Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-05-18
New York Daily Tribune.
"A FOOLS ERRAND."
FAcrs UPON WHICH THE Book Is BASED.
TALK WITH FRIEND OF THE AUTHOR
A. w. TouRaEk's ExPERrEScE =
CRIMES COMMITTED BY UNREPESTANr
RIREis

CRIMES COMMITTED By UNREPESTANr
REBELS.
In Stalk with Tribune reporter recent
ly, L. III. Nixon, q business man OF this
city, spoke freely in regard To his relations
and aausintance with Albion W. Tourgee,
the author OF the book lately published,
called "a Fools Errand." Mr.. Nixon was
associated with Judge Tourgee In the
South for several years, and he related
many interesting experiences winch seem
IN have furnished the author much materi-
al for his book.
ssJudge Tourgee." said Mr.. Nixon In the
course OF the conversation, "nrst Went 10
the South as a soldier at the beginning OF
the war. So nearly do the opening chap
ters. which describe his starting on for the
war and his determination to 90 Mouth 10
make his home there at its close, CORE
,pond 10 his actual experience, that they
may he said TO be so many pages OF auto
biography. In the fifth chapter letter Is
given. addressed To the Rev. DIR. Enos Mar
Tin There was such letter written, and
the oracle consulted was the President OF
Rochester University. Comfort Scrvosse,
by whom the letter Is signed, and who ng-
urcs through the book As the Fool Is the
author himself. Col. Ezekiel Vaughn, oil
PipersvIlle, Il a portraiture oil LeAlal Jones,
AZ Greensboro. North Carolina. Readers
of the book may be interested In knowing
that Col. Vaughn instead OF being Great
ure OF fancy Is real flesh and blood, as Wen
known 10 the inhabitants of Greensboro
a. :, Justice l. In country town, lie l.
big pompous man. whose delight Is TO
stand an the street-cOrners and discuss the
political situation, tell how he fought IN
the last ditch during the late struggle, and
did not consider that he was beaten, Dy =,
hut only oyerpowered. Whether any such
interview took place a. Is recorded In the
sixth chapter, am not able 10 state, but II
i true that he assumed crutches 10 escape
beinN enrolled in the regular army, and ne
went To hide, a. Is described, in Polly Rich
ar,lson's fields, 10 keep out or the way oi
the Yankees.
Warrington is the plantation, near
Greensboro. upon which Mr.. Tourgee
moved when he went South In 1860 90
Ne went 10 stay. He was full OF hope, ana,
A. he saws, was forgetfOi OF the TACT that
the social conditions OF 500 years are not
10 be oyerthrown In a moment The YER
denton OF the book is Greensboro, y. Z.
The account given In chapter ten OF Squire
Hymans advice about sssociating with
.niggers' is no fiction. Soon after their
arrival AZ their new homes, the Tourgees
were toni that II they would associate
with the Young women who were engaged
in teachiuc the colored schools, they would
not he ahle % enjoy the good society ot the
place. In fact, without any other offence
than that they were NortherncrS, they
were completely ostracised from society.
When Mrs Tourgee walked along the sidc-
walks OF Greensboro, the female portion OF
the population took great pains 10 prevent
her dress from coming In contact with their
own. That WAS only one way OF expires
sing the supreme contempt in which they
held thcir carpct-hag neighbors. Sometime
after Mr.. Tourgee went 10 North Carolina he
became delegate "a the Constitutional Con-
vention. From the beginning he had opposed
the reconstruction measures that had been
adopted by the Government, taking the
ground that the people were not vet ready
20 be restored. When opposition became
useless. he did all he could 10 make II rs
thorough and complete - possible. This
wa, his first entrance into politics In the
south Subsequently, he was elected Judge
OF the Superior Court OF the Seventh Judi
cial District, and presided over the courts
in eight different counties. AS he rode
from county 10 county on horseback, eS-
cellent opportunities were given him to OBJ
serve the manners and customs OF the pco-
ple. and TO read their hearts and minds.
Like other Northern men who are brave
enough Ia express their Sentimente openly,
he was an object of almost universal ha-
tired. II was riding home one night from
court that the event narrated in chapter
thirteen happcucl-a plot To take his life
though the details were slightly different
from those given in the novel. He cscap-
e,l the fate the villains had planned for him
by pursuing the road which his horse had
chosen for him.
YES, many letters came 10 the Judge
from the Regulators They were anony-
nous, full OF threats, and frequently deco
rated with drawings OF collins and bones.
lie received them often during my own
residence at Greensboro from 20 10 13.
No attention was paid 20 them, except 10
make the house in which he lived more Sc
cure against an attack. The doors were
heavily barred, having brace from block
ON the fiOor as wei! a the ordinary bar
across from side 20 side. Nothing was
done 20 excite the enmity OF the members
of the society OF ku-kluN, except that
opinions were expressed concerning out
RACES committed against the negroes, and
freedom OF speech was used on other sub
jects. In consequence OF these numerous
threats the family was kept constantly In
q state OF great apprehension. Mrs. Tour
gee never could feel sure when her husband
left home 10 attend court that he would re-
turn alive. Fearlessness and the fact that
he carried a revolver in his pocket, which
he knew how 10 use, | suppose, saved him.
Colored men-and white men, too-fre-
Quently went TO his house, with their backs
bleeding from wounds inflicted with the
lash in the hands of the ku-kluN, by whom
they had been dragged from their beds.
MANY OF the incidents, continued Mr..
Nixon, that are contained in the earlier
chapters OF the Fools Errand' am oblig-
ed TO pass over. They happened before
Joined the author in the South, and though
they NAV be historical facts 10 the same
extent that those are 10 which attention
has been called, vet positive statements re-
garding them cannot be made. The ac-
couut given Of the whipping of Jesse Hy-
man Is true story. His real name is Jes-
Sc Hyatt and on account OF the chagrin he
felt from being so ANONYMOUSLY treated
he is a white lad-he left the old homestead
for distant State. The sorry experience
OF Bob Martin was also an actual fact.
'sThe narrowing story entitled A Thrice
Told Tale forming chapter thirtieth, is
also true story-only too true, The name
of the man who Was murdered In cold
blood WAS John Walters Stevens-in the
account he is called John Walters. He
lived in Yanceyville-not far from Green's
boro'-where he was justice OF the peace.
He was politician and had been State
Senator. From my personal knowledge,