Americus the Violent

Violence has become almost habit in the black belt when civil rights workers collide with unyielding segregationists. In Americus, Ga. (pop. 14,482), the confrontation started in 1963, and mediation efforts so far have failed. So when sudden death came one midnight last week, the only surprises were the victim's color and his disinterest in the contest.

Andrew A. Whatley Jr., 21 and white, who had enlisted in the Marine Corps only two days before, was on his way home from his job as a drive-in movie projectionist. He stopped near a crowd, including some acquaintances, on a downtown street close to the Sumter County Courthouse. There, 250 Negroes were holding an all-night "vigil," demanding the unconditional release of four Negro women jailed on a charge of "blocking the entrance to a polling place" when they tried to vote in a line reserved for white women.

Among the whites near Whatley were hecklers throwing rocks and bottles at Negroes in passing cars. There is no evidence that Whatley was one of the raucous rubes. Then, from one of the target cars, gunfire blazed. Two .38-cal. slugs smashed into Whatley's skull. He died in a hospital less than three hours later.

Police chased the car until it crashed into a telephone pole. The driver, Willie James Lamar, 21, a Negro, jumped out, was found moments later hiding in a thicket. Charlie Lee Hopkins, also 21 and Negro, was arrested three hours later and, along with Lamar, booked for murder.

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