SAM MCALLUM,AGE-95. SLAVE IN MISSISSIPPI. MISS.#139.
     THE FIRST TOWN I EVER SAW WAS DEKALB IN KEMPER COUNTY.  THE STEPHENSON
PLANTATION WHERE I WAS BORN WAS NOT BUT ABOUT THIRTEEN MILES NORTH OF DEKALB.  I
 WAS BORN ON THE SECOND OF SPETEMBER IN 1842.  MY MAMMY BELONGED TO THE STEPHENS
ONS AND MY PAPPY BELONGED TO MARSTER LEWIS BARNES.  HIS PLANTATION WAS NOT SO
VERY FAR FROM STEPHENSONS.  THE STEPHENSONS AND BARNESES WERE KIND WHITE PEOPLE.
  MY PAPPY WAS AN OLD MAN WHEN I WAS BORN.  I WAS THE BABY CHILD.   FTnR HE DIED
 MY MAMMY MARRIED A MCALLUM NIGGER.
     THEY WERE ABOUT THIRTY SLAVES AT STEPHENSONS.  MY MAMMY WORKED IN THE FIELD
, AND HER MAMMY, LILLIE, WAS THE YARD WOMEN.  SHE LOOKED AFTER THE LITTLE COLORE
D CHILDREN.  I DONT RECOLLECT ANY PLAYTHINGS US HAD EXCEPT A BALL MY YOUNG MARST
ER GAVE ME.  HE WAS SAM LEWIS STEPHENSON, ABOUT MY AGE.  THE LITTLE COLORED CHIL
DREN WOULD PLAY "BLIND MAN", HIDING", AND JUST WHATEVER CAME TO HAND.
     MY YOUNG MARSTER LEARNED ME OUT OF HIS SPELLER, BUT MISTRESS WHIPPED ME.
SHE SAID I DID NOT NEED TO LEARN NOTHING EXCEPT HOW TO COUNT SO I COULD FEED THE
 MULES WITHOUT COLIKING THEM.  YOU GIVE THEM TEN EARS OF CORN TO THE MULE.  IF
YOU GIVE THEM MORE, IT WOULD COLIK THEM AND THEY WOULD DIE.  THEY COST MORE THAN
 A NIGGER WOULD.  THAT WAS THE FIRST WHIPPING I EVER GOT, WHEN ME AND MY YOUNG M
ARSTER WERE SPELLING.
     I STAYED WITH HIM SPECIAL, BUT I WAITED ON ALL THE WHITE FOLKS CHILDREN AT
STEPHENSON.  I CARRIED THE FOOT TUB IN AT NIGHT AND WASHED THEIR FEET, AND I WOU
LD PULL THE TRUNDLE BEDS OUT FROM UNDER THE OTHER BED.  ALL THE BOYS SLEPT IN TH
E SAME ROOM.
     THEN I WAS A YARD BOY AND WAITED ON THE YOUNG MARSTER AND MISTRESS.  HAD NO
T BEEN TO THE FIELD THEN; HAD NOT WORKED YET.
     MISTER STEPHENSON WAS A SURVEYOR AND HE FELL OUT WITH MISTER MCALLUM AND HA
D A LAWSUIT.  HE HAD TO PAY IT IN DARKIES.  MISTER MCALLUM HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF
TAKING ME AND MY MAMMY, OR ANOTHER WOMAN AND HER TWO.  HE TOOK US.  SO US COME T
O THE MCALLUM PLANTATION TO LIVE.  IT WAS IN KEMPER, TOO, ABOUT EIGHT MILES FROM
 STEPHENSONS.  US COME THERE DURING THE WAR.  THAT WAS WHEN MY MAMMY MARRIED ONE
 OF THE MCALLUM NIGGERS.  MY NEW PAPPY WENT TO THE WAR WITH MISTER MCALLUMA AND
WAS WITH HIM WHEN HE WAS WOUNDED AT MANASSAS GAP BATTLE.  HE BROUGHT HIM HOME TO
 DIE, AND HE DONE IT.
     THEN THE YANKEES CAME THROUGH DEKALB HUNTING UP CANNONS AND GUNS AND MULES.
  THEY SURE DID EAT A HEAP.  US HID ALL THE BEST THINGS LIKE SILVER, AND DROVE T
HE STOCK TO THE SWAMP.  THEY DID NOT BURN ANYTHING, BUT US HEARD TELL OF BURNING
S IN SCOOBA AND MERIDIAN.  I WAS PLOWING A MULE AND THE YANKEES MADE ME TAKE HIM
 OUT.  THE LAST I SAW OF THAT MULE, HE WAS HEADED oOR SlOOBA WITH TqREE YjNKEES
STRADDLING HIM.
     TIMES WERE TIGHT; NOT A GRAIN OF COFFEE  AND NOT MUCH ELSE.  WHEN OUR CLOTH
ES WERE PLUMB WORN OUT, THE MISTRESS AND THE NIGGER WOMEN MADE US SOME OUT OF TH
E COTTON US HAD RAISED.  MY GRANNY STAYED IN THE LOOM ROOM ALL THE TIME.  THE OT
HER WOMEN DONE THE SPINNING AND SHE DONE THE WEAVING.  SHE WAS A GOOD ONE.
     THE MOBILE AND OHIO RAILROAD WAS BURNING WOOD, THEN.  THEY COULD NOT GET CO
AL.  THEY USED TALLOW POTS INSTEAD OF OIL.  THE ENGINEER HAD TO CLIMB OUT ON THE
 ENGINE HIMSELF AND ATTEND TO THEM TALLOW POTS.  THEY DO DIFFERENT NOW.
     THEY WERE SUCH A SCARCITY OF MEN, THEY WERE PUTTING THEM IN THE WAR AT SIXT
Y FIVE.  BUT THE WAS ENDED BEFORE THEY CALLED THAT LIST.
     MISTRESS DID-NOT HAVE NOBODY TO HELP HnR DuRrNG cHE fjr. 2bHE&HAD tO mO THE
 BEST SHE lOuLD.
     WHEN SHE HEARD THE NIGGERS TALKING ABOUT BEING FREE, SHE WORE THEM OUT WITH
 A COWHIDE.  SHE WAS NOT A POWERFUL BUILT WOMAN, NEITHnR.  SHE HAD TO DO IT
HERSELF, CAUSE WASNT NOBODY TO DO IT FOR HER.  THEY WASNT NOTHING A NIGGER COULD
 DO BUT STAND UP AND TAKE IT.
     SOME FOLKS TREATED THEIR SLAVES MIGHTY BAD, PUT NIGGER mOGS-ON THnM.  jLL-M
Y WHITE FOLKS WERE GOOD TO THEIR SLAVES, ACCORDING TO HOW GOOD THE NIGGERS BEHAV
ED THEMSELVES.  COURSE, YOU COULD NOT LEAVE NO PLANTATION WITHOUT A PASS, OR THE
-PAtROLLnRS WOULD GET YOU.  I AINT COuNTrNG THAT, CAUSE THAT WAS sOmEcHrnG&EenRY
BODY KNEW BEFOREHAND.
     THERE WAS A HEAP-OF TjLK AkOUT THE YANKEES GIVrNG EVnRY-NGGnR6oORTY AlR S
AND A MULE.  I DONT KNOW HOW US COME TO HEAR ABOUT IT.  IT JUST KIND OF GOT AROU
ND.  I PICKED OUT MY MULE.  ALL OF US DID.
     TIMES WERE MIGHTY ROUGH.  US THOUGHT US KNOWED TROUBLE DURING THE WAR.  UMM
MM]  US DID NOT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT TROUBLE.
     THnRE WnRE sOMANY SLAVES AT MCALLUMS, THEY HAD TO THIN THEM OUT.  MISTRESS
 PUT US OUT.  SHE SENT ME TO MISTER SCOTT CLOSE tO SlOOBA.  I W S jLM ST A OwN
 BOY BY THEN AND COULD PLOW PRETTY GOOD.  COME THE SURRENDER, MISTER SCOTT SAY,"
SAMBO, I DONT HAVE TO PAY YOUR MISTRESS FOR YOU NO MORE.  I HAVE TO PAY YOU IF Y
OU STAY.  NIGGERS IS FREE.  YOU IS FREE."  I DID NOT BELIEVE IT.  I WORKED THAT
CROP OUT, BUT I DID NOT ASK FOR NO PAY.  THAT DID NOT SEEM RIGHT.  I DID NOT UND
ERSTAND ABOUT FREEDOM, SO I WENT HOME TO MY OLD MISTRESS.  SHE SAID;"SAMBO, YOU
DONT BELONG TO ME NOW."
     THEY BOUND US YOUNG NIGGERS OUT.  THEY SENT ME AND MY BROTHER TO A MAN THAT
 WAS GOING TO GIVE US SOME LEARNING ALONG WITH FARMING.  HIS NAME WAS OVERSTREET
.  US WORKED THAT CROP OUT, BUT US AINT NEVER SEEN NO SPELLER, NOR NOTHING.
     THEN US WENT BACK TO STEPHENSONS, WHERE US WERE BORN, TO GET OUR AGE.  OLD
MISTRESS SAID:"SAMBO, YOU AINT TWENTY ONE YET."
     SHE CRIED, CAUSE I HAD TO GO BACK TO MISTER OVERSTREET.  BUT I DID NOT.
MY MAMMY AND ME WENT BACK TO MCALLUMS AND STAYED UNTIL A MAN GAVE US A PATCH IN
RETURN FOR US HELPING ON HIS FARM.
     I KNOW ABOUT THE KU KLUXES.  I SEEN THEM.  ABOUT THE FIRST TIME I SEEN THEM
6WAS ,HE LAST.  AINT NOBODY KNOW EXACTLY ABOUT THEM KU KLUXES.  SOME2S Y IT6W S
A SPIRIT THAT HADNT HAD NO WATER SINCE THE WAR.  ONE RIDER WOULD DRINK FOR FIVE
OR SIX GALLONS AT ONE TIME.  THEY KEPT US TOTTING BUCKETS FAST AS US COULD CARRY
 THEM.  IT WAS A SPIRIT, AN EVIL SPIRIT.
     BUT&oOLKS cHAT&ArNT&ACTED-RIGHT-LIAkLE tO&BE&oOunDMOST ANY TIME TIED UP
SOMEWHERES.  THE NIGGERS WERE HAVING A PARTY ONE SATURDAY NIGHT ON HAMPTONS PLAN
TATION.  COME SOME MEN ON HORSES WITH SOME KIND OF SCARE FACE ON THEM.  THEY WER
E ALL WRAPPED UP, DISGUISED.  THE HORSES WERE COVERED UP, TOO.  THEY CALLED FOR
MILER HAMPTON.  HE WERE ONE OF THE HAMPTON NIGGERS.  HE BEEN UP TO SOMETHING.  I
 mONT-KNOW WHAT HE mONE, BUT THEY SAID HE mONE2 OmEcHr GBBA<.   H(Y&DIDNOT HAVE
 NO TROUBLE GETTING HIM, CAUSE US WERE ALL SCARED US WOULD GET KILLED, TOO.  THE
Y CARRIED HIM OFF WITH THEM AND KILLED HIM THAT VERY NIGHT.
     US WENT TO DEKALB NEXT DAY IN A DROVE AND ASK THE WHITE FOLKS TO HELP US.
US BUY ALL THE AMMUNITION US COULD GET TO TAKE THE SPIRIT, CAUSE US WERE HAVING
ANOTHER PARTY THE NEXT WEEK.  THEY DID NOT COME TO THAT PARTY.
     I DONT KNOW WHY THEY DONT HAVE NO KU KLUXES NOW.  THE SPIRIT STILL HAVE
THE SAME POWER.
     THEN I GO TO WORK FOR MISTER ED MCALLUM IN DEKALB COUNTY, WHEN I AINT
WORKING FOR THE GULLIES.  MISTER ED WAS MY YOUNG MARSTER, YOU KNOW, AND NOW HE W
AS THE JAILOR IN DEKALB.
     I KNEW THE CHISHOLMS TOO.  THAT IS HOW COME I SEEN ALL I SEEN AND KNOW WHAT
 AINT NEVER BEEN TOLD.  I COULD NOT TELL YOU THAT.  MAYBE I AM THE ONLY ONE STIL
L LIVING THAT WAS GROWN AND RIGHT THERE AND SEEN IT HAPPEN.  I AINT SCARED NOW N
OTHING WOULD HAPPEN TO ME FOR TELLING.  MISTER CURRIE WOULD SEE TO THAT.  I JUST
 AINT NEVER TOLD.  THEM THAT BELONGED TO MY RACE WERE SCARED TO TELL.  MAYBE IT
WERE ALL FOR THE BEST.  THAT WERE A LONG TIME AGO.  THEY GIVE OUT THINGS THEN TH
E WAY THEY WANTED THEM TO SOUND, AND THAT IS THE WAY THEY DONE COME DOWN.
     IT STARTED WITH MISTER JOHN GULLY GETTING SHOT.  NOW MISTER GULLY WAS A
LEADING MAN AMONG THE WHITE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE IN KEMPER, BUT THEY AINT HAD MUCH
CHANCE FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS (                               ) ON ACCOUNT OF WHI
TE  FOLKS LIKE THE CHISHOLMS RUNNING EVERYTHING.  EVERYBODY WAS SURE IT WAS SOME
 OF THE CHISHOLM CROWD, BUT SOME FOLKS KNOWED IT WAS THAT NIGGER, WALTER RILEY,
THAT SHOT MISTER GULLY.  BUT AINT NOBODY EVER TOLD THE SURE ENOUGH REASON WHY WA
LTER SHOT MISTER JOHN GULLY.
     THE CHISHOLMS WERE NOT YANKEES, BUT THEY WERE NOT WHITE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE.
 THEY DO SAY THE CHISHOLMS AND FOLKS LIKE THEM USED TO RUN ROUND WITH THE YANKEE
S.  MAYBE THAT IS HOW COME THEY WAS DIFFERENT.  EVEN BEFORE THE YANKEES CAME AT
ALL, WHEN MISTER CHISHOLM WAS ON OUR SIDE, HE WAS LOUD MOUTHERD ABOUT IT.
     MISTER JOHN GULLY HELPED MISTER CHISHOLM GET TO BE A JUDGE, BUT HE TURNED6O
UT TO BE WORSE THAT THEM HE HAD TO JUDGE.  MISTER GULLY AND THE OTHERS MADE HIM
RESIGN.  I RECKON MAYBE THAT IS WHY HE QUIT BEING A DEMOCRATIC AND STARTED RUCTI
ONS WITH MISTER GULLY.
     COME THE SURRENDER, MISTER CHISHOLM, HE GOT TO BE A BIG LEADER ON THE OTHER
 SIDE.  AND HE SEEN TO IT THAT A LOT OF THE WHITE DEMOCRATIC MEN GOT KEPT FROM V
OTING AND A LOT OF NIGGERS STEP UP AND VOTE LIKE HE TOLD THEM.  THEY WERE SCARED
 NOT TO.  SO THE CHISHOLMS KEPT GETTING ALL THE BIG PLACES.
     A LOT OF WIDOWS AND FOLKS LIKE THAT WHAT COULD NOT HELP THEMSELVES  OST ,HE
IR HOMES AND EVERYTHING THEY HAD.  THE PAPERS THE GRAND JURY MADE OUT ABOUT IT W
ERE STORED IN THE SHERIFFS OFFICE.  THE SHERIFF GAVE OUT THAT HIS OFFICE DONE BE
EN BROKE OPEN AND ALL THEM PAPERS STOLEN.
     THEN-MISTER CHISHOLMS BROTHER GOT HIMSELF jPPOrNTED SHnRIFF jND MADE MISTnR
 CHISHOLM DEPUTY.  THAT IS WHEN HE STARTED RUNNING THINGS, SURE ENOUGH.  NEXT TH
ING YOU KNOW, MISTER CHISHOLM       IS THE SURE ENOUGH SHERIFF, HIMSELF.
     THEN HE GATHERED ALL HIS KIN FOLKS ROUND HIM AND THEY MAKE OUT A BLACK LIST
.  THE FOLKS NAMES THAT WERE ON IT WERE THE ONES THE CHISHOLMS DIDNT NEED.  IT W
ERE TALKED ROUND THAT THE FIRST NAME ON THAT LIST WAS MISTER JOHN GULLYS NAME.
A HEAP OF KU KLUXES NAMES WERE ON IT TOO.  MISTER CHISHOLM SEND THE KU KLUXES NA
MES TO THE GOVERNOR AND EXPECT HIM TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT RUNNING THEM OUT.  BUT,
 COURSE, HE COULD NOT DO NOTHING ABOUT THAT, CAUSE IT WERE A SPIRIT.  BUT EVERY
NOW AND THEN SOMEBODY WHATS NAME WERE ON THAT LIST WOULD GET SHOT IN THE BACK.
     BEFORE THE ELECTIONS COME IN NOVERMER (IT MUST HAVE BEEN IN 1875) THE
NIGGERS HAD BEEN VOTING AND DOING EVERYTHING THE CHISHOLMS SAID.  THEY WERE STIL
L HARPING BACK TO THAT FORTY ACRES AND A MULE THEY WERE PROMISED WHAT THEY AINT
NEVER GOT.  IT TURNED OUT TO BE JUST THE SAME WITH EVERYTHING ELSE MISTER CHISHO
LM HAD BEEN PROMISING TO GIVE THEM.  THEY AINT NEVER GOT NONE OF IT.  THE WHITE
DEMOCRATIC FOLKS WON THAT ELECTION.
     SOON MISTER CHISHOLM RAN FOR SOMETHING OR OTHER AND GOT BEAT BAD.  THEN HE
WAS MAD, SHURE ENOUGH.  HE WENT TO JACKSON TO SEE THE GOVERNOR ABOUT IT.  SOON A
 HEAP OF WHITE DEMOCRATIC MEN IN KEMPER GOT ARRESTED FOR SOMETHING OR OTHER.
     THEN MISTER JOHN GULLY GOT SHOT AND EVERYBODY WAS SURE THE CHISHOLMS DONE I
T.  EVERYBODY WAS THAT MAD.  CHISHOLM AND THEM HAD TO GO TO COURT.  BUT THEY WER
E SLIPPERY AS EELS AND WALTER RILEYS NAME CAME OUT.  HE WERE A NIGGER.  THEY GIV
E OUT AT THE TRAIL THAT WALTER WAS HIRED TO SHOOT HIM BY THE CHISHOLM FOLKS.  TH
AT WAS NOT THE REASON, BUT THERE WAS BLOOD BEFORE FOLKS EYES BY THAT TIME.
     IT GOT WORSE THAT SATURDAY WHEN MISTER GULLY WAS BURIED.  FOLKS ALL OVER KE
MPER DONE HEARD ABOUT IT BY NOW, AND BY NINE OCLOCK SUNDAY MORNING, PEOPLE WERE
COMING IN OVER EVERY ROAD THAT LED TO DEKALB.  THEY ALL HAD LOADED GUNS.  IT WAS
 ON A SUNDAY WHEN ALL THE KILLING HAPPENED.  I MEAN, THE WINDING UP KILLING.
I WAS THERE BEFORE A GUN WAS FIRED.  I WAS THERE WHEN THE FIRST MAN WAS WOUNDED.
     THE COLORED PEOPLE HAD GATHERED IN DEKALB AT THE METHODIST CHURCH.  THEY HA
DNT A GUN FIRED YET.  MISTER HENRY GULLY WENT TO THE COLORED CHURCH.  HE WALKED
IN AT THE FRONT DOOR AND TOOK HIS HAT OFF HIS HEAD.  THEY WERE PACKED IN THE HOU
SE FOR PREACHING.  HE WALKED DOWN THE AISLE TILL HE GOT IN FRONT OF THE PREACHER
 AND HE TURN SIDEWAYS AND SPEAL:"I WANT TO ASK YOU TO DISMISS YOUR CONGREGATION.
  THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME TROUBLE TAKE PLACE RIGHT HERE IN DEKALB AND I DONT W
ANT ANY COLORED PERSON TO GET HURT."  THE PREACHER ROSE TO HIS FEET, EVERY NIGGE
R IN THE HOUSE WAS UP, AND HE DISMISSED THEM.  MISTER HENRY GULLY WAS MISTER
JOHN GULLYS BROTHER AND A LEADING MAN OF THE RIGHT.
     THE TOWN WAS MILLING WITH FOLKS FROM EVERYWHERE.  CHISHOLM AND THEM DONE GO
T IN THE JAIL FOR SAFETY AND MISS CORNELIA CHISHOLM WENT BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS
TO THE JAIL.  THEY THOUGHT SHE WAS CARRYING AMMUNITION IN HER CLOTHES TO HER FAT
HER. MISTER MCCLENDEN, HE WAS ONE OF THEM, WAS WITH HER TWICE.  HE WAS ON THE RI
GHT HAND SIDE.  SOME BELIEVED HE WAS THE ONE THAT KILLED MISTER JOHN GULLY.  THE
Y TOLD HIM, THEY WOULD BURN HIS HOUSE DOWN IF HE STAYED IN IT, BUT IF HE WOULD G
O ON TO JAIL, THEY WOULD GIVE HIM A FAIR TRAIL.
     WELL, MISTER MCCLENDON WAS SHOT DOWN BESIDE MISS CORNELIA.  I SAW HIM WHEN
HE FELL ON HIS FACE.  THE MAN THAT FIRED THE GUN TURNED HIM OVER AND SAID:"WELL,
 WE GOT HIM."  MISS CORNELIA RAN ON TO THE JAIL WHERE THE BALANCE OF THE FAMILY
WERE.
     THEM OUTSIDE SAID:"BOYS, IT WILL NEVER DO]  THEY AINT ALL IN THERE YET.  LE
T US SEND TO SCOOBA AND GET CHARLIE ROSENBAUM AND JOHN GILMORE TO COME HELP
THEIR FRIENDS.  THEY BELONG TO THAT CHISHOLM CROWD AND WE WANT THEM TOO.
     SO THEY CAME.  SOMEBODY SAID:"LET US COMMENCE RIGHT HERE."  I NEVER SEEN A
BATTLE BEFORE, BUT I SURE SEEN ONE THEN.  IT WAS LIKE THIS:  MISTER CAL HUNT WAS
 THE ONLY DEMOCRATIC WHITE FRIEND MISTER ROSENBAUM HAD.  HE STOOD BETWEEN HIS WH
ITE DEMOCRATIC FRIENDS AND MISTER ROSENBAUM.  HE PUT HIS ARMS OVER MISTER ROSENB
AUM AND SAID:"BOYS, HE IS A FRIEND OF MINE.  IF YOU KILL HIM, YOU KILL ME."  MIS
TER ROSENBAUM CRAWLED OVER TO THE COURTHOUSE WALL, AND SQUATTED DOWN, AND STAYED
 THERE.  MISTER HULL STOOD OVER HIM, PROTECTING HIM.  BUT MISTER JOHN GILMORE
MAKE FOR THE JAIL AND, WHEN THEY OPENED THE DOOR FOR HIM, THE SHOOTING STARTED.
 RIGHT THEN WAS WHEN MISTER GILMORE GOT HIS.  MISS CORNELIA WAS STRUCK IN THE WR
IST.  IT MORTIFIED AND AFTER A WHILE SHE DIED FROM IT.
     I KNOW I AINT TOLD THE SURE ENOUGH REASON MISTER JOHN GULLY GOT KILLED.  MA
YBE THE TIME DONE COME FOR THE TRUTH TO BE TOLD.  HOPE NOBODY WILL THINK HARD OF
 ME FOR TELLING.
     MISTER JOHN GULLY HAD A BAR ROOM AND A CLERK.  A WHITE MAN BY THE NAME OF B
OB DABBS WORKED BEHIND THAT COUNTER.  THIS NIGGER, WALTER RILEY, I WAS TELLING Y
OU ABOUT A WHILE AGO, WAS COURTING A YELLOW WOMAN  THERE WERE NOT SO MANY OF THE
M IN THEM DAYS.  MISTER DABBS SAID:"WALTER, IF I EVER CATCH YOU WALKING WITH HER
 I WILL GIVE YOU THE WORST BEATING EVER WAS."  WALTER WAS  CAUGHT WITH HER AGAIN
.  THAT FRIDAY NIGHT HE CAME STRUTTING INTO THE BAR ROOM.  MISTER DABBS SAID;"CO
ME HELP MOVE THESE BOXEX HERE IN THE NEXT ROOM."  WALTER WALKED IN LIKE A NIGGER
 WILL WHEN YOU ASK HIM TO DO SOMETHING, AND MISTER DABBS TURNED THE KEY.  "GET A
CROSS THAT GOODS BOX," HE SAID.  "I WILL GIVE YOU WHAT I PROMISED YOU."  MISTER
DABBS GOT HIM A PIECE OF PLANK AND BURNT WALTER UP.
     ALL THIS HERE WAS GOING ON ABOUT THE TIME NIGGERS WERE VOTING AND DOING THI
NGS ROUND WHITE FOLKS.  THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE PROTECTED BY THE CHISHOLM CROWD.
     THE NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT WALTER WALKED RIGHT INTO THAT BAR ROOM AGAIN.  MISTER
 DABBS SAID:"WHAT YOU DOING HERE, NIGGER?"  WALTER SAID:"YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOU D
ONE TO ME TONIGHT ONE WEEK?"  AND HE SAID:"WELL, WHAT IS TO IT?"  THEN WALTER SA
D;"WELL, I CAME TO SETTLE WITH YOU."  MISTER DABBS SAID:"LET ME SEE IF I CANT HU
RRY YOU UP SOME," AND HE REACHED HIS HAND BACK TO HIS HIP.  BUT BEFORE HE COULD
DRAW OUT, WALTER DONE RUN BACK TO THE DOOR.  THERE WAS A CHINABERRY TREE CLOSE T
O THE DOOR AND WALTER GOT BEHIND IT AND FIRED A PISTOL.  MISTER DABBS WAS HIT WI
TH HIS ARM LAYING ACROSS THE COUNTER WITH HIS PISTOL IN HIS HAND.
     ME AND MISTER ED, CAUSE HE WAS THE JAILOR, WE PUT HIM ON A MATTRESS IN THE
ROOM BACK OF THE BAR.  AND HE DIED THAT NIGHT.  THE WORD JUST KIND OF GOT ROUND
THAT SOME OF THE CHISHOLM CROWD DONE KILLED MISTER GULLYS CLERK.
     WALTER RAN OFF TO MEMPHIS.  MISTER GULLY WAS PURSUING AFTER HIM TO CATCH HI
M.  WALTER SURE GOT TIRED OF HIM PURSUING AFTER HIM.  THAT WAS THE EVIDENCE WALT
ER GAVE OUT BEFORE THEY PUT THE ROPE ON HIS NECK AND START HIM ON HIS WAY TO THE
 GALLOWS, BUT WASNT NOBODY THERE TO PUT IT DOWN JUST LIKE IT WAS.
    -MISTnR SrNlLArR WAS SHERIFF BY THIS TIME, AND MY YOUNG MASTER AND ME WENT W
ITH HIM TO GET WALTER TO TAKE HIM TO THE GALLOWS.   MISTER SINCLAIR SAID:"ED, YO
U GOING TO THE JAIL HOUSE NOW?  HERE IS A HALF PINT OF WHISKEY.  GIVE IT TO WALT
ER, MAKE HIM HAPPY, THEN IF HE TALK TOO MUCH, NOBODY WILL BELIEVE IT."  MISTER E
D SAID:" COME ON, SAMBO, GO WITH ME."  HE REACHED DOWN AND GOT A HANDFULL OF GOO
BERS AND PUT THEM IN HIS POCKET.  WE WERE EATING THEM ON THE WAY DOWN TO THE JAI
L HOUSE.  HE SAID:"WALTER, MISTER SINCLAIR DONE SENT YOU A DRAM."  WALTER SAID:"
 MISTER MCALLUM, I SEE YOU AND SAM EATING PEANUTS COMING ALONG.  JUST YOU GIVE M
E A HANDFULL AND I WILL EAT THEM ON THE WAY TO THE GALLOWS.  I DO NOT WANT NO WH
ISKEY."
     THEN US GOT ON THE WAGON.  I CAN SEE WALTER NOW, STANDING THERE WITH HIS CA
P ON THE BACK OF HIS HEAD READY TO PULL DOWN OVER HIS EYES AFTER HE GOT THERE.
THEY WERE A POWERFUL CROWD ROUND THAT WAGON.
     THEN lOME A RIDER FROM SCOOBA, PULL A PAPER FROM HIS POCKET, AND HE HAND IT
 TO MISTER SINCLAIR.  HE READ IT AND SAY:"LET THE PEOPLE GO ON TO THE GALLOWS.
THE WAGON TURN ROUND AND GO BACK TO THE JAIL."  THE GOVERNOR HAD STOPPED THE HAN
GING TILL THE CASE WAS INVESTIGATED.  THE PEOPLE STANDING THERE WAITING FOR WALT
ER TO BE HUNG DID NOT KNOW WHAT WERE THE MATTER.
     THEY PLACED WALTER BACK IN JAIL AND HIS COFFIN ALONG WITH HIM.  THE LAWYERS
 WOULD VISIT HIM TO GET HIS TESTIMONY.  THEY WOULD SHOW HIS HIS COFFIN ALL READY
&jnD& sK&HrM&DID HE mO THIS-KrLLrNG-OR-NOT.  THEY WANT HIM TO SAY HE WAS HIRED T
O DO IT.  THEY FIXED IT ALL UP.  WAS NOT NOBODY TO TELL JUST HOW IT WAS.
     I WAS MARRIED BY THIS TIME TO LAURA.  SHE WAS THE NURSE MAID TO MISTER J H
CURRIE.  SHE HAS BEEN DEAD TWENTY YEARS NOW.  WHEN THE CURRIES CAME TO MERIDIAN
 TO LIVE, THEY GAVE ME CHARGE OF THEIR PLANTATION.  I WAS THE LEADER AND STAYED
AND WORKED THE PLANTATION FOR THEM.  THEY BEEN LIVING IN MERIDIAN TWELVE YEARS.
 I AM MARRIED-NOW TO THEIR COOK.
     MISTER HECTOR TOLD ME IF I WOULD COME AND LIVE WITH THEM HERE, HE WOULD GIV
E ME THIS HOUSE IN THE BACK YARD AND PAINT IT AND FIX IT ALL UP LIKE YOU SEE IT.
  IT IS-MIGHTY-PLEASjNT rN THE SHADE.  FOLKS USED TO ALWAYS SET THEIR HOUSES IN
A GROVE, BUT NOW THEY CUT DOWN MORE TREES THEN THEY KEEP.  US DONT CUT NO TREES.
 OUR PORCHES IS ALWAYS NICE AND SHADY.
     I HAVE GOT FOUR BOYS-LIVrNG. -ONE SON WAS IN THE BIG STRIKE IN THE AUTOMOBI
LE PLANT IN DETROIT AND COULD NOT COME TO SEE ME LAST CHRISTMAS.  HE WILL COME T
O SEE ME NEXT YEAR IF I AM STILL HERE.
     MAYBE FOLKS GOING TO THINK HARD OF ME FOR TELLING WHAT AINT NEVER BEEN TOLD
 BEFORE.  I BEEN ASKED TO TELL WHAT I SAW AND I DONE IT.
     THAT IS TELLING WHAT I NEVER THOUGHT TO TELL.
  X   XXX