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" DL 44-739 MARSHALL stated that the Court of Inquiry instituted by Attorney General SHEPPARD, and conducted by two of SHEPPARD's assistants, had come as a complete surprise to NAACP attorneys and was in his opinion timed so that NAACP attorneys would be out of the city at the time. MARSHALL stated that the plaintiffs in the Federal suit had informed him and other attorneys that they had been intimidated, threatened with incarceration and had economic pressure exerted upon them in an effort to influence them not to prosecute the Federal suit and to influence their testimony in said suit. He said he and other NAACP attorneys haa Ahomtese @#hea Aatr @QuamAeau Cantarmhawn 24 4 fal +4 Ipmeandud eauan 4d, Wik tiie bide US at a yp ee ee a oe various plaintiffs in the Federal suit and obtained statements from them. He said the statements, while typed on that date, would await signatures of the persons involved and notarization until Monday, October 1, 1956. MARSHALL stated in response to a direct question, that these statements included full details as to the allegations of intimidation, threats and economic pressure. Mr. MARSHALL stated that-th 1 Federal integration suit involving both Dallas Elementary and High Schools is style "BELL versus RIPPY", No. 6165, Northern District of Texas, BELL being one of the plaintiffs and RIPPY, the President of the Dallas School Board. By way of background, he stated the original integration suit was heard before Federal Judge ATWELL and on September 15, 1955, the court ruled against the plaintiffs. On appeal, the lower court's decision was overruled and the case was reversed and remanded for new trial. MARSHALL stated that the persons, plaintiffs, whorsve complained as to the acts of representatives of Attorney General SHEPPARD and local officers in connection with the Court of Inguiry, are parents, grandparents or otherWise have custody of the Negro children involved in the Federal suit. MARSHALL stated while the Court of Inquiry before Judge RICHBURG purported to be in connection with Attorney General SHEPPARD's suit to outlaw NAACP in Texas, the actual purpose was to try to force the plaintiffs to say that they did not hire attorneys who signed the petition in the Federal suit, and another purpose was to intimidate the plaintiffs in an effort to get them not to pursue the Federal suit and to influence their testimony in said suit. MARSHALL stated he did not know the identities of any of the local officers involved but noted that one plaintiff had said that the officer was "dressed like a Texas Ranger" and that another plaintiff had felt the officer who came to his or her house was a local constable, MARSHALL stated he had no information