The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1880-01-13
Folding Their Tents.

Dallas lTcxns.l Hcrnll

N''N' NAN-AsS'l iASldtNs
The reaction of the exodus move
mClltoniile part'o OF lleIcolotci Jpeo.
pie Tom.this Stato.tol Kansas has set
in in earnest, and every train coming
South brings come Of, them back.
Those that cmtgrated were principal
ly from the southern counties. Last
evening at the Union depot Herald
reporter met with an old negro man
named Edmund Burleson, who had
gone with eight others Of his race
from Burlesom county on the 18th of
November. They went by rail TO
Parsons, where they found a large
number OF their race quartered in the
Achurchcs. school-houses aud other
buildings not permanently occupied,
like 4 lot OF sheep huddled together.
There were temporary structures of
plank not much larger than a she'd in
which large number of them were
living. Every empty lionse in the
country was filed tot utmost. Az
ter paying their railroad fare, with
but few exceptions, none OF them had
lNaly money left, and when the cold
snap came OIL their suffering was ter
rible, The night before he left Par
sons one OF their number froze to
death. The cold was intense, and
Ftheir clothing being thin and their
bed clothes skinny, they suffered Sc
yeroly. Destitute and penniless, they
have been forced TO forage upon the
surrounding country for food 10 keep
them alive, and would have frozen 10
death had they not stolen coal from
the railroad. Their depredations on
the settlers have caused All ill feeling
IN tliepart of the residents toward
them, and they are fast feeling the Of
fects oftheir displcasure. He says
that it took cash, and heap OF ii, to
purchase the 5aro necessities OF life.
The only thing he saw that was cheap
was corn, which sells at from ten TO
twenty.eight cents a bushel. There
were so many of them together that
il was immpossible for them to get
work at any price Land rents are
required TO be paid cash down, and
the rates are generally from three to
four dollars mn acre. Lands that rent
at his price are without fences or
houses OF any Kind. He thopght the
lands of Texas far superior, while
they produced greater variety. II
would not, SO far ms am concerned,
give BurleSon county for The wholeof
Kanas," said the old man with mu ch
earncsiness. They wish themselves
back but the trouble is, they have
spent all their money getting there,
and but very few have any money to
get away on. lie went from Parsons
TO Emporia, where be found the same
state OF affairs existing. There are
numbers Of them leaving every day
afoot, and without means, walking
through 10 this State on their return
home. One of the women that ac-
companicd HIM was sent home by her
husband, who had barely enough
money TO pay her passage, while he
is coming through afoot lie regards
the whole matter as q political move
ment engendered by the Republicans
for the purpose OF swelling the vote
OF Kansas. 1t is his opinion that the
seed OF discomfort were sowcd at the
convention held al Houston in July
last by tic eolored people, by white
and colored politicians. The main
instrument in his county in quilting
his race into leaving their homes was
Horace Ruby, a Jim crow politician
and school-tcacher. The poor de-
ludcd blacks arc awakening TO their
true situation, and are beginning to
realize that they have been inveiglcd
there for no other purpose than TO Sc
cure their votes. Parson Duncan, the
sable politician SO well and uniavora-
bly, known TO the blacks of this city,
has been one of the principal agita-
tore in the movement. lie was sta
toned for a while at Denison to re-
ceive and rob his race MS they passed
out of the State. lie took their mon
ey to purchase their tickets, and rep
resented invaribly that 1t cost more |
than it did. lie was caught up with |
and arrested, but oil returning the |
amount he had stolen he was set at
liberty. He is wanted at Parsons for
some OF his crookedness, but sloped,
and has not yet been apprchendod.
AS for himself, the old man said lie
was going back to Barleson county
to stay. ~