Dublin Core
Title
Box 12, Folder 30, Document 10
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
weit Tey
October 25, 1967
Chief H. T. Jenkins
Atlanta Police Department
RE: Disorders on Magnolia Street
Sunday - October 22, 1967
Monday - October 23, 1967
Dear Sirs
On Sunday night, October 22, 1967, at about 9:30 p.m.,
Captain A. C. Bryant called me and stated that a explosive
situation was about to develop at Vine and Magnolia but
that he thought everything was under control.
I got ready to go to the area and just as I was
leaving, I heard ancther help call and fire call in this
area so proceeded to Vine and Magnolia.
I found that Officer J. B. Phillips and other
officers had arrested several persons at that Location and
had had considerable trouble with the subjects and after
the arrest and the persons had been transported to jail,
a considerable crowd of disorderly persons gathered on
Magnolia Street between Maple and Vine and set several
fires. The Fire Department was called several times but
che. Soe? were put out mostly before the Fire Department
arrived.
Lt. C. Je Perry and Captain Bryant were on the scene
and had Car LO-B, 12=B and a wagon patrolling the area, ALL
of these were manned by negro officers. The crowd grew and
became more disorderly, setting fires and throwing rocks
and bottles. The Task Force headed by Lt. C. B. Dickerson
and about eight patrolmen were called into the area with
special equipment, helmets, night sticks and shotguns to
disperse the crowd. Several other arrests were made, one
a known agitator by the name of McGuire, a white female.
In a short while, order was restored. I instructed
the two K-9 trucks with drivers and the dogs in the truck
to patrol the area the rest of the night. The streete and
o 2
sidewalks were Littered with debris, rocks and broken
bottles.
On Monday, October 23, 1967, a circular was
distributed in the area calling for a mass meeting at
the play lot at Magnolia and Maple to protest white
ownership of stores and housesand police brutality.
Alderman 0. V. Williamson called me and came
by my office. He wanted to talk to Officer J. B. Phillips
and I had Officer Phillips go by his office on Hunter
Street. Alderman Williamson brought one of the circulars
to me and stated he was present when they were run: off
the machine and that he thought that the so called "Rev.
Boone" was behind them.
Alderman Williamson was of the opinion that if
the officers would Lighten up on the defendents, it would
help the situation. I did not agree with him but sent
Officer Phillips to see him,
I alerted Captain R. E. Little and Lt. C. J.
Perry to the situation and instructed them to allow the
meeting if it was orderly.
I went to the area and was there until the
situation so unruly, I ordered the Task Force into
the area with full equipment to disperse the crowd. They
had set.fires against the doors of both supermarkets at
Vine and Magnolia, across the entire street at Maple and
Magnolia and other fires in the street at Magnolia and
Walnut. The fires were fed by gasoline. The door at
Herman's Supermarket, 544 Magnolia, was forced open and
Looted of beer and other articles. While the officers
were investigating this, The Big Rock Supermarket was
broken in the front door but no entrance was made. The
rear window of the captain's car was broken out by a brick
and as I passed a group of people who were Listening to
Senator Leroy Johnson who claimed he had the group under
control, a person standing near him threw a rock into my
front window which was down and struck me on the hand. I
talked to Alderman Williamson the second time that night
at Magnolia and Vine and informed him that I was going to
call in reenforcements and clear the area. He agreed with
me, Color pictures were made of all damage.
I had held Lt. C. B. Dickerson and eight members
of the Task Force in the building from 8:00 p.m. until
that time, and I called for them to come into the area and
disperse the unruly crowd. I was with them the entire time
and they did an excellent job of clearing the street with
no injuries or undue force and no arrests. No shots were
fired, although the Task Force was armed with riot guns.
= 2 «=
Captain 0. W. Jordan and the Crime Prevention
Bureau, including Lt. C. Dixon, Sgt. Goss and Detective
R. B. Moore, were on the scene and were of invaluable
assistance in restoring order and contacting the well
meaning people of the community of which there were many.
It was found that most of the unruly crowd were
from several blocks to several miles away from this
immediate area.
The Transit Company rerouted their buses from
this area during the worst part of the disorder and auto-
mobiles that did not belong in the area were prohibited
from traveling the street during the emergency.
On Tuesday night, the Crime Prevention was
assigned to the area under the direction of Lt. Dixon and
Sgt. Goss and no trouble was reported anywhere in the area.
The Fire Department responded each time they were
called. They did ask that we appraise them of the nature
of the fire so that they would know which type of equipment
to send. This was done and many fire calls were canceled
by the police when they could be handled without fire
equipment.
espectful
Leg An
-
James F. Brown,
Superintendent
JFB:b
October 25, 1967
Chief H. T. Jenkins
Atlanta Police Department
RE: Disorders on Magnolia Street
Sunday - October 22, 1967
Monday - October 23, 1967
Dear Sirs
On Sunday night, October 22, 1967, at about 9:30 p.m.,
Captain A. C. Bryant called me and stated that a explosive
situation was about to develop at Vine and Magnolia but
that he thought everything was under control.
I got ready to go to the area and just as I was
leaving, I heard ancther help call and fire call in this
area so proceeded to Vine and Magnolia.
I found that Officer J. B. Phillips and other
officers had arrested several persons at that Location and
had had considerable trouble with the subjects and after
the arrest and the persons had been transported to jail,
a considerable crowd of disorderly persons gathered on
Magnolia Street between Maple and Vine and set several
fires. The Fire Department was called several times but
che. Soe? were put out mostly before the Fire Department
arrived.
Lt. C. Je Perry and Captain Bryant were on the scene
and had Car LO-B, 12=B and a wagon patrolling the area, ALL
of these were manned by negro officers. The crowd grew and
became more disorderly, setting fires and throwing rocks
and bottles. The Task Force headed by Lt. C. B. Dickerson
and about eight patrolmen were called into the area with
special equipment, helmets, night sticks and shotguns to
disperse the crowd. Several other arrests were made, one
a known agitator by the name of McGuire, a white female.
In a short while, order was restored. I instructed
the two K-9 trucks with drivers and the dogs in the truck
to patrol the area the rest of the night. The streete and
o 2
sidewalks were Littered with debris, rocks and broken
bottles.
On Monday, October 23, 1967, a circular was
distributed in the area calling for a mass meeting at
the play lot at Magnolia and Maple to protest white
ownership of stores and housesand police brutality.
Alderman 0. V. Williamson called me and came
by my office. He wanted to talk to Officer J. B. Phillips
and I had Officer Phillips go by his office on Hunter
Street. Alderman Williamson brought one of the circulars
to me and stated he was present when they were run: off
the machine and that he thought that the so called "Rev.
Boone" was behind them.
Alderman Williamson was of the opinion that if
the officers would Lighten up on the defendents, it would
help the situation. I did not agree with him but sent
Officer Phillips to see him,
I alerted Captain R. E. Little and Lt. C. J.
Perry to the situation and instructed them to allow the
meeting if it was orderly.
I went to the area and was there until the
situation so unruly, I ordered the Task Force into
the area with full equipment to disperse the crowd. They
had set.fires against the doors of both supermarkets at
Vine and Magnolia, across the entire street at Maple and
Magnolia and other fires in the street at Magnolia and
Walnut. The fires were fed by gasoline. The door at
Herman's Supermarket, 544 Magnolia, was forced open and
Looted of beer and other articles. While the officers
were investigating this, The Big Rock Supermarket was
broken in the front door but no entrance was made. The
rear window of the captain's car was broken out by a brick
and as I passed a group of people who were Listening to
Senator Leroy Johnson who claimed he had the group under
control, a person standing near him threw a rock into my
front window which was down and struck me on the hand. I
talked to Alderman Williamson the second time that night
at Magnolia and Vine and informed him that I was going to
call in reenforcements and clear the area. He agreed with
me, Color pictures were made of all damage.
I had held Lt. C. B. Dickerson and eight members
of the Task Force in the building from 8:00 p.m. until
that time, and I called for them to come into the area and
disperse the unruly crowd. I was with them the entire time
and they did an excellent job of clearing the street with
no injuries or undue force and no arrests. No shots were
fired, although the Task Force was armed with riot guns.
= 2 «=
Captain 0. W. Jordan and the Crime Prevention
Bureau, including Lt. C. Dixon, Sgt. Goss and Detective
R. B. Moore, were on the scene and were of invaluable
assistance in restoring order and contacting the well
meaning people of the community of which there were many.
It was found that most of the unruly crowd were
from several blocks to several miles away from this
immediate area.
The Transit Company rerouted their buses from
this area during the worst part of the disorder and auto-
mobiles that did not belong in the area were prohibited
from traveling the street during the emergency.
On Tuesday night, the Crime Prevention was
assigned to the area under the direction of Lt. Dixon and
Sgt. Goss and no trouble was reported anywhere in the area.
The Fire Department responded each time they were
called. They did ask that we appraise them of the nature
of the fire so that they would know which type of equipment
to send. This was done and many fire calls were canceled
by the police when they could be handled without fire
equipment.
espectful
Leg An
-
James F. Brown,
Superintendent
JFB:b
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