Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-06-14
From the Mississippi Creole.
FORD'S NARRATIVE.

ne confession oil the young man,
Ford, who was sentenced to ten years
confinement in the Penitentiary during
The last week of the Madison county
Circuit Court will be found below, as
made by him after his conviction. He
seemed willing to abide by the decis-
ion ofhis peers; indeed, so anxious.
was he to be saving time, that he pro-
posed TO Mr.. He.h, the deputy sheriff
who broug ht him from Raymond to this
place, to take him from Maymond i'm
mediately to the Penitentiary, and do
away with the troublesome process of
trial, &c., provided his time should be
limited to five years, during which he
thought he could learn good trade.
1t will be seen by his narrative that
he discloses the Whereabouts of en-
campment of band of thieves, and,
probably murderers. This band is
doubtless, where he describes it to be,
and every means should be taken to
arrest them, and stop their enormities
which they, no doubt, commit murder
This is an important disclosure, and
we think it likely more good will result.
from it than from any other effect of
this youths arrest.
Twas born on the 9th of August, 1924,
in Adams county, Mississippi, Of re-
spectacle and honest parents. At the
age of eight years, | had the misfor-
tune TO be left an orphan, by the death
of my mother. My father became
dissatisfied after her death, and gave
up house-keeping.-It has been to me,
a source of much mischief that my IA
Their soon became a different man. He
no longer seemed TO care about my
fate, and at the age of eleven, left me
to shift for myself in the wide world.
Since then, although we have often
met, yet have had but little intercourse.
From that unfortunate period whenI was
thus left, without parent to watch ov-
er me, | date my ruin.
To recount the numerous follies,vi-
ces, and crimes of my more infantile
years, would be more shocking than
beneficial to the public. 1t is sufi-
cient to say that / have been reckless
boy. And indeed who would not have
been if thus thrown upon the cold char
ity of strangers, at so early an age,
without protector, TO instruct him in
the ways Of virtue, aud to shun the
paths of Notwithstanding with the
most vicious and abandoned charac-
tiers, it cannot be expected that have
many good deeds to plead in extenua-
tion nfcrinos tha-oEoro pose o,r~-
my earlier days and deeds, and shall
only relate the circumstances Of my
last sad misfortune.
About the first of April last. / met
with four men at Yazoo City,-Wil-
liam Green, Thomas Gray, Edward
Moore, and another whose name ]
have forgotten. They were frolicking
aboutthe city in fashionable loafer style.
said they had been at work up va
zoo River. How they ever thought
to make me an associate l cannot say.
1t may be that there is something in
stinctive in Williams which draws Them
together. Or they might have heard
Of some ''trick" of mine, which promp-
ted them to fix upon me as an accom-
plice.
They soon found in me an inclina-
ton to wild adventure; and upon open
ing to me "splendid scheme Of spec.
ulation," as they termed it, had mo-
the will to reject their offer Of associa'
lion. They informed me that fol
some time past they had been engaged
as Iaborers upon the Yazoo farms, anG
that while thus engaged they would
frequently decoy off negroes, land "pici
up" other things; and from the sale o.
these things realize much money,
They were Familiarity acquainted with
the swamps, creeks rivers, &C., OF the
surrounding country.
| The "Head Quarters" ofthis broth.
er-hood, was an Island in the Misssis.
sippi and Yazoo bottom, where two
ofthem had been long residents. The
prospect of future gain and slime fun
they assured me Of, so completely cap
tivated me, that l became devoted to
their plans. William Green was the
master spirit of the band. He had
qualifications for hlghet and nobler
part, >,
On the suggestion of Green, 1 came
to Dunn's Ferry on Big black, to seek
employment as laborer, and to decoy
all slaves should tractable, "pick up
other vaIuabIes, such as horses, &c
After applying to several, l was finally
employed by MIR. Spence. | had no
been at his house long before l had
worked his boy Bose into the belief
that I should make a much betteI
master than Spence, and we soon ar
ranged the preliminaries for an elope
ment. l could not leave, however,un
til ! had seen my associates who haC
appointed a meeting in the swamp o
Big Black, near Dunn's Ferry, on tn
| u