xt7gf18sbs7b_1 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7gf18sbs7b/data/mets.xml https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7gf18sbs7b/data/66m38.dao.xml unknown archival material 66m38 English University of Kentucky The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Carl and Anne Braden papers Summary of evidence in trial of Carl Braden text 0.23 Cubic Feet 1 box Summary of evidence in trial of Carl Braden 2021 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7gf18sbs7b/data/66m38/Box_1/Folder_1/Multipage1.pdf 1954 1954 1954 section false xt7gf18sbs7b_1 xt7gf18sbs7b ems/my 91 hVIljglfig pg TRIAL g CARL BFADEN

 

3,0111 S171 1.1}? T PIyd
NOV: 29 ~m3ec¢ 13

1954

.22 .1111 -sviens. _0 as 9.

Opening Statement to Jury (By Commonwealth's Attorney A. Scott Hamilton):

Hamilton made the following points:

1. The Communist Party and "communist—front organizations" "Provide through
their writings that...no other form of government can live...in the
world in connection with communism” and have as their aim overthrow
of the governments of the U.S. and Kentucky.

Carl Braden had in his possession for purposes of circulation communistic
literature and literature of "communist-front" organizations, and that
is against Kentucky law.

. Carl Braden assembled with peOple "who advocate that sort of thing" me
that is against Kentucky law.

Lenin and Marx refer to "front organizations" as "belts" to the people,
and Carl Braden belonged to and was a director of some such organiza—
tions. One of these was the American Peace Crusade, which had as

its purpose the disarming of the United States and tried to "infiltrate
P.T.A.'s%

One of the purposes of the Communist Party is to create trouble between
"the white and colored races in this country;"

Carl Braden and his wife in March, 1954, entered into an agreement with
Andrew wade IV, Negro, and his wife to buy a house in a white residaitral
section in Louisville and transfer it to the Wades.

When the Wades moved into the house, they had there "a dozen and a half,
possibly" firearms.

When the Vedas moved into the house, they dassociated with or had people
call on them, white people, who have been dharged and who we can prove
wore communists."

After the Hades moved into the house, Vernon Bonn, a white man, wem31m
them and volunteered his services to help guard the house. On thy a3,
Down bought a radio at Ewald Distributing Company in Louisville-~—

a battery—type portable radio. He took the radio to the Wade home.
After an explosion that wrecked one side of the Wade house, this radio
was found suspended from a joist under the house by a wire which had
been attached to the joist by a nail which had been nailed into the
Joist. Expert Witnesses say it is possible to use batteries from su:h
a radio to set off a charge of dynamite.

Among the papers feund in Carl Bradon's home was a letter on which was
posted a clipping telling of how a dynamite blast destroyed a store
owned by a Negro in Manchester, Kentucky. Beside the clipping was

a penciled notation "Request protest resolutions, etc. Call to
attention of the Negro, labor, etc., organizations. I was maybe 20
miles away. Part of pattern of violence against both unions and
Negroes and friends."

 

 -2"
The Presecution‘s Testimony 1E Chief

Mrs. Martha Edmiston, Wayncsville, Chief

Mrs. Edmiston testified that she and her husband joined the Communist Party
as plants for the FBI in Columbus, Ohio, in 1940. She said she had heard
two party leaders in Columbus, Ohio, advocate overthrow of the government by
force and violence. Said an actual revolution was planned for January 123
1941. Said one of the things communists were taught was to incite racial
trouble wherever possible. Identified six books prosecution said it took
from Braden home as identical to ones she had studied as a communists One
Of these, a copy of the constitution of the USSR printed in Russia, she said
was "one of the prizes given to favored party members" and was not available
in bookstores:

Andrew Wade IV (Negro):
Wade's testimony covered the following points:

(1) Testimony about the purchase of his house on Rene Court in Shively,s
suburb of Louisville:

He said he originally planned to buy a house in a Negro section but
could find nothing suitable. Said he and his wife wanted a house
they "approved of and not a house that people and policies told us we
must buy." Said that in spring of 1954 he approached Carl Braden and
his wife and asked them.to buy a house and convey it to him and
Bradens agreed to do so.

Testimony about events immediately after he moved into house:

Said that on the first night he spent in the house several men burned
a cross on the lot next door and shouted "Nigger, get out." Said
later that same night at least 10 rifle shots Were fired into the house.

Testimony about the firearms that were kept in his house:

Said that there were never more than nine firearms at tn: house. Said
they were loaned to him by friends after the first incidents of the
areas—burning and rifle shots. Identified some of those lending them,
all of whom were Negroesa

Testimony about the night of the bombing and the preCeding day:

Said that on Saturday morning, June 26, he and his wife and child and
four men who had been guarding the house left early to go into town.
Said that at that time, police guard was on duty at night but had
been discontinued in daytime. Said he and his friends left house
unguarded that morning, as Vernon Bonn who had been staying there in
daytime had left the night before. (Said Bonn had told him he was
going to a family reunion in Wisconsin over the Weekend.) Said he
understood his wife, daughter, father and a friend, Mrs. Anna Harris,
return:d to the house about 1 pom. Saturday, but hks father left soon.
Said he himself returned to heuse about 7:30 p.m. with two friends,
Tellus Wicker and Melvin Edwards, Said he, his wife, daughter and
Anna Harris left soon thereafter to take a picnic supper over to
southern Indiana, leaving Edwards and flicker at the house. Said later
in the evening he and his Wife took Anna Harris home and dropped off
their daughter to spend the night Uith her grandmother so she could
go to Sunday School the next morning. Said he and his wife got badk
to Home Court about midnight. Said Wicker told him he had seen
lights flashing in an L formation in the neighborhood a short timb
before (one of them from near the house of the Bones who built the
house and sold it to Bredens) but he "didn't put importance on it"

at the time. Said he got same drinks from the icebox and he and
Wicker and his wife sat on side porch talking. 7 words was asleep

on couch in living room, he said. Said explosion occurred on opposite
side of house about 12:50 p.m. Identified parts of a radio produced
by prosecution as being apparently remnants of Bown's radio. Also
identified a section of wood with a Tire attached which prosecution
said was part of a floor joist from Wade homo.

 

 3.

-3-
Testimony about acquaintance with Bennen Bonn:

Said Bonn come to stay at his house in daytime soon efter police dnoppod
the day guard in midi-Junen Said he first met Ewen soon after the rifle
shots were fired int: his housec Could not remember who introduced
them. Did not knot whether he and Braden were friends or not, sew

them together only at meetings of Node Jofense Committee. Said Bonn

Wes recommended to him by Wade Defense Committee° Said, in response

to specific question by prosecutor, that he was colored and Boon was
white. Said Bonn left his home on Friday before explosion and told

him he was going to Wisconsini Said he did not see him again until

two or three days after the explosion.

Testimony about his own politics:

Said he VBS not and had never beam a communist. Said he had been a
member of the Progressive Party from 1946 to 1948, joined it with no
idea of subversion, had no reason to suspect or criticise it. During
his testinnny, Hamilton read into the record ports of a transcript

of questioning of Wade in Hemilton's office on Novenmer 8. At that
time Wade had said he left the Progressive Party because it was
turning "pinkish.”

During his testimony, Wade said he had no feeling he was being used
as a"tool" to exploit racial difficulties. Hunilton read into the
record parts of the November 8 statement in 'hich he hnd said he felt
he had been used by "both groups"—--those accused of being communists
and his Rene Court neighbors who had tried to drive him out of his
house.

Testimony about his acquaintance ”ith Bradons:

Said he had known Brndens about 8 years but had not seen them for about
three years before approaching them to buy the house. Could not
remember ever 5 sing them at Progressive Party meetings. Said Braden
had never advocated revolution to him or proposed any criminal
conspiracy, had never engaged in political talk with him at alla

Wes asked spacificslly by presecution if he ever heard Carl or Anne
Braden say "Phis is a hell of a country." Said he had heard no such
statement. Denied that Bradens handled records of Wade Defense
Conmnttee but said they wrote radio scripts for the committ 0. Gail
neither of Bradens had been in vicinity of his Rene Court house for
some time prior to explosion.

Identification of letter circulated by Louisville brunch of Women's
International League for Peace and Freedom:

Identified this letter, asking good will and tolerance toward Tide
family, as having been circulated in Shively urea. Letter signed
by Beatrice Pearson. Said he had not soon letter before it was
sent outs

Identification of editorial and letter in Shively Newsweek:

These documaits, hostile to Wade, were read to juryc Wade said they
made him apprehensive at the time they were printed and were one of
the reasons Thy he kept firearms in the house1

Leroy Zinmmimnn, Commonwealth's Detective:

Zimmerman testified thzt he had carried out raids on the Braden home, in
which quantities of literature and correspondence were confiscated, He
identified some 70 items which were entered as exhibits—-—1ncluding books

and letters. The warrant flith Jhich he searched the house reed in part

that he was to search "for seditious materiel, same being writings, printing,
andppublicntions teaching, advocating, and suggesting the duty, necessity,
and propriety or expediency of criminal syndicelism and seditiono" Zimmerman
testified that in order to identify seditious materiel, he had used the
Guide to SubVersive Organizations end Publications put out by the House
Committee on Un-Anericen Activities and a list of "Organizations Desifireteé
Subversive by the Attorney General of the U,S. Pursuant to fixec. Order 10450.

 

 4». mmrani Strunk, nayton, onto:

Tostitied that he was an FBI plant in the Communist Party in Dayton from
1944 until 1952. Said 0? taught that socialism must be brought about by
force and violence. Identified books prosecution said it took from Braden
home as identical to those studied in Conmmnist meetings he attended.
(Braden later admitted all these books except two were taken from his
home.) These included volumes of Little Lenin Library and other works
by Lenin and Stalinr Iduntified a form letter prosecution said was taken
from Braden home as one that only a Communist Party official Would receive.
(It purported to be a report on duos collections, dated Apr-) lip la50,
showing 105 dues payments in Kentucky for month of March, It was addressed
"Dear Comrades" and had typed instead of a signature "State Org. Depart-
ment.) Ho identified a copy of the UCdR constitution pTCEJCuthn said
was taken froniBraien home as a book that only a trusted camber of‘the
GP would receive. Idontiiied also invoices cf book Ordeis, song of them
for multiple cepies of hhrxists uorks, as sirilar to these be hai re-
ceived. Identified bill for W4 50 for florker and Daily Yorker allegedly
found in Braden home and said all good communists were supposed to read
these papers. Testified that Progressive Party was "front" for 0?, Also
said Negro Labor Council, Stockholm Petition, Defense Committee for 17
Victims of the Smith Act and Committee to thend Rights of 12 Communist
Loaders were all GP fronts. (Prosecution said literature from.all these
Were found in Braden home.)

(While Strunk was testifying these incidents occurred:

During a short recess in the morning session, Robert Zollinger, chief
counsel for Braden, walked near the witness stand where Strunk was sitting
and heard him say to Carl Ousley, assistant Commonwealth's Attorney,
"Which one is the defendant?" Ousley replied: "The man there between

the two levyers." again Strunk asked, "Which one?" Ousley then
identified Braden further by saying, "The men in the brown suite"

After lunch, Strunk was still testifying. He walked down from the
wmtness stand to look at some of the books on exhibit and as he pasaed
01050 to the defense table said quietly to Braden, "Yen've changed
some since the last time I saw you." Braden ansvered, "When was that——-
a couple of hours ago?" Strunk said, "No, three or four years ago."
Braden then called to Zollinger urn said "Bob, this man is getting
ready to say he Mrs kna n me in the past and I never saw him before
in my life;"

Zollinger then asked for a ccnferende of prosecution and defense
attorneys in the judge's chambers. He told the judge what he had
overheard before lunch and what Strunk xas apparently getting ready

to do. Ousley then admitted that Strunk had asked him to identify
the defendant for him.

The court session resumed, and there was no attempt by Strunk to
say from the Witness stand that he knew Braden.)

James W. Glutis, Jamaica Plain, Mass, (employee in Lynn GE plant):

Testified that he was an FBI plant in GP from 1949 until spring of 1954.
Said he volunteered his services to avenge members of his family who

were killed by communists in Greece. Said aim of CP is overthrow of

U.S. government by force and violence. Said CP teaches that reformers
must be used for revolutionary purposes. Also identified books taken from
Braden home as identical to those he had studied in GP meetings. Said

it was necessary to be a communist and attend CP meetings to find out
Where to get such books. Also identified so—called "dues-letter" as
something only a CP official would receive. Listed as GP fronts the

Civil Rights Congress, the National Council for American-Soviet Friendship,
and the National Negro Labor Council. (Prosecution claimed literature
from all these organizations was found in Braden home.)

John Edmiston, Columbus, Ohio:

Testified to many of same things his wife had———us to how they joined CP
in 1940 as FBI plants, etc. Also testified to CP intention to overthrow

 

 -5-

government. Teatified at length on theory of dialectical materialism, using
a glass of water to illustrate his point. Said this is the way CP members
taught the theory to their children-nee they would never forget it.

Leroy Zimmerman, Commonwealth's Detective (recalled by defense for further
cross~examine ti on ) :

Asked by defense attorney where he had found so—collfid "dues—letter" in
Braden house, Zimmerman said he thought it was in a desk drnwor‘ Asked
Whether he recalled seeing it during search of desk, said he “saw so

many things it‘s hard to pick one object to remember. I do remember it
came from his place," Again said h< was not sure just where but thought it
was the desk. Asked whether he got letter on first or second raid nt
Braden home, said he ghought it nos on the second0 Asked uhethcr ho had
got USSR constitution on first or second rnid said he thought it was on
second. Asked if he know who had been Braden home bet eon raids, said

he did not know, (The Bradene htd both been in Jail four duys at time

of first raid, six days at tiLo of second r ‘dnl

Manning Johnson, New York (Negro,;

Testified thit he Hid been member of CP from 3936 to i943, hid served as a
member of the pirty‘r national committee and National Negro Commission, Said
party‘s plan was to establish by force and violence a "Negro stfituh in the
South, sair1 that in doing this all 15nd would be taken n“ny from white
owndrs and given to Negroes, said this plan would meml property of unite
people in iontucky would be turned over to Negroes and all state and local
officers and legislators would be arrested. Said CP members were taught
to "utilize any grievance them the Negro has in the South to stir up
situations that provoke acts of Violoncec" Identified books taken from
Braden home no identical to these he mid studiel in GP training school;
Also identified so~cnllod duos~lettoru Idrntifind a picture on e Christrns
card taken from Braden home as William L, Patterson and his wife. Said
Patterson was a nrmbcr of the national conmdtteo and Nntional Negro
Commission of GP~ P10socution read note it said one enclosed in card
addressed "Deer annot" (Note expressed thanks for the "generous contri-
bution you have made in our struggle for freedom" Defense denied that it
had any connection with Christmas curd,) Johnson also idormified the
following organizations as GP fronts: American Peace Crusndo, tho Noticinl
Council for Americaaneviet Friendship, and the Women‘s International
League for Peace .nd Freedomo

Leroy Zimmerman, Commonwealth's Detective (recalled by prosecution):

Prosecution recalled Ziimermnn during Johnson's testimony to try to establish

that the Christmas card bearing Patterson's picture and the note addressed
"Deer Anne" were found together in tho Braden homo, Zimmerman said he found
them in a folder of what he assumed was Anne Bradon's personal corrosponlence.

Mburice tblkin, New York:

Testifiod that he was one of founcors of CP 1L U.S. find one of its noticinl
officials up until 1937 when he fins expelled. Idontifhtd as communist front
organizations the following which the prosecution said Braden was connected
with: Civil Rights Congress, Committee for a Democratic For East rn Policy,
Council on African Affairs, National Lawyers Guild, American Labor Party,
National Council for American—Soviet Eriondship, and the Women's International
League for Peace and Ereodom. Snid Jane Addams, feundor of the NIL,
cooperated with him in Chiango in 1952 end 1953 when he one Organizational
director of the CP there?

Leonard Patterson, New York (NogrO):

Testified that he was a CP member from 1930 to 1937, got some of party train-
ing at the International Lenin School in Moscow, Identified literature
seized at Braden home as some he had studied and taught from in Russia and
New York. Snid he res not a member of some of tho organizetions Braden
allegedly belonged to but knew they Jere communist-fromgs because of whet

he know of their "predecessor groupsn" Identified "duos~lottor," invoices
from International Publishers to B adens, and Christmas card from William
Patterson, saying Patterson's wife, L uiso, attended Lenin School with him.

 

 Nhtt Cvetic, anrenceburg, Penn.:

Tostified that he SEHTVOd s {n FBI plant in the GP. holding various posts in
leadership of perW 7n Porr.v‘v’r , Sand .:e1icur Peace Crusefls was a
communist front end. pe1soz;1 y he 5 .Lp1d set up ABC for 5} 1n Lcnnsylranian

7

Said book ”Theory and Practice 0: 1h: Co rrfif f r‘:7;1" "r.*.- h w1s fl1tna
in Braden home as c bcck distributed to "c 117’0t iuLC a on1r13s 0: ‘_cc

Said CP colicy to7azd M gvo:'1 71s ”to diruie and conquer& us turn recs

against race, cree; 1L,111L u“1>c£.” Said C? set up Progressive is ty as
a front. Same about Civil ight; Congiesso

John W. Blair treasurer of Dixie Usr tags Com an 1 Louisville:
7 _'> p y ,

Testified that he supervised time cards at Dixie Cartege Company'where
Vernon Bot n, a c-s—dsferd1nt cf Braden s charged with bombin;;thc Weie home,
was formerly employed“ Said he had with him Bown‘s ties :ard for June

26, the Saturday of‘tde explasior1 (3073 has said he 11ft Louisville fiiat
day, and Wade testified at trial he told him he nus leaving tonne} After
the defense objected that to“ sti Iony regarding Bonn did not concern Braden,
the judge ruled thnt the Jury hear no 1u3ther tosuimony from Blair but
allowed Commenvoalth to put an avo7ul of this testimony into the record;
khan this avowal was trken out of presence of the jury, Blair found that
ho was ndstekon and thaw Boun‘s time card showed he had worked at Dixie
Csrtego not on June 26 but on June 25 (Friday)o

Benjamin Gitlow, New York:

Tostifiod that he was instrumental in organizing the American CP in 1919,

went to prison in 1920's in Her York for violation of the criminal anarchy
statute, later held hightposts in GP, went to Russia three times, finally
broke with party and was expelled in 1929. Extensive testimony about his
dealings RJith Sta-lin in m1oscow in 1920's. Identified Federated Press, for
which Braden 7rote, as communist front organization. Identified International
Publishers from :hich Braden ordered books as publishing house of the GP.

A. H. Curelle, Louisville real estate agent:

Testified that in winter of 1955—54, he had tried to sell Wade 8 house.

Hod showed him a house in a neighborhood where other Negroes live. Said
Wade was not interested in the house because it had only one bedroom. Sdid
Wade never mentioned to him any desire to move into a shite neighborhood.

Geptain Curlew Johns, of County Police Force:

Said he had ordered a round-the-clock guard at Mode house after the shots
were fired on thy 16. This tras left until about June 20, when the daytime
guard Tas ternnnsted but the night guard continued. Said he arrived at the
house 5 or 10 minutes after the exp10sion :nd talked to Mr. and Nks. fade
and their friends, Melvin Ldrerds and Tellus wicker. Said John Hitt,
editor of Shively Newsweek arrived stout 2:30 a.m.

17. Robert Davis, County patrolman:

Said he IUS on duty guardin.g Wade home from about 7: 45 p.m. June 26 until
10:15 p.m. Testifiod that only opening under house through Thich a men
could crawl was a 2x2~foot entrance near side porch.

William E. Blevins, County patrolman:

Testified th:t he relieved Davis about 10:15 p.m. June 26 and was on duty at
time of explosion. Said h: 75s seated diagonally acress Rene Court from
the “ads home. did explosion occurred at 12:30. He ran to house and

found there Nb. and Mrs. Wade and two other men. (Said one of men was in
driveway. Tith hdes, other fies standing in doorway of house.) Said Mrs.
‘1ede was "crying aid nervous" but he "didn't notice anything unusual about
the menn" Said in a few minutes there were a number of pzople there, mostly
police but "there were no neighbors thnt I kne; of," ASKed by defense
whether explosion was loud,q he SeLd "urettr loud " Asked by presocution
Whether he found any cv1donco of en outs: do fuse (lee ding to explosion site)
he said "I never done no investigating at 8111"

 

 .17..

C. R. Graham, director of Louisville Free Public Library:

Testified that the public library had only about 10 of 52 books and periodicals
taken from Braden home. IhOSe he said they had included com-amnion of

the USSR, Communist Manifesto, Sov1co Power, some speeches by Vishinskv; the
New World ReviewE and the southern Patriot,7 periodicals Sincc Giuhnm has

not sure in all cases unether library had certain beeksi he was instructed

by court to have someone at library check for all books rn an inventory to

be furnished by prosecution of books taken from Braden home, At request of
defense, he was also instructed to do the same on on inventory of books

in Braden library not taken in the raidso

Andrew Wade, th, father of Andrew Wade IV (Negro):

His testimony may be divided into six ports:
(1) Testimony about his own politics:

Said he was not 5 communist and never had been. H0 ever, said he had
attended some meetings of Progressive Party in 1948.

Testimony about threats his son received after moving into house on
Rene Court:

Said he had asked for police protection for his son because he was
being threatened. Said they got threats by telephone, from ozoplc
passing in cars: and from the Reno family, "especially Mrsu Reno."

Said one day' men he nus 1t Rene Court house and broken picture WfildGT
was being replaced, e cor rode by end 8 man culled out "There's no
need to put that tinder in, we're going to break it out again tonight."
Said they got threats o week or two before the bombing that the house
was going to be blown upc

Testimony about guns in the Home Court house:

Said there more about a dozen guns in the house———"onough to take care
of themselves in case something happened." Prosecution rind from his
testimony before September Grand Jury where he had said there were
"half-dozen pistols, half—deznn rifles and three or four shotguns."
fbde said he did not remember nmking specific mention of the number

of guns. Said two of the rifles were hisr

Testimony about Bredens and purchase of house:

Said he had known Brodens about 10 years, visited them occasionally, did
not remember how many times he had seen them in past 12 months. Suid
that when his son was looking for someone to buy a house for him he

and son "talked mt over about the purchase of the property 81d knew

the Bradens and We decided we could ask them to do ito" Asked by
defense whether there was any on cussion of fact that purchase was done
to set up racial tensions, he said "None at all." Could not remember
whether he had ever seen Braden at Pregressive Party meetings but said
he might have. Said he had never heard Braden say anything seditious
or advocate overthrow of government.

Testimony about Vernon Born:

Asked whether he knsw vhether Braden and Boon were acquainted, said
he did not know. Said he saw them both at reetings of the Wade Defense
Committee but had no reason to think they were friends previously.

Testimony about house after bombing:

Identified a piece of wood with a Wire attached as coming from his

son's house. nlso identified a section of battery as "similar" to

one found under the Uzde house. When prosecution showed him a radio

handle and asked him if it was found under the house, he suid;

"I‘m not too sure it was attached to the joist or not. It*: been
some time; I don‘t remenmer too tell,“

 

 -8~

21. Kenneth S. Bixby, Louisville radio instructor:

Testified that he had used a batt;ry similar to the one found under Wade

home after explosion to detonate dynamite caps. Illustrated by a black—
board drawing he: a chargr could b: set off using a battery of that kind.
Said 8 string attached to the battery could be pulled to break the electrical
circuit and detonate the explosion. Under cress—examinetion, he said such

a battery would go dead Cithin half an hour after it was rigged with the
explosive charges

Andrew Wade IV (recalled by prosecution):

Tcstified that Braden had once given him some clippings from the Daily
Worker and had told him the DU .ould give the "R no Court incident nation-
wide publicity." Under cross~examination, said that Braden had never
advocated revolution to him or the stirring up of racial feeling. Said

he and Braden were working toward a common goal,'%o bring peace to Rune
Court."

(On the same day as the preceding testimony, the jury was taken to the Wade
house on Reno Court to insp:ct it.)

Additional D Cumentary Evidence:

at the class of its case in chief, the prosecution read to the jury a number
of letters and printed leaflets, which it said were taken from the Braden
home. TLcso included:

1. A letter about PTOgressive Party affairs signed by Bn;dan.

2. A three—letter exchange with U. H. Westnan, secretarystroasurer of the
Industrial Workers of the World in Chicago. The first letter, signed in
ink "Carl" suggested to Eastman that the IWV'try to organize workers
at the angol Conmany in Louisville. The second was a reply from
chtman saying he was sending membership applications and literature

to Braden. The third, an unsigned carbon dated Nhrch 1, 1949,
acknowledged receipt of the unnmership applications and literature and
closed with thc words "Yours for the abolition of capitalism."

A copy of a letter dated July 21, 1954, from Braden to Richard Durham,
national program coordinator of th: United Peckinghouse Workers, ask—
ing if the UPWA and the AFL lbatcuttcrs might finance insurance of
the Made home or take over the mortgage.

in undated letter addressed to "Dear ennc" and signed "B", in which the
correspondent told of working on a canpeign for the "25 UnA-contompt case:
the Hollywood Ten, the Joint anti—Fascist Refugee Committee, a couple

of individuals and Dennis." Corrcspendcnt referred to the late Chief
Justice Fred Vinson, saying "We are tryi.g and trying to figure out scum
way to put pressure on Vinson. What do you know about his political

ties in Kentucky?"

An unsigned letter beginning " ear Barbara" and dated Nhrch 17, 1949,
containing these stutcnants, anmng others: "There is no reason thy
Curl ought not to be considered as working ck ss...Certainly 20 years
of journalism doesn't make out middle class. It ought to have the
opposite effect...Ze figure th; revolution to take place about 1974
and for things to be pretty well straightened out by 2001." The
letter, which referred to both Carl and Anne throughout closed with
the words "Viva la revolution."

Three letters addressed "Dear Carl and unne" and signed "Al." One
dated May 19, 1954, Said in part: "Your latest project left us breath—
less and n will be holding our breath until the shrapnel stops falling.
To tackle the real estate trust is a tremendous thing. The cravcn add
wholly despicable CJ editorial attacking you two is more indicative

of Your Friendly Homebuildcrs trm: power than was the gang of goons."

 

 -9-

A letter dated why 2 (110 yeor) to "Pour Carl" and siemed "Iwurs ,G",
asking Braden about tokinpe tr nap tlzough the Great omeky Mountainso
Contained this 013 sgg3: ”T i'vo been unable to iiifl any bet n.ws for
Elmer" If you can q: 7;? frori I-ouisv illo it :Jithi be usefulc

How about“ the plight . ' r, the most mcvc to edge room for the new
Central High SC‘]GOL; the - n‘.{ of Municip_1i Col 92, or unenmlovmont?
Of course news about people d:n=1:djzg on r2nd of ”old ”or. etch, rates
top priority ------- if sucn nous exists, It looks like I will have to
make some news to have anyh'

A printed lcoilrt marrying a r2pr: .nt 0 an editorizl hoods d 'Nagro
Newspaper Ss7s: Birm; nghcm Outl.ds I ds~ ----- ”21ns bL.cks“‘ Tic editorial
was identifizd as co nr 13 from th: St. Loui.s umzric 1n and referred to
Birmingham os 8””rl;-fl w”"*' 'u513t Cit-V " 4t tn; bottom.of the

leaflet Wore th2e2 phr.. -2 lewd th.. rights of Comministo. Defend

the rights of the Negro pccelon

A reprint of {n rrticl.o from thr2 Comet norspnpur oublishcd in Allentown,
Penn:,-u-this b ing on £00ount o:f n report by on Int) rnoliiOMLl don3n's
Commission on atrocities by Americun troops in heron,o The article

went into gory details on the alleged at rocitios;

9.0391119 219.3 tinsnx in 911332

Nhs. Mbrjorio Nhtson, Pittsburgh:

Testified that she "cs o member of the notionrl board of the Women‘s Inter—
national League for P'nce 1nd Freedom“ lostimony 10 s chic.£ly u doi‘enso of
the Leagueb Said it was not and hrs nOVcr been o communist or communist

(I

front organization0 an id it sought solution of world problems by p3ocoful,
non-violent moons,

Carl Braden
Braden's testimony may be divided into eight ports:

(1) Specific denial of the accusations against him as listed in the sedition
indictment:
As defense counsel read from the indictnent, Braden answered "no" to the
following questions: l° Did you over ”knowingly and i‘eloniously..o
advocate or suggest the duty, necessity, propriety or expediency of
physical violence, intimidetion, toiqorism, or other unlonful nets or
methods t2 rccomplish e politicol end or to bring obout political
revolution? 2. Did you ever "advocate or suggost by word, act, or
writing, public discord or res. stance to, or tho change or modification
of the Government, Constitution. or lows of the United States or tn:
Commonwealth of Kentucky? by iorco, violence or oth r unlofiful enema?"
5. Did you over "knowingly circul to, sell or distiibuto; or hm
in (your) possession for t1_c purpesr o;€ public tion or circulntion.
Jritton or printed matter. odv20 ting suogostixig 01 teaching criminal
Syndicelism or sedition] or the change or modification of the Govern-
ment of the United States and the Conmmanlth of Kentucky by force and
violence, or other unlawful Rhona?" 4° Did you ever "become a member
of a society or assemblage, ore..assemble Lith p rsons teaching:
advocating or eugg2sting the doctrine of criminal syndicalism or