The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-07-16

door, the brakeman stepped to one side
of the platform of the car, aud threw me
against the brake, head first, and il
have fell and broke my neck. The brake
man then got in front Of me, and began
TO kick me in the face, head and breast
i still held to the iron railing around the
Hatform and tired to get of d, but hc kept
0,t Rr me, and continued TO kick me, I'M
till fell of the ear upon the platform.
When got in a position to defend my
self, Mr.. Roosevelt Miller and another
gentleman caught me and held me fast.
Reporter-Did Mr.. Miller see the
trouble?
Mr.. Scott-les, sir. Mr.. Miller was
there keeping the people back from the
train so that no one would be hurt. He
saw the whole thing and never interierred
until was kicked out on the platform,
when he grabbed me and held me, and
told me to come to the Office the next
morning and he would settle the matter
satisfactorily. During the time the
trouble was going on, my wife came out
of the car and was standing on the plat
form. | told her TO go into the car
(meaning the coach she had just came
out of. Mr.. Miller and the conductor
both refused to let her go into the car. ]
asked them why we could not go into
| that car. Mr.. Miller said, "you can't go
into that car: 90 into the other and come
to my office in the morning and | will
make everything satisfactory" | said,
81 hold frst-class tickets and want you
to explain why can't go into that carr
The conductor said, 1.-THE reason why, is,
that this car is Tor white folks. and not
for niggers, and you can't go in," At
that ! said, "that settles it, and walked
away.
Reporter-Why did you not go in the
car that Miller and the conductor told
you to go into:
Mr. Scott-My reasons were that it
was full of people, while the other had
but few persons in it, AID for the reason
that my tickets called for first. class pas
sage, and | thought had a right to seats
in any part of the train.
Reporter--If the car which the conduc.
tor designated was strictly for the con-
veyance of white persons. why was your
wife allowed to 90 into 1t:
Mr.. Scott-My wife is very ligh. in
complexion, and il was not discovered
that she had colored blood in her veins
until she come out. As soon as he saw
this he refused to let her go back.
Reporter-The man who kicked you
was not the man who told you to
stand aside until the people got OH OF the
train.
Mr.. Scott No, sir. There were two
brakemen present.
Representatives. was the brakeman
who did the kicking when you first went
to go aboard the train?
Mr.. Scott-lle was standing on the
| platform of the car swearing he would
kick my Cd Id head OFF, or any other
| niggers head off, who attempted to go
into the car. Mr.. Miller and the CON
ductor heard him,
Reporter-Then IL was not the brake
man who told you to wait, who did the
kicking?
Mr.. Scott--No, sir; he only told me to
wait.
Reporter-Do you know the names of
these brakemen?
| Mr.. Scott-Charles Scott il the name
OF the man who told me to wait. The
name of the brakemen who did the kick
ing is Thomas Swinder. There was a
| big crowd of colored people there who
are friends OF mine, who would have an.
initiated Swinder if had sanctioned II.
| But | was with my wife, and wanted no
trouble. and lett after | was told why
could not 90 into the car
Reporlcr-Did you call at Mr.. Mlller's
office as he requested you to:
Mr.. Scott-NO, sir; | did not. The
conductor also told me on the way down
to call on Mr.. Miller and he would set
tie the matter with me but | thought
Mr.. Miller knew whether had been
mistreated or not, and that it was his
place 10 come and see me.
Reporter-What injuries did you sus-
tain at the hands Of Swinder?
Mr.. Scott-lle kicked one of my front
teeth out and fractured two of my ribs,
and inflicted injuries inwardly that will
probably never recover from. | have
been under the treatment OF a physician
ever since the difficulty took place.
Reporter-l understood, Mr.. Scott that
you have brought suit under the civil
rights bill against the Cairo and Vim
cennes railroad company, tor damages.
Mr.. Scott have not brought suit
| against the road as an action of debt, but
criminally, rs have no desire to make
| any money out of the affair
Reporter-Can you produce testimony
| that will corroborate the statement YOU
have just NADER
Mr.. Scott think can. have four
or five witnesses-whte and colored-
who will swear to the truth of what |
have told you.
Al the conclusion OF the above dia-
logue the reporter thanked Mr.. Scott
for his side Of the story, hid him good
morning, and started on the trail of Mr..