Ku Klux Klan Chief Is Angry With The Sheriff

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28490, 21 January 1958, Page 11

Ku Klux Klan Chief Is Angry With The Sheriff

(Rec. 9.10 p.m.) MARION (South Carolina), January 20.

A Ku Klux Klan leader said last night he was discriminated against by North Carolina law authorities because he was “of the white race.” The Rev. James Cole, the- selfstyled leader of the Ku Klux Klan group whose rally was broken up at Maxton, North Carolina, by gunfire from angry Indians, said he was contemplating legal action against Sheriff Malcolm McLeod, of Robeson County.

“I’m not receiving my rights,” said Mr Cole in an interview. “We were meeting on private property we had leased when these Indians invaded us, shot us ip and stole our equipment. “Now I hear the Sheriff wants to indict me and other Klansmen for inciting a riot, but he’s not going to do anything about the Indians. I asked for police protection before this started and I was refused. I’m being denied my rights because of my race.” Mr Cole said that the Klan, which preached strict segregation of all races, had no feeling of hostility against the Indians.

"That was all a misunderstanding.” he said. "We don’t want to stir up any racial trouble. We’re opposed to violence.” Mr Cole, a Free Will Baptist minister, said he had a church at Fairmont, in Robeson County. “I know the Indians,” he said. "They’re very segregated people and have a wonderful race relationship. “Why, I was going to talk about race to some Indians who wanted to form their own group to enforce segregation from negroes. [They had asked about joinjpg

the Klan, but of course our constitution says our members have to be white Christian Protestants."

Mr Cole said he was going to consult a lawyer about taking action against Sheriff McLeod on two counts:

“First, my rights under the First Amendment to the Constitution were violated. Wa are a Christian, fraternal group and we have a right to assemble and to free speech. “My rights were violated when the sheriff let those Indians shoot us up. I was talking to him when the shooting started. I asked for police protection, but he just ran away In the other direction.

"And. second, my rights under the 14th Amendment were violated. It says all races are guaranteed equal protection under the law—and I didn’t get it.”

Sheriff McLeod said yesterday he would try to have two members of the Ku Klux Klan indicted on charges of having incited a riot.

The Sheriff said he would ask the district prosecutor. Mr Maurice Braswell, to seek indictments against Mr Cole and Garland Martin, a factory worker, who was the only person arrested after the Indians broke up the rally. Martin is now in Robeson County gaol charged with drunkenness and with having carried a concealed weapon. Sheriff McLeod Mid h* had warned Mr Cole twice that th* Indians were angry and that th* police could not be rMponsible for the safety of th* Klanamon it they met _ J 3. Inciting a riot > misdemeanour offence in Worth Carolina, which could carry a penalty of up to two years’ gaol.