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Air Force Veteran Fined for Burning Cross on Lawn of Texas Jew

February 8, 1963
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
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A former Polish Jew who survived the Nazi holocaust was the target of a cross-burning by an Air Force veteran who objected to a talk by the former refugee assailing the tactics of extreme right-wingers.

The Air Force veteran, who admitted burning the cross on the lawn of the home of Jack Cran of Richardson, Texas, was fined $10. His name was withheld by authorities, however, because he was not convicted in a court of record. Under Texas law, only persons charged with felonies or convicted in a court of record are subject to public disclosure of their names.

The arsonist testified that he burned the cross because he wanted Cran “to stay in his home and not come over here and preach his pro-Communist speeches where I reside.” Oran made his talk before Lion’s Club of Garland, a small town near here. He received a number of calls from right-wingers after his talk.

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