James Britt, 1930 March 21

obtain clemency was made and a petition bearing several hundred sigs
natures including those of the trial judge, the prosecutér and the
jury was submitted to the Governor, but Mrs, Goldberg made a visit

to the chief executive and pleaded that the law be allowed to take
its course. During the week of the execution, the Governor went on

a fishing trip to Florida and could not be reached by those who were
active in Britt's behalf, Britt believed, un til a few hours before
his death, that his life wauld be spared. ‘When informed that there
would be no intervention, he accepted thenews calmly and after eating
a large meal of fried chicken, he calmly went to his death,

GARY POST TRIBUNE, March 20, 1930 and March 21, 1930.

CAPTTAL PUNISHMENT IN INDIANA DURING THE TWENTIETH CENTURY by R.
Morgan Grooms, (Unpublished manuscript.) :

obtain clemency was made and a petition bearing several hundred sige
natures including those of the trial judge, the prosecutér and the
jury was submitted to the Gowernor, but Mrs. Goldberg made a visit
to the chief executive and pleaded that the law be allowed to take
its course, During the week of the execution, the.Governor went on
a fishing trip to Florida and could not be reached by those who were
active in Britt's behalf, Britt believed, un til a few hours before
his death, that his life wauld be spared. then informed that there
would be no intervention, he accepted thenews calmly and after eating
a large meal of fried chicken, he calmly went to his death.

GARY POST TRIBUNE, March 20, 1930 and March 21, 1930.

CAPTTAL PUNISHMENT IN INDIANA DURING THE TWENTIETH CENTURY by Re
Morgan Grooms, (Unpublished manuscript.)

obtain clemency was made and a petition bearing several hundred sigh
natures including those of the trial judge, the prosecutér and the
jury was submitted to the Governor, but Mrs, Goldberg made a visit
to the chief executive and pleaded that the law be allowed to take
its course, During the week of the execution, the Governor went on
a fishing trip to Florida and could not be reached by those who were
active in Britt's behalf, Britt believed, un til a few hours before
his death, that his life would be spared. ‘hen informed that there

would be no intervention, he accepted thenews calmly and after eating
a large meal of fried chicken, he calmly went to his death,

GARY POST TRIBUNE, March 20, 1930 and March 21, 1930,

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN INDIANA DURING THE TWENTIETH CENTURY by Ry
Morgan Grooms, (Unpublished manuscript.)

ume Past TIBI, March 2 1990 and March 2p 183.

‘eran sens (iosbted arse) Ss

BRITT, James

Britt, a h2eyeareold black many was a Baptist with a fourth grade
education, Employed as a foundry worker, he lived at East Chicago,
Lake County, Ind, On Oct. 7, 1929, he got into an argument with
another black man over the affections of a woman and Britt threatened
to kill his rival, The other man went to Sam Goldberg, a grocer and
Lake County Deputy Sheriff and lodged a complaint. That evening
Goldberg accosted Britt on the Chicago Avenue Canal Bridge and when
he attempted to disarm him, Britt shot and killed him, At his trial,
Britt mainkained that the mrder was self defense, claiming that he
did not know that Goldberg was a deputy and thought that he was a
holdup man who was attempting bo rob him, As Goldberg had, a short
time before, been a star witness at a Federal Grand Jury in South
Bend into corruption in Lake County which returned indictments against
XK 15 residents of East Chicago, including the Mayor, in connection
with an illicit whiskey operation, there was some speculation that
this might have played a part in the murder, but Britt mahntained

that he knew nothing of the Grand Jury indictments and that he had
shot Goldberg because he KAX@NM@K thought the Deputy was trying t

ra)
see, THNREESMALLES BOUSEL OF MBSAROBYCLSMB ong Re Lung SLESLA ERTS

-BRITT, James

Britt, a l\2-yearecld black man, was a Baptist with a fourth grade
education, Employed as a foundry worker, he lived at East Chicago,
Lake County, Ind. On Oct. 7, 1929, he got into an argument with
another black man over the affections of a woman and Britt threatened
to kill his rival, The other man went to Sam Goldberg, a grocer and
Lake County Deputy Sheriff and lodged a complaint. That wvening
Goldberg accosted Britt on the Chicago Avenue Canal Bridge and when
he attempted to disarm him, Britt shot and killed him, At his trial,
Britt mainkained that the mrder was self defense, claiming that he
did not know that Goldberg was a deputy and thought that he was a
holdup man who was attempting to rob him, As Goldberg had, a short
time before, been a star witness at a Federal Grand Jury in South
Bend into corruption in Lake County which returned indictments against
YK 15 residents of East Chicago, including the Mayor, ‘in connection
with an illicit whiskey operation, there was some speculation that
this might have played a part in the murder, but Britt maintained

that he knew nothing of the Grand beet indictments and that he had
shot Goldberg because he KKKAM®K thought the Deputy was trying to

h t
Poh, HMESSPRRsRe SRUSEL 8 WLESAOHHE GSH Beane elasteoents

BRITT, James

Britt, a 42-year-old black man, was a Baptist with a fourth grade
education, Employed as a foundry worker, he lived at East Chicago,
Lake County, Ind, On Oct. 7, 1929, he got into an argument with
another black man over the affections of a woman and Britt threatened
to kill his rival, The other man went to Sam Goldberg, a grocer and
Lake County Deputy Sheriff and lodged a complaint, That evening
Goldberg accosted Britt on the Chicago Avenue Canal Bridge and when
he attempted to disarm him, Britt shot and killed him, At his trial,
Britt maintained that the murder was self defense, claiming that he
did not know that Goldberg was a deputy and thought that he was a
holdup man who was attempting bo rob him, As Goldberg had, a short
time before, been a star witness at a Federal Grand Jury in South
Bend into corruption in Lake County which returned indictments against]
IW 15 residents of East Chicago, including the Mayor, ‘in connection
with an illicit whiskey operation, there was some speculation that
this might have played a part in the murder, but Britt maintained
that fe lew nothing of the Grand Jury, indictuenty and that he had
Shot Voldberg because he MHYAIGM thought the Deputy: vai
nob h
at

tthe Tolena@te8e PRSGH on RIS EOE HEH, es tae stestaonst4

‘rity a begeucald Yack way wes Ballet th a fouth grade
Seen lee uy wea ag rd eka ley

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