the place where they are fighting the integration of schools, the scene of large demonstrations, the place where hate against Negroes has reached its highest, the place where Williams will be shown no mercy and become one of the “living dead”—the place where, “If I am returned, they will kill me!” he says emotionally.Governor Fannin is charged with this man’s life—it is his signature that will or will not send him to his “death.” The Governor may not realize it but if he lets Williams be extradited to Mississippi, he maylesson” will envelope the Mis sissippi officials and prison guards as it enveloped the South Carolinians who recent ly followed a Negro doctor to New York, beat him up and tried to kidnap him; to take him back to South Carolina to face a murder trial. His crime j—he accidently killed a white man who walked in front of his car. It will envelope the same guards who shot and killed cold-bloodedly two Negroes in a prison Work-line in front of Williams and other prisoners. Their .crime—they talked too much. Add, If Will envelope all those people who lied in the court room just to see a ’’nigger get the chair.”And what of Garsie? What about this soft-spoken, religious Negro—whose every moment the last few years has been torture; protecting his freedom wanting not to get even with the world and the whites who ruined his life—byt a chance to live happily and free — to prove to the world that he isn’t a criminal or a mtirderer.What about this polite, well mannered, lonesome man, who spent 15 years of his life paying for something that wasn’t his fault? What kind of man is he?Garsie Williams was born 48 years ago in Shreverson, Miss, where mostly tenant farmers lived. His parents were farm laborers; renting their ownwell sentence Williams to land and selling their crops hang in New Haven for what theycould—and if they could collect their money. His memories aren’t of pleasant things, like most have of their childhood—but of starvation, hardships and troubled times. Like the time when he was 8 years old, his father and uncle were beaten up, just for fun by six white men and came home bleeding and swollen.His school was a small country hut where they gathered pine knots to feed the fire in an old tin heater. After the eighth grade, he left school to become a tenant farmer like his father. Williams was married at the age of twenty in 1932. His youthful marriage soon broke up ten months later and he was married again in 1935. He had four children.Besides fostering a nipe family and making a good living, Garsie was a religious man; going to church every Sunday (in fact, this is where the so-called murder took place). Williams was never arrested during his thirty years, not even for speeding and people a-round knew him affectionately as “Slim.” During the weekend. he went into town and did “barbering” to earn extra money. And this he sometimes used to help people in need. When Howard Herring of his home town got sick and couldn’t work for three months “Slim” supported Howard and his family with his “barbering” money. When people were broke, he’d loan them money, never expecting it back until they got back on their feet.This is Garsie Williams — the Garsie Williams who attends church here in Phoenix —the Garsie Williams who sits alone night after night in his room reading the Bible—the Garsie Williams who laid a-wake each night thinking of his kids and choking back the tears — the Garsie Williams who’s left lung is collapsed from his stay in the damp cells of the Mississippi penitentiary — this is the man Governor Fannn doesn’t know.FIRM MEMBERS VIEW PROGRESS — Members of the Williams Jones Construction Co. view with pride the tremendous strides that have been made in the past few years the firm has done business in the Valley. We see(1 to r) Travis Williams, Douglas Colbert, Osborn Callahan, Maurice Mitchell, Virgil J. Berry, Clyde Webb, David Cooke and James T. Williams. (Photo—Alan Anderson)KENNEDY ORDERS SCHOOL INTEGRATIONPresident Kennedy ordered it that the Coast Guard officer school admit qualified Negroes after an investigation showed that no Negroes were enrolled. The investigation was brought about after the. President noticed there were no Negroes marching with the Coast Guard in the inauguration day parade.FRATERNITY PLEDGES JEWSThe Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity of Stanford University, San Francisco, pledged four Jewish students against the orders of their national organization. Because of this they may lose their charter. They have retained a lawyer and have asked for advice from State Atty - General Stanley Mosk. The Dean of Men at Stanford says he will back the fraternity all the way.PUBLISHER HEADS HUMAN RELATIONSMaylor Alvin G. Fields has appointed John M. Kirkpatrick as director of the East St. Louis Human Relations Commission., Mr. Kirkpatrick was the editor and publisher of the East St. Louis Crusader newspaper. His new $5,000-a-year position involves developing a program for human relations and acting as trouble shooter and investigator.LEONTYNE PRICEMAKES MET DEBUTNegro soprano Leontyne Price made a brilliant performance in her Metropolitan Opera debut where she sang the role of Leonora in Verde’s II Trovatore. This was her first appearance at Metropolitan Opera although she has appeared in numerous opera houses both in Europe and the United States. Critics were extremely enthusiastic about her excellent performance.INCOME TAX TIME—Shown inspecting income tax application forms are (1 to r): Miss June Thomas, Mmes. Albert Thomas, Dorothy Crowley, Henry Clack. Seated, Mr. Hosea Tindle. They all feel thatthis type of business is needed in Phoenix since it meets the need of many unemployed persons and those who do not have the time to prepare their own income tax. (PHOTO—Clovis Campbell)g ' **«*lt;»
Newspaper Details
Phoenix Arizona Sun
Phoenix, Arizona, US
Thu, Feb 09, 1961
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 08 Oct 2024
Other Publications Near Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix Arizona Republican
Phoenix Arizona Republic
Phoenix Gazette
Arizona Republic
Arizona Weekly Gazette
