University of Virginia Library

Violence Strikes Polls
In Mississippi Voting

By ROBERT BUFORD

Incidents of widespread violence,
harassment and intimidation during last
Tuesday's elections in Mississippi
prevented many black candidates and
their out-of-state; supporters from
counting votes, the New York Times
reported Sunday.

Among the volunteers who went to
Mississippi to serve as poll watchers were
two recent graduates of the
University-Ed Hayes '69 and his brother,
Steve Hayes '70-both of whom are law
students at Columbia University.

Throughout election day in Leake County
they were threatened by armed whites, until
they were forced to barricade themselves in the
polling place.

Blacks Rescue Watchers

When no help arrived from the local sheriff's
office, they sent urgent pleas for aid through
black youths to the Evers campaign
headquarters in Jackson. Erroneous FBI reports
last week had credited the sheriff with rescuing
the two.

Instead, at about 10 p.m. a party of armed
black approached the menacing whites.
Observers declare they heard one of the whites
say, "Let's get those niggers, too." The
unnamed leader of the black group, with two
pistols in his belt, asked, "Who will be the
first?"

The brothers were then removed by the
blacks and returned to Jackson immediately.
Neither was injured.

(Ed Hayes was president of the
Inter-Fraternity Council here during 1968-69,
while Steve Hayes served on the Student
Council and was editor-in-chief of the Corks
and Curls a year later.)

Similar charges have been made by scores of
volunteers who allege that the incidents
represent the chief reason why 284 black
candidates failed to win more than 40 minor
offices in the largest challenge to white rule in
Mississippi's history.

Alleged Ballot Tampering

Their accusations, including allegations that
white officials failed to give a fair count of the
ballots cast, were made against white elections
officials who handle the voting, local whites
and some law officials.

Sworn affidavits to support the charges are
being prepared by John Brittain, a staff lawyer
with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights
Under Law, and in New York City by Gilbert
Jonas, a public relations man who headed the
Citizens Committee to Elect Charles Evers
Governor.

Several black candidates, including Fayette's
mayor, Charles Evers, who lost his bid to
become Mississippi's first black governor, have
announced that they will challenge the election
in Federal Court.

Honest Election Claimed

State officials say they have no knowledge
of violence, harassment or intimidation. "As far
as we know, it was an honest election," said Bill
Allain, a legal assistant to the state attorney
general. "We have no report of these charges
from either law officers of the Federal people.
We know only what we hear in the
newspapers," he added.

Neither of the Hayes brothers could be
reached for comment.