SAM MCALLUM,AGE-95. SLAVE IN MISSISSIPPI. MISS.#139. PLANTATION WHERE I WAS BORN WAS NOT BUT ABOUT THIRTEEN MILES NORTH OF DEKALB. I WAS kORN-ON THE SECOND OF sPETEMBnR rN 184B. 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 THEBB BY&CHrlD. & FcnR&HEDIED MY MAMMY MARRIED A MCALLUM NIGGER. THEY WERE ABOUT THIRTY SLAVES AT STEPHENSONS. MY MAMMY wORKED rN THEFFI lD , 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 WHrPPEDME. 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 EjRS-OF ORN O3 (EMULE. IF YOU GIVE THEM MORE, IT WOULD COLIK THEM AND THEY WOULD DIE. THEY COST MORE THAN A-NIGGnR wOuLD. THAT WAS THE FrRST WHrPPrNG I EVnRG T,6f(nNME AND MY YOUNG M ARSTER WERE SPELLING. I STAYED WITH HIM SPECIAL, BUT I WAITED-ON jLL cHE WHITE&oO KS&CHrlmrnNAT STEPHENSON. I CARRIED THE FOOT TUB IN AT NIGHT AND WASHED THEIR FEET,AAND I WOU LD PILL 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-MjRSTnR jNDMISTRESS. HAD NO T BEEN TO THE FIELD THEN; HAD NOT WORKED YET. -MISTnR STnPHn sON W S A2SuRVEyOR jND HEFFnLLOUT 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 W 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 MjMMY-MjRRIED-ONE OF THE MCALLUM NIGGERS. MY NEW PAPPY WENT TO THE WjR WITH-MISTnR-MCjLLumA& nD 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 jND-Mul . THEY SURE DID EAT A HEAP. US HID ALL THE BEST THINGS LrKE SrLVnR, jND mROVE 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 FOR SCOOBA WITH THREE YANKEES STRADDLING HIM. TIMES WERE TIGHt;-NOT A GRAIN OF lOOFFEE jNDNOT 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 lOuLDNOT GET CO AL. THEY USED TALLOW POTS INSTEAD OF OIL. THE ENGINEER HAD TO CLIMB OUT ON THE nNGrNE HrMSnLF jND ATTnND tO THnM TjLLOWPOTS. THEY DO DIFFERENT NOW. THEY WERE SUCH A SCARCITY OF MEN, THEY WnRE-PUTTrNG THnM rN THE6fjR& TSIXT Y FIVE. BUT THE WAS ENDED BEFORE THEY CALLED THAT LIST. MISTRESS DID NOT HAVE NOBODY TO HELP HER DURING THE WAR. SHE HAD O O ,(E BEST SHE COULD. WHEN SHE HEARD THE NIGGERS TALKING ABOUT BEING oREE,2SHE6wORE ,HnMOOUT6WI,H A COWHIDE. SHE WAS NOT A POWERFUL BUILT WOMAN, NEITHER. SHE HAD O O&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 DOGS ON THEM. 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 PATROLLERS WOULD GET YOU. I AINT COUNTING THA,, CA SE ,H TWAS SOMETHING EVERY BODY KNEW BEFOREHAND. THERE WAS A HEAP OF TALK ABOUT THE YANKEES GIVING EVERY NIGGER oORTY AlRES 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. TrM S WnRE-MIGHTY-ROUGH. US TqOUGHT SKK OWED O E&Dur G3 (EWAR. UMM MM] US DID NOT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT TROUBLE. THnRE WERE SO MANY SLAVES AT MCALLU S, THEY8HAD O ,HrN ,(nMOUT. MISTRESS PUT US OUT. SHE SENT ME TO MISTER SCOTT CLOSE tO2SlO BA. &I6f S&jL T&AGO N B OYBBY THnN jND lOuLD-PLOW-PRETTY pOOD. OME THE2SuRrnn n ,MISTER SCOTT SAY," SMABO, 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 O 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." THEY2 OuND S OuNG-NIGGnRS-OUT. THEY2bnNTME AND MY BROTHER TO A MAN THAT WAS GOING TO GIVE US SOME LEARNING ALONG WITH FARMING. HIS-NjME f SOVERSTREET . US WORKED THAT CROP OUT, BUT US AINT NEVER SEEN NO SPELLER, NOR NOTHING. THEN US WENT BACK TO STEPHENSONS, WHERE US WERE kORN, tO GETOUR 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. OUT ,HE6FrST r EIISEEN THEM WAS THE LAST. AINT NOBODY KNOW EXACTLY ABOUT THEM KU KL X \. 2 O ESAY IT WAS 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 cHnM. IT WAS A SPIRIT, jN EVrL2sPrRIT. 2BUT6oOLKS THAT ArNT ACTED-RIGHT-LI k E3 OBE FOUND MOST 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 DONE, BUT THEY SAID HE mONE sOMETHrNG2BAD. cHEY&DIDNOT HAVE -NO tROUkLE GETTrNG HrM, CAUSE US WnRE jLL2SCjRED S6wO lDG TKILLED, 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 oOLKS tO HnLP b. 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 mONT-KNOW WHY THEY mONT HAVE-NO-KU-KLUX SNOW. 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 qOW lOME I2SEnN jLL I2bEnN& nDKNOW WHAT ArNT-NEVnR BEnN tOLD. I lOuLD-NOT TnLL yOU THAT. MAYBE I AM THE ONLY ONE STIL L LIVING THAT WAS GROWN AND RIGHT THERE S 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 SCjRED tO TnLL. 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, BUT2 OME oO KSKK OWED IT6W S H TNIGGER, 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 DnMOlRATICPEOPLE. THEY DO SAY THE CHISHOLMS AND FOLKS LIKE THEM USED TO RUN-ROUND WITH THE Yj kEE 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,2BUT HE TuRNEDO 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-LEADnRON THE OTHER SIDE. jND HE SEEN TO IT THAT A LOT OF THE6WHITE Dn OlRATICMEN 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 GETTrNG jLL THE2BIG-PLAC S. &ALOT OF WIDOWS AND FOLKS LIKE THAT WHAT COULD NOT HELP THEMSELVES LOST THE 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. THnN-MISTER CHISHOLMS kROTHnR pOT HrMSnLF jPPOrNTED2bHnr FFAND MADE MISTER CHISqOLM DEPUTY. THAT IS WHEN HE STARTED-RuNNr G ,H \,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 kLA KLIST . 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 PrRI,. BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN SOMEBODY WHATS NAME WERE ON THAT LIST WOULD GET SHOT IN THE BACK. BEFORE THE ELECTIONS COME IN NOVERMEB (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. OON MISTER CHISHOLM RAN FOR SOMETHI G6OR6O,HER AND7 OT2BEATBAD. THEN HE WAS MAD, SHURE ENOUGH. HE WENT TO JACKSON TO SEE THE GOVERNOR ABOUT IT. SOON A 8HE P OF WHITE DEMOCRATIC MEN IN KE PER7 OT ARR S EDFOR SOMETHING OR OTHER. THEN MISTER JOHN GULLY GOT SHOT AND EVERYBODY WAS SURE THE CHISHOLMS6F THEN MISTER JOHN GULLY GOT SHOT AND EVnR\kODY6W S2SuRE ,(E .H L S& nEI 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 OVnRK E 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 jND HE TuRN2SID WA\S&jND2sPEj :"I6fjNT O& sK8 OUT ODISMISS YOUR CONGREGATION. THnRE IS GOING TO BE SOME TROUkLE TjKE-PLACERIGHT 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 jND THnM mONE pO 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 HE FATH ER. 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 lORNnLIA. I2SAW HrM6 (nN 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 BjLjNCEOF THE FAMILY WERE. THEM OUTSIDE SAID:"BOYS, IT WILL NEVER DO] THEY ArNT jLL rN THnRE 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 NEVnR SEnN 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 BETWEnN 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 MISTnR-JOqN7GrL O E 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-RE ON-MS nRJOHN 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 [Y ,HE NAME6OF2B 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 I6WrLL7GIVE OU THE wORST BEATING EVnR6W \!" 6W L RWAS 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 ,HEKEY. "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. &jLL THIS HnRE f S&pOrNGON ABOUT THE TIME NIGGERS WERE VOTING AND DOING THI NGS ROUND WHITE FOLKS. THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE PROTECTED BY THE CHISHOLM CROWD. THE-NEXT oRIDAY NIGHT WALTER WjLKED-RIGHT rN O cHATBBjRROOM AGAIN. MISTER DABBS SAID:"WHAT YOU DOING HERE, NIGGER?" WALTER SAID:"yOU-RnMn BnR fHAT OU&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 RAN6OFF TO MEMPHIS. MISTER7GUL$Y6W SPP S G RHIM 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 L KE IT6W \. MISTER SINCLAIR 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 j O !. -J TYOU 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 THERE6I,H8 S 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. THnN lOME A RIDER FROM SCOOBA,-PuLL APAPER FROM HIS POCKET, AND HE HAND IT TO MISTER SINCLAIR. HE READ IT AND SAY:"LET THE-PnOPLE pO-ON tO THE GjL O b. 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 LAWYnS WOULD VISIT HIM TO GET HIS TESTIMONY. THEY WOULD SHOW HIS HIS COFFrN jLLREADY AND ASK HIM DID HE DO THIS KILLING OR NOT. THEY WjNT HrM tO SAY HE f S HrRED 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 jND 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 THnM HnRE, 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 PLEASANT IN THE SHADE. FOLKS USED TO ALWAYS SET THEIR qOUS S rN A GROVE, BUT NOW THEY CUT DOWN MORE TREES THEN THEY KEEP. US DONT CUT NO TREES. -OuR PORCHES IS ALWAYS NICE jND SHADY. I HAVE GOT FOUR BOYS LIVING. ONE SON WAS IN THE BIG StRrKE rN ,(E&A O I 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. -M \BE oOLKS GOING TO THINK HARDOOF-ME6oOR TnLL G6 H T& TNEVER BEEN TOLD BB oOrE. &IBBEnN& s ED O cnLL6fHAT&ISAW AND I DONE IT. THAT IS TELLING WHAT I NEVER THOUGHT TO TELL.