New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-18
"a FOOLS ERRAND."
FACTS UPON WHICH THE BOOK is BASED.
T.1K WITH A FRIEND or THE AUTHoR-A. W.
ToURGEE's ExPERIENCE-CRIMEs COMMITTED

by UNREPENIANI hEDhLo
In talk with TRIBUNE reporter recently
T. H. Nixon business OF this city spoke lreely u
regard 70 his relations and acquaintance with Albion W.
Toureee the author OF the book lately published caeu
FOOLS Errand" Mr.Nixon associated with Judge
Tourgee In the South for several years, ana ne Teeu
many interesting experiences which seem TO nave iu
nished the author much material for his BOOK
Indigo ourgee said Mr. Nixon in the course OF con-
versation first went to the South as soldier at the
begnning o. the war. So nearly do the opening chap
ters which describe his starting of for the war anu MS
determination TO go South % make his homo there aI Jus
close correspond TO his actual experience that tney may
be said 70 be 80 many pages Of autobiography. In tne
Afh cbapter letter ia given addressed to the Rev. Dr.
Enos Martin There such letter written ana tne
oracle consulted was the President OF Roeh-
ester University. Comfort Seryosse' Dy WHOM
the letter is signed. and who hglres through
the book the Fool is the author himself Colohei
Ezekiel Vaughn Of Pipersye, Is porraiture Oh Zehdl
Jones' of Greensboro North Carolina. Readers OF the
book may be interested ia knowing that Colonel vaughn
instead OF being creature OF fancy IL real he'n anu
blood as well known TO the inhabitants OF GreensooIo
az n Justice is I'm n country town. He IS Dig
pOmpors man, whose delight 1t is to stand on
III, sreetcorners and discuss political situation tell
how he fought in the last ditch during the late struggle
and did not consider that he was beaten by Ou ohy
overpowered Whether any such interview TOOK pace
as Is recorded IN the sixth chapter am not able 10
state but t is true that he assumed crutches TO escape
being enrolled the army and went TO hide, as Is dc
scrbed in Polly Richardson's fields, to keep out OF the
way Of tho Yankees.
warrington is The plantation near Greensboro upoa
which Mr.. TOurgee moved when he went South IN
1896. He went TO stay. He was full OF nope and'
as lie says was torgctru fact that the social con-
diOns of 800 years not TO BE- OverthrOwn IN Il mo
ment The vcrdentcu OF the book Is Greensboro N C.
The account given in chapter ten OF Squire HymahS
advice about asSoriatng with 'nSgcrs IS no hctioh'
Soon after their arrival their new homes the Tour
gees we're told That If they would associate Win Inc
young women who engaged III teaching
the colored schools. they would not be able
to eujoy the good society of the place In fact, Win
out any other offence than that they were Northenors
they were completely ostracisc from society Wheh
Mrs. Tourgee walked along the sidewalks OF Green's
boro the female portion Of the population took great
pains 10 prevent her from coming IN
contact with their own. That was only
one way OF expressing the supreme contempt
In which they he'd their carpelDag ncighOoIs'
Sometime after MI TOurgec went TO North CaFohna ne
became u delegate to the Constitutional Convention
From the beginning nc had opposed the reconstruction
measures that lad adopted by the Government
taking ground that the people were not yet ready TO
be restored when opposition became useless, he dida
he could TO make it as thorough and complete
as possible. This his first entrance into politics IN
the South. Subsequently he was elected Judge OF the
SUPERIOR Court OF the Seventh Judicial strict aud pre-
sided over the in eight different counties As he
ANAeNeHNh'
pcrtunties given him to observe the manners and
customs Of the people, and TO read their hearts ana
minds Like other Northern neu who are brave enough
to express their sentiments openly he was al object OF
almost universal hatred. IL while riding homo one
night from court that the narrated In chapter mir
teen barpened-a plot 10 take his lfe-hOugh the details
were slightly different from those gwen IN the novel;
He ESCAPED the fate the Villains had planned tor hm Dy
pursuing the road which his horse had chosen for him.
Eyes many letters came to the Judge from the Reg
ulatOrs.' They anonymous, full OF threats, ana
frequently decorated with drawings OF collins
and bones. He received them often during my
own residence Mt Greensboro from 20 10
10 No attention paid to them,
except to make the house In which he lived more secure
ngaiust an attack. The dOOrs were heavily barred,
having brace from block on the floor rs we'll as the
ordinary bar across from side to eide. Nothing
done to excite the eDmliy OF the members
OF the society OF Ku.KluK, except that opinions
were expressed concerning Outragcs committed
against the negroes and freedom OF speech used
other subjects In consequence OF these numerous
threats the family was kePt constantly IN state OF
great apprehension Mrs TOurgce could feel sure
when her husband left home to attend court that he
would return alive Feares-ness and the fact that he
carried revolver in bis pocket watch no knew how to
nae I suppose, saved him. Colored men-and white
men, toofrequenty went 10 his house, with their backs
bleeding from wounds Inflicted with the lnsh In tho
hands Of the KuKlux 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 Err
rand am obliged to pass over They happened before
oiued the author the South, and though they may
historical facts TO the extent that those are to
which attention has been called, yet positive
statements regarding them cannot be made. The
account given Of tho whipping OF Jesse Hy-
man Is true story. His real name
"a Jesse HYATT and on Of the chagrn hG felt
from being so ANONYMOUSLY treated-he is white lad
lie left the old homestead for a distant State Tho
sorry experience Of. Bob Martin was also an actual
+" The narrowing story entitled "A Thrice Told Tale
forming charter thlreth, s also true story-ony too
dered in cold blood was John walters steyengn the
ve-not far Greensboro'where he was Justice Of
the peace He was politician ana had been state
Senator. From my personal knowledge Know that the
facts related BY the author are true as was at Greens
6or0 myself The at Sc Tine oe mS tho Sea TGs
meeting at the courthouse that day, and was
sby 10 be- conu If ID regarding fusion Ticket that was
proposed. IL this room he was oYerpowered by the
aaS @ G edS W TO Ten S Sg as no
psbed their work by throwing him upon n table una
cutting bis throat me blood was caught in
the outside OF the window Then the muttlated body
chapter-was thrown into a wOO6bnx and covered up
with sticks OF wood Here was found after lapse
that are given in the story are true
to the letter and obtained from trustworthy source
the cOnspTatOrB have made afidaTs which arc In
the hands Of Mr. Tonrgee The readers OF THE TRIBUNE
will remember account OF this same outrage
published In Its columns August g. 1870. That letter
Yus written by the author OF " Fools Errand." ad-
ator from North Carolina. BY comparison with the
paper Of that date the reader will fnd that It's contents
are summarized IN the first part OF chapter
thriy-thrd TnR TRIBUNE in the book is called The
New York Age In this chapter the correspondence
s substantially the same as that which actually passed
between the author and General Abbott. Many
OF the passages correspond word for word.
(hr Nixon proved this assertion with manuscript copies
" the originals taken from them at the time The fol-
lowing chapter contains q letter purporng TO come
from committee Of the citizens Of Yerdenon Greens