Devil in the Grove
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relationship with T. Marshall, 110–12, 206, 261, 360
response to H. T. Moore assassination, 280
Horne, Lena, 25, 333
Hotel Theresa, Harlem, 28
House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), 34, 153
Housing discrimination, 137–38
Houston, Bo (son of C. H. Houston), 195, 196
Houston, Charles Hamilton (NAACP attorney), 24–25, 40, 106, 107, 189–90, 337
illness and death of, 185, 195–97
invites T. Marshall to work for NAACP, 42–43
as mentor to T. Marshall, 8, 22, 197
school inequalities study by, 42–43
works with T. Marshall on cases, 42–43
Houston, Henrietta (wife of C. H. Houston), 195
Howard, Curtis (filling station attendant), 165, 193, 212, 228
defense declines to cross-examine in W. Irvin retrial, 306–7
suspicions about trial testimony of, 212, 213–15, 225, 304
testimony in retrial of W. Irvin, 303–6
Howard, James (father of Willie Howard), 100, 102, 103, 104
Howard, Kim (daughter of Curtis Howard), 306
Howard, Lula (mother of Willie Howard), 102, 103
Howard, Willie James (lynching victim), 100–105
Hughes, Langston, 25, 26, 333
Hunter, Jesse (Florida state attorney), 84, 85, 87, 124, 144–45, 321
alleged conspiracy of, with W. McCall, to kill Groveland Boys, 344–45
attacks Bunin’s investigative report of Groveland Boys case, 200
change in attitude toward T. Marshall and rape cases, 321–22, 360
changes plan for W. McCall to transport W. Irvin to court for retrial, 262–63
death of Ernest Thomas and, 117
doubts W. Irvin’s guilt, 350, 353
Groveland Boys case and trial and role of, as prosecutor, 97, 109, 134, 145–46, 148, 149, 157, 164–74, 225
Groveland Boys (W. Irvin) retrial and role of, as prosecutor, 223, 267–68, 288, 289, 292–302, 304–5, 308–10, 313–16, 324–26, 330, 332
illness and death of, 345, 356
investigation of prisoner beatings and, 195
motion to disqualify, for Groveland Boys retrial, 230–31
reindictments of S. Shepherd and W. Irvin by, 223
relationship with M. N. Reese, 345, 350
response of, to shootings of S. Shepherd and W. Irvin, and concern about W. McCall, 236, 237, 239, 315
response of, to Supreme Court decision on Groveland Boys case, 220
secret meeting with W. Irvin and request for confession, 349–50
shootings of S. Shepherd and W. Irvin and, 245, 247, 253–55
supports Platt family against W. McCall’s actions, 345–46
takes Padgetts to Raiford prison to identify suspects, 131
wears red galluses (symbol of segregation), 293–94
Hurley, Ruby (NAACP official), 249, 264–65
Hurston, Zora Neale, 37, 259
Illegal search, 294–95
Irvin, Cleve (father of Walter Irvin), 140, 226, 238
Irvin, Dellia (mother of Walter Irvin), 238, 292, 293, 329–30
testimony on removal of son’s pants by Deputy J. Yates, 294–95
Irvin, Walter (Groveland Boys), 36–39, 72, 233. See also Groveland Boys; Groveland Boys rape case and trial
arrest of, 124–25
beatings of, by law enforcement officers, 67, 124–25, 127–31, 135, 138–42, 184–85, 259–62
clemency for, 344, 347–51, 354
commutation of sentence by Governor L. Collins, 344, 348–55
conviction overturned by U.S. Supreme Court, 218–20
death, suspicious nature of, 359, 360
on death row, 336
death warrants signed for, 341
fight with Willie Padgett, 38–39
indictments against, 109
interviewed by F. Williams, 128–30
ninety-day stay of execution for, 194
parole, 358–59
refuses to confess to rape, 130, 134, 178, 349–50
relationship of, with S. Shepherd, 310–11
removed from Tavares jail to prevent lynching of, 62–68, 130
retrial of [see Irwin, Walter (Groveland Boys), retrial of]
as returning military veteran, 132–33
shooting of [see Irvin, Walter (Groveland Boys), shooting of]
stay of execution granted for, 341–43
trial testimony, 169
trial verdict, 173–74
Irvin, Walter (Groveland Boys), retrial of, 284–333
appeals of verdict in, 335, 336, 338
attorney preparation for, 222–26
call for prosecutorial misconduct in, 326–27
change of venue motions, 268–69, 288
closing arguments in, 316–20, 321–26
commutation of sentence given at, 348–55
defense calls for mistrial, 315
evidence in, 294–95, 301–2, 311–14, 319, 323–24, 338
fund-raising for Legal Defense Fund based on, 334–35
J. Hunter’s role as prosecutor in, 267–68
jury instructions in, 327–28
jury selection in, 295
life on death row, 287
T. Marshall and J. Greenberg removed from defense team, then reinstated in, 269, 270–71, 287–88
T. Marshall’s closing argument in, 316–20
Masonic distress signal given during, 327
mistrial motion in, 329
motion for new trial, 330
motion to remove J. Hunter for failure to include L. Burtoft testimony, 268
offered and refuses plea deal, 291–93, 332–33
press coverage of, 295–96, 300, 332
pretrial hearing and motions made, 230, 262, 266–69, 284, 287–95
protest of W. McCall’s transport of W. Irvin to court, 262–63
public opinion poll on fairness of, 226, 288, 289
reindictments, 223
shootings of defendants prior to [see Irvin, Walter (Groveland Boys), shooting of]
trial testimony, 295–316
trial testimony, W. Irvin’s, 310–11, 315
undercover investigation of N. Padgett story and, 204, 210–14, 227–29
verdict and sentencing, 328–30, 331–32
Irvin, Walter (Groveland Boys), shooting of, 240
M. J. Leiby claims escape was planned, 263–64
W. McCall’s version of, 230–39
pain following, 286–87
Soviet official’s criticism of, 240
statements about, from hospital bed, 242–45, 247, 250, 254
Jackson, Eddie (KKK informant), 248
Jackson, Robert (Supreme Court justice), 217, 220, 335
Jews, Ku Klux Klan attacks on, 265–66
Johns, Charley (acting Florida governor), 341, 342
Johns, Oscar, 96
Johnson, Bumpy, 28
Johnson, James Weldon, 28
Johnson, Lyndon B. (U.S. president), 358
Jones, Charles, 45
Jury selection process, exclusion of blacks in, 9, 205
as argument in Groveland Boys appeal to U.S. Supreme Court, 216–18, 219–20
in Groveland Boys (W. Irvin) retrial, 295
in Groveland Boys trial, 155, 162–63
Justice Department, U.S., 31
Civil Rights Division, 360
investigation of Groveland Boys beatings, 138, 184
investigation of I. Woodard blinding, 121
investigation of W. Howard lynching, 104
shootings of S. Shepherd and W. Irvin and, 246
KKK. See Ku Klux Klan
Kefauver, Estes (senator), 247–48, 259
Kennedy, John F. (U.S. president), 358
Kennedy, “Papa” Lloyd, 13, 14
Kennedy, Stetson (news reporter), 237, 241, 245, 252–53, 281, 357
infiltration of Kl
an by, 259–60, 290
interaction with J. J. Elliott about beatings of Groveland Boys, 259–62
Kimbrough, James, 91
King, Martin Luther, Jr., 347, 358
Kirkland, Wallace, 124
Korean War, 207
Ku Klux Klan (KKK), 3, 72, 83, 105, 141–42, 158, 223
assassination of H. T. Moore and, 284
Brandenberg v. Ohio and, 359
community morality enforcement by, 225
J. J. Elliott as member of, 259, 261–62
Groveland, FL, white mob violence and role of, 85–86, 89–93, 161
indictments for Florida members, regarding violent incidents, 335–36
infiltration of, by S. Kennedy, 259–60
informants in, 184, 248
law enforcement officers as members of, 17, 91, 109, 139, 141, 282
plan to kill Alex Akerman, 248
racial violence perpetrated by, in Florida, 265–66
rally of, witnessed by J. Greenberg, 285–86
resurgence of violence by, in response to Brown ruling, 339–41
suspected in assassination of H. T. Moore by members of, 277, 279, 282, 357
Labor, central Florida citrus industry and black, 76–81, 88, 94, 96–97, 212
Labor unions, citrus industry and organizing by, 80–81
Law enforcement officers
assaults on, and beatings of blacks by, 21, 53, 55–56, 73–75, 111, 120–23, 127–32, 135, 138–42, 147, 184–85, 259–62
Ku Klux Klan pressure on white, 86–87
Ku Klux Klan relationship with, 17, 91, 139, 141, 282
Lee, Harper, 3
Leesburg Commercial (newspaper), 78
Legal Defense Fund (LDF) of NAACP, 5, 32
financial problems and fund-raising for, 334–35
Groveland Boys case and [see Groveland Boys rape case and trial; Williams, Franklin (NAACP attorney)]
guidelines on taking criminal cases, 48–49
lawsuits by, challenging inequalities, 44, 49, 70, 82
T. Marshall appointed head of, 334
Leiby, Merlin James, claims prison escape was planned by S. Shepherd and W. Irvin, 263–64
Liebman, Joshua Loth, 196
Looby, Zephaniah Alexander (NAACP attorney), Columbia Race Riot trial and, 9–10, 14–20, 30, 32
Lonesome, Milton “Buddy” (news reporter), 330, 331
Louis, Joe, 26, 28, 122, 126, 137
Lowe, Ramona (news reporter)
coverage of Groveland Boys case, 159–60, 163
posttrial high-speed chase and threat to, 174–77
Lynchings of blacks, 1, 3, 100–105, 111
of black military veterans, 133
NAACP definition of, 86
Lyons, W. D., murder case/trial of, 52–57, 338
Lyons v. Oklahoma, 338
MacArthur, Douglas (U.S. general), 207–9, 222
McCall, Doris Daley (wife of Willis McCall), 76
McCall, Willis (sheriff, Lake County, FL), 72, 75–81, 84, 100, 110, 194, 219, 232, 310, 321, 322, 356
alleged conspiracy of, with J. Hunter, to kill Groveland Boys, 344–45
beatings of black laborers by, 79–81
beatings of Groveland Boys by, 130–31, 135, 138–42, 147, 259–62
bolita gambling and role of, 78–79, 114–15
calls to remove from office, 255–56, 264, 266
central Florida citrus industry’s need for black labor, and role of, 76–81, 133
credited for preventing mob lynching of Groveland Boys, 61–68
denies education to children of A. Platt, 340–41, 345–46
as director of National Association for the Advancement of White People, 341
elections of, 77–78, 357
FBI investigation of, 138–43, 284
finds prisoner who claims Groveland Boys planned escape, 263–64
C. Greenlee confession and, 178–80
Groveland Boys trial and, 147–49, 167, 169, 173
high-speed chase following Groveland Boys trial and role of, 174–77, 184
indictment and suspension of, by Governor Reubin Askew, 357
link to assassination of H. T. Moore, 278, 357
opposition to commutation of W. Irvin sentence, 350
protest and change of plan for, to transport W. Irvin to retrial, 262–63
response to clemency and commutation of W. Irvin’s sentence, 355
response to Supreme Court decision on Groveland Boys case, 220–22, 227
response to Supreme Court ruling on Brown v. Board of Education, 339–40, 341
shootings of S. Shepherd and W. Irvin by (see Groveland Boys, shootings of S. Shepherd and W. Irvin)
relationship with Ku Klux Klan, 248, 282
E. Thomas manhunt and murder, and role of, 113–14, 115–20
threat to F. Williams from, 168–69
unhappy with press coverage, 183–84, 256–57
white mob violence, black exodus from Groveland, and role of, 85–93, 97–99, 108–9
McCarthy, Joseph, 153
McCarthy, Terence (news reporter)
on Groveland Boys case, 132–33, 161, 204
on shootings of S. Shepherd and W. Irvin, 238
on southern peonage system, 96–97
McCarty, Dan (Florida governor), 341
McCready, Esther, desegregation case of, 185–86
McDonald, Harry, 227–28
McGrath, J. Howard (U.S. attorney general), 280
McKinney, Leroy, connection to Lake County bolita operations, 114
McLaurin, George, desegregation case involving, 187–90, 198
McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 187–90, 198
McLeod, Don (sheriff, Marion County, FL), 329
Manhattan Project, 34
Mapp v. Ohio, 294
Margold, Nathan Ross (NAACP attorney), 106–7
Margold Report, 106–7, 198
Marion County, Florida, W. Irvin retrial moved to, 269, 286–87
Marshall, Aubrey (brother of Thurgood Marshall), 46
Marshall, Fearless (uncle of Thurgood Marshall), 2
Marshall, George C. (U.S. general), 206
Marshall, Norma (mother of Thurgood Marshall), 46, 337
Marshall, Thorney Good (grandfather of Thurgood Marshall), 2
Marshall, Thurgood (NAACP attorney)
appeals process, and his strategy of establishing precedent in, 48–49, 123, 210, 303
appointed head of NAACP Legal Defense Fund, 334
appointed to U.S. Court of Appeals, 358
becomes attorney for NAACP, 22–23
career in law, 359–61
cares for dying wife, 343
casual office manner and humor of, 44–45
Columbia Race Riot trial and, 7–11, 14–20, 29, 30
defense of black American soldiers serving during Korean War, 207–9
effect of H. T. Moore assassination on, 278, 281–82
efforts to dissociate NAACP from communism, 26–27, 110–12, 153–55, 206–7
fails to get indictment of J. Yates and L. Campbell for prison beatings, 194–95
family of, 2, 46
Groveland Boys appeals to Florida Supreme Court and role of, 191, 193–94, 335
Groveland Boys appeal to U.S. Supreme Court and role of, 194, 204, 215–18, 219, 336
Groveland Boys case/trial and role of, 3–5, 110, 126, 134, 138, 142, 151
Groveland Boys retrial (W. Irvin) and role of, 222–26, 230, 260, 262, 267–69, 270–71, 286–95, 299, 306–7, 315–20, 326–30, 335, 342–51
Groveland Boys, shootings of S. Shepherd and W. Irvin, and role of, 232, 233, 241, 244–45, 246, 256
Harlem home of, 22–28
health of, 10, 29–32
hiring practices of, at NAACP, 46–47
hospitality provided to, 5, 47
C. H. Houston as mentor to, 8, 22, 197
W. Howard lynching case and, 101, 103, 104
legal
strategies of, 2, 48–49, 50–51, 53, 56, 123
letters to, 45–46, 361
Lyons murder case, 52–57
oratorical skills, 270, 334
principle of not using race as excuse, 209
professional reputation of, 5, 45–46, 47, 224
relationship with J. Edgar Hoover, 110–12, 206, 261
relationship with wife, 41–42
relationships with women, 41, 47, 338
removed from defending W. Irvin in retrial, 269, 270–71
salary, 181, 206
school desegregation cases, 43–44, 185–91, 203, 205, 333, 335–40
speaking engagements, 258, 269–71, 353
Spell rape case, 50–52, 306
stops W. Irvin’s execution, 341–43
as Supreme Court associate justice, 359–60
Supreme Court cases argued by, 2, 4, 5, 28–29, 53–54, 69–70, 82–83, 335–39
tensions between W. White and, 69–70
tensions between F. Williams and, 202–4
threats to, 4, 15–20, 283–84, 290–91, 333–34
train travel by, 1–2, 21–22, 224
trip to Caribbean, 31–32
university desegregation cases, 185–91, 198
voting rights case, 82–83
wife (see Marshall, Vivian Burey “Buster”)
work with Harry T. Moore, 107–8
Marshall, Vivian Burey “Buster” (wife of Thurgood Marshall), 2, 31, 52, 335, 337
childlessness of, 22, 27
Harlem home, 23, 24, 27
last days and death of, 343
relationship with husband, 41–42, 343
Marshall, Willie (father of Thurgood Marshall), 2
Marshall Plan, 206
Martin, D. D. (colonel), 208
Martin, John W. (Florida governor), 145
Martinsville Seven, Virginia, 153–54, 291
Masonic distress signal, 327, 335
Matthews, Tobias E. (FBI agent), 138–42, 162
Mays, Benjamin, 201
Mays, George (chief of police, Groveland, FL), 141, 161
jailing of C. Greenlee by, 65–68
Maxwell, Joe, 90
Mazique, Edward (physician), 195, 196
Meech, Frank (FBI agent), 282, 357
Merritt, Curtis, 91, 140
The Metropolitan (newspaper), 21
Miami, Florida, NAACP fund-raising in, 269–71
Miami Herald (newspaper), 68
Military, desegregation of U.S., 207
Military veterans, black, 11, 12, 36–37, 90, 96, 111, 120–21
connection of Groveland Boys case to citrus industry, labor, and returning, 132–33
lynchings of, 133
Miller, Loren (attorney), 47
The Mind of the South (Cash), 51–52