Abilene Reporter article - July 12, 1960

AT BROWNSBORO Rahm Says Shot Not in Malice 

ATHENS (AP)-Dr. C.C. Rahm asserted Monday that he had no malice against Thurman Jackson, whom he is charged with the shooting during a battle royal at a meeting of the Brownsboro school board June 16. Rahm said, "I was hit on the head and fell to the floor. My glasses were knocked off my face and I couldn't see. They began kicking me to death. I had nothing against anybody. Those people are my friends. They kicked me every time I tried to get up. There was blood on my shirt. I had no idea they would turn on me." 

Rahm told a news conference called by his attorney, Charles Tessmer of Dallas."I wiped my eyes with my left hand and I was kicked again. I reached for a leg. But he stepped back and I shot." Rahm said that before he was carried off to an unannounced jail another doctor took 3 or 4 stitches to close a cut on the head. Asked what he was going to do he said there were people in Brownsboro who needed him but he didn't know if he could go back to the community. 

"I know I didn't mean to kill," said Rahm, his voice choked with emotion. "All I wanted to do was to stop them and get out of there."

Earlier Tessmer asked Judge M. Johnston of Athens to release Rahm on bond pending his trial on a charge of murder. The judge set the habeas corpus hearing for 9 a.m. Friday. Tessmer then arranged a news conference with Rahm at the Tyler jail, where Rahm has been he!d since four days after the shooting. It was the first time that Rahm has given his account of the fight in which Jackson, 42, was killed, and at least seven other persons were injured. 

The school district affairs had been the cause of a long simmering feud in the small East Texas town. One issue was the firing of the school superintendent. Rahm said he had been threatened prior to the June 16 meeting but did not identify the persons who made the threats. He said that he was scared and for that reason took a .45 caliber pistol with him to the meeting. Rahm said the crowd attending the meeting began to get out of hand after I. B. Long, the board president, offered to read criticisms of the school by a team from the state evaluating agency. "People began to crowd in," Rahm said, and "I reminded the president we had agreed to adjourn by 8 p.m." When the meeting was adjourned Rahm said he turned to a deputy sheriff and said "get us out of here." "Well, I'm trying to," quoted the deputy as replying. 

Abilene Reporter

July 12, 1960

page 15

NOTE: I would appreciate if anyone could provide a better transcription for this article.