Attackers of Joseph Needleman to be Tried First; Jury to be Drawn May 6, 1925

Alleged Attackers of Needleman Will be Tried at Once. . . Men Charged with Taking Him from Jail and Mutilating Him Will be First Tried at Special Term. . . Special Venire Called for Trial. . . Most of Those Charged with Being Accessories Before the Fact Pleaded Guilty to the Charges

By the Associated Press

Williamston, N.C., May 5—With Joseph Needleman indicted on a charge of attacking a young white girl, eight other men on a charge of mutilating Needleman, and 24 others as accessories before the act of mutilation, the superior court of Martin county today was marking time awaiting the scheduled appearance this afternoon of a special venire of 200 men from whom an effort will be made to get a jury to try the cases.

Four of the eight men indicted on the mutilation charge spent the night in jail while the others were kept in jail. Claro Heath, one of those facing this charge, will go on trial tomorrow morning and will be the first of the defendants to face a jury. Needleman, against whom the most serious charge is placed, was held in jail last night. It was indicated he would not be tried until the court has disposed of the charges against those who are alleged to have been members of the mob which removed him from the Martin county jail.

The legal fight, it appeared today, would center around those charged with mutilation. A strong array of counsel was on hand to defend the men, and the state also had reinforced its legal forces preparatory to opening of the trial tomorrow. All but three of those charged with being accessories before the fact pleaded guilty yesterday to the charges or entered pleas of nolo contendere. Sentence will not be passed until after the trial of the three resisting the charge.

However, it was stated a number of those pleading guilty would be used as state’s witnesses.

None of those charged with mutilating had pleaded guilty. Though (words can’t be read) both with mutilating and accessory before the fact pleaded guilty to the latter charge, they have maintained their innocence to the former indictment.

The mutilation charge carries a maximum penalty of 60 years in the penitentiary.

True Bills Against Needleman and His Assailants

Williamston, May 4—True bills of indictment against 32 defendants, charging them with being members of a mob that removed Joseph A. Needleman, tobacco salesman, from the Martin county jail Sunday morning, March 29th, and performed a serious operation on him, were returned by a Martin county grand jury late this afternoon. Eight of this number are specifically charged with participating in the operation and 24 are charged with being accessories before the fact. This is the first time in the history of North Carolina that an alleged mob, in its entirety, has been indicted.

The grand jury also returned a bill of indictment against Needleman, charging him with making an attack on a young white woman.

Judge N.A. Sinclair, presiding, this afternoon ordered a special venire of 200 men to report tomorrow afternoon, at which time the drawing of a jury will begin. The cases against the three defendants will be grouped and the trials are expected to begin Wednesday morning. No date has been set for the trial of Needleman.

Judge Sinclair intimated this afternoon that he would hold the grand jury together until the end of the term, as it is expected that several of those entering pleas of guilty will turn state’s evidence, thereby involving others in which case the grand jury will e needed to consider other presentments.

From the front page of the Concord Daily Tribune, Tuesday, May 5, 1925

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