Associated Press
MONROE — Loy Harrison, a prosperous Georgia farmer who was held off at gun point while a band of men shot and killed four Negroes near here, related an on-the-spot account of the massacre Friday.
Harrison left his pretty stone house on his big farm and accompanied newsmen and officers to the scene on the banks of the Appalachee River, where he gave this account:
“I was on my way back home. I’d made bond for one of the Negroes – Roger Malcolm. We came to the bridge across the river and I looked across and saw a car blocking the other end of the bridge.
“I thought to myself, ‘Federal men.’
“Then from both sides of the car men commenced coming out. A car came up behind me and his bumper touched mine. One of the men came out, put a shotgun against the back of my head and said, ‘All of you put ‘em up.’
“One man said, ‘There’s the man we want’ – pointing to Roger.
“Some of the men in the group then went to the two Negro men and slipped ropes around their hands – expert-like, pretty-like.
“They then pulled the two Negro men from the car and started leading ‘em off.
“Then one of the Negro women commenced cussing like everything and called out one of the men’s names whom she evidently recognized. When she did that, the leader of the group who was leading the two men away said, ‘Hold everything,’ selected four men and said, ‘Go back and get them ——.’
“They then told me to get out by my car. They pulled the women out of the car and I stood beside it while a little short man stood at the end of the bridge and looked down the barrel of his shotgun at me all the time.
“One of the men asked: ‘You recognize anybody here?’ I replied ‘No.’
“I’d turn my head sideways and I could see the men line ‘em up. I could see the Negroes four abreast. I could see the back of the men’s heads. I heard the leader or the group say, ‘One, two, three,’ and then boom. He did that three times. There were three volleys.
“They told me then to get back in the car. I did, and they told me I could turn my car around and go when I wanted to. I did turn around and I looked up in the car mirror and saw ‘em going two by two across the bridge.
”I then went to the phone and called the Sheriff. The whole thing must have lasted about three minutes, although it seemed much longer than that. I was excited, naturally, but I wasn’t too scared.
“The leader was tall and dignified looking. He looked like a retired businessman. He was about 65; he wore a brown suit, and had on a big broad•brimmed hat. He looked like he had a good healthy Florida tan. He was not armed.
“There were about 20 men in the group. Many of them were dressed in khaki clothes just like me.
“The men were armed with pistols and shotguns. I do not know what caliber the weapons were.
“l didn’t have anything but a pocket knife.
”What could I do?”
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