MARTIAL LAW PROCLAIMED

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27410, 24 July 1954, Page 7

MARTIAL LAW PROCLAIMED

Measure In Capital Of Alabama (Rec. 11 p.m.) MONTGOMERY (Alabama). July 22. Qualified martial law was proclaimed today in Phenix City, Alabama’s gambling capital, and the State’s .national guard immediately took over the Town Hall and Courthouse.

The move came as Governor Gordon Persons issued a proclamation to “suppress the state of lawlessness, intimidation, tumult and fear” which reigned in Russell County, of which Phenix City is the county seat.

Special troops were sent to the city today. Police and other officials were ordered to surrender their weapons and all pistol permits were revoked. Governor Persons said that a gang of men had conspired and were conspiring to thrive on the systematic exploitation of rights in Phenix City, and that “organised lawless activities of this gang continued to hamper the investigation of the murder and the ferreting out of the murderer of Albert Patterson and other crimes.” He said that “organised intimidation and fear . . . which the local peace officers were unable or unwilling to subdue,” led to the proclamation. Mr Albert Patterson, who had won the Democratic nomination for Attor-ney-General of the State on an antivice platform, was murdered by gangsters in Phenix City five weeks ago. His» son. Mr John Patterson, who is now nominee for Attorney-General, said today that the “take from organised crime in the county” was 20.000,000 dollars a year.

Mr Persons said he was prepared to keep national guardsmen in Phenix City and Russell County for the rest of his administration, which ends next January.