Grand jury begins civil rights probe, 13-year-old sentenced to federal prison
Have you ever wondered what life was like in Jacksonville 50 years ago? It may have been a different era of history, culture and politics but there are often parallels between the kind of stories that made headlines then and today. As interesting as the similarities may be, so are the differences. These are some of the top stories from the week of Oct. 5-11, 1959. The items were compiled from the Jacksonville Public Library’s periodical archives by Staff Writer Max Marbut.
• A U.S. grand jury assembled Monday to begin a probe of alleged violations of civil rights stemming from disciplinary measures used against recalcitrant prisoners at the Florida State Prison at Raiford. The alleged brutality and inhumane treatment accorded the prisoners led to the dismissal from the prison of Guard Captain James Dunn and his lieutenant, Earl Chesser.
U.S. District Judge Bryan Simpson ordered the 23 members of the grand jury to assemble in the jury room at the County Courthouse. He explained that holding sessions in the courthouse would eliminate the necessity of transporting dangerous criminals back and forth from the county jail, where the witnesses were being held, to the federal building. The grand jury was expected to be in session for as long as two weeks.
Sixty-four men who were incarcerated at the prison at the time of the alleged mistreatment had been ordered to appear for the grand jury probe. John Murphy and Frank M. Dunbaugh III, both of Washington, who were assigned to the U.S. Department of Justice, assisted by local assistant U.S. district attorneys, would present the case.
Twelve of the prisoners, who had been demanding to tell their stories of inhumane treatment to the grand jury, refused to testify on the first day of the proceedings. The reluctant witnesses declared they would not testify unless assured there would be no reprisals against them when they returned to Raiford.
The first prisoner to balk at leaving his cell to go to the jury room was Charles Thomas Bashlor, who was serving a life sentence for first-degree murder.
His case gained nationwide attention because of his age – 17 years at the time of his conviction – and the prominence of his victim, John E. Stephenson, a Jacksonville banker. Stephenson was shot to death in his River Road home when he surprised Bashlor prowling through the house.
Tuesday a group of prisoners “shouted and clamored” in their cell block, demanding money from their accounts at Raiford, a 9 a.m. coffee break and the right to mail letters and smoke.
Soon after the disturbance, which was quelled without incident, Sheriff Dale Carson asked U.S. Marshal Thomas H. Trent to assign deputy marshals to the jail on a round-the-clock basis in the event further trouble developed.
The rebellious witnesses were in Jacksonville under federal writs of habeas corpus and were technically in the marshal’s custody.
• A 13-year-old boy who climaxed a long series of juvenile crimes by looting a mailbox at 522 W. Adams St. in September was sentenced to three years in a federal correctional institution.
Allen N. Reddy, a U.S. postal inspector, testified the boy was seen taking two letters from the mailbox and was turned over to police. Several dollars were found in the boy’s pocket and Reddy said the boy admitted having taken the money from a newspaper vending case in front of the Florida Times-Union Building.
Reddy also said Juvenile Court records indicated several other brushes with the law and that the boy had been confined in the juvenile shelter and a state reformatory in Marianna. He said authorities had “exhausted their resources” in attempting to cope with the boy.
The boy’s mother said he suffered head injuries when caught in a peanut-threshing machine in Americus, Ga. in 1951 and his misdeeds had begun soon after.
In imposing the sentence, U.S. District Judge Bryan Simpson asked that a psychiatric examination be given the boy at the institution in which he was sent.
• It was announced Mayor Haydon Burns would be honored at a testimonial dinner Oct. 28 in the Windsor Ballroom at the Robert Meyer Hotel.
Burns was seriously considering entering the 1960 gubernatorial race and stated, “I don’t see how I would have any reason not to be a candidate.”
Carl V. Cesery was named chair of the event. Heading major committees were Frank Winchell, tickets; Robert Neighbors, table arrangements; Connie Hartley, decorations; George Register, citizen’s participation; and Joe Livingston, publicity.
Cesery would head a steering committee of the six major officers and Charles W. Campbell, Harold Martin, George B. Hills, Dittmar R. Hood, Sam Wolfson, William Walker, Brown Whatley and Dick Stratton.
• A former justice of the peace who was removed from office for “drunk driving” pleaded guilty in Criminal Court to driving while his license was suspended.
Steve J. Targonski, former 8th District magistrate, was sentenced by Judge Lloyd A. Layton to pay a $25 fine or spend 30 days in jail. He paid the fine.
Layton also imposed a mandatory one-day jail sentence, which Targonski was required to serve by sitting in the courtroom until all the court’s business for the day was complete.
• An attorney representing a group of local African-American golfers vowed to seek a court injunction to prevent the City from selling its two golf courses below appraised values.
The statement came from attorney Ernest D. Jackson Sr. after the City Commission received bids which were far below the appraised values set by experts who were hired by the City. The commissioners did not immediately act to sell the courses pending a study of the bids and a recommendation from a three-man awards committee. There were indications, however, that the commissioners would move to dispose of the courses which were considered to be “politically troublesome” property.
Commissioners had closed the Hyde Park and Brentwood courses in April to prevent African-Americans from playing at the same time as white golfers. The closings came in the wake of a federal court order granting African-Americans equal rights with white golfers. Before the closings African-American golfers were allowed to play only on Mondays at Brentwood and on Fridays at Hyde Park. White golfers were not allowed to play on those days.
Experts hired by the commissioners set the value of the Hyde Park layout at $606,000 and Brentwood at $496,000.
The apparent best offer for the Hyde Park course was submitted by D.C. Dawkins Jr., a home builder and building supply executive. He offered $366,001 with a $10,000 deposit, $15,000 down payment and the balance in annual installments of $17,500 each plus interest.
Robert C. Lechner, a lumberman and former school board member, submitted the apparent best offer of $260,000 for Brentwood. His proposal included a $10,000 deposit, $25,000 down payment and the balance in 20 annual payments of $11,750 each at 5 percent interest.
City Commissioner Dallas Thomas said he was disappointed with the amount of the bids but would not comment on whether he favored sale of the courses at the prices offered.
• Twenty-three members of the Legislative Council and of the Florida Commission on Interstate Cooperation departed aboard private sleeping cars bound for Denver, Colo. to attend the National Legislative Conference.
Most of the members boarded the train at the Jacksonville terminal with the rest to join in Albany, Ga.
Among those participating were State Sen. Tom Adams of Orange Park, Speaker Designate William J. Chappell, former Speaker Doyle E. Conner, State Sen. John Rawls of Marietta and Lamar Bledsoe, clerk of the House of Representatives.
• Duval County’s 28 new patrolmen began six weeks of stringent training courses their ears ringing with admonitions on the high professional and personal standards law enforcement officers should adhere.
A local minister told the new men that as police officers they were “emissaries of the divine will” and for one of them to “go wrong, it is hell.”
Dr. Albert Kissling, president of the Ministerial Alliance, likened the work of policemen to that of the clergy in carrying out the will of God and the laws of the state.
D.K. Brown, agent in charge of the Jacksonville FBI district office, cautioned the new officers on the pitfalls of attempting to enforce the law in an illegal way or committing professional or personal misconduct.
“Let one law enforcement officer commit one wrong deed in the enforcement of his duty and we all are tarred with the same black brush,” he said.
The men were sworn in as deputies by Sheriff Dale Carson at the patrol auditorium.