Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-09-04
Giving the Negro a Chance

do lOllOWCu LuC lilO uSlOoo u hOi,
and into a piece of woods / heard ;
hog squeal. Three minutes later
caught sight of white man making
off with shoat on his back. In fac
he passed within thirty feet of me
and there could be no mistake abou
his color. There was no doubt that
he was hog thief, but that was none
of my affair went on with my in
spection, and when through made {
circuit back to the road and hit it a
Powell's Mills.
A grist mill, store, school house
a blacksmith shop and five or six cab
ins made up the hamlet. 1t was two
o'clock in the afternoon when / reach
ed the place, and about six farmer
came in to see the Justice Of the
Peace and obtain a warrant. The
farmer, whose name was Payson, ex-
planned as follows:
"Now, Bill (the JUSTICE, you'un
knows I've had heap O. trouble with
them ar hogs o mine. Niggers hev
bin stealin' 'em right and left, but ]
couldn't cotch 'em at it. I've lost five
hogs in half var"
eyes, l low you've met up with
trouble" replied his honor. "Hev
you made diskivery ?"
81 hev. l was out hunting my yal-
ler mule to-day, and stumbled on a
spot whar one of my hogs had been
struck down and bled. He went of
on somebody's back, and that some
body was a niger"
(Which 'un ?"
"Mose Keplo lives over back thar
by the branch. Yes, sir, he knocked
that yere hog down with rock, cut
his throat, and then carried him of
on his back"
"You tracked him by the blood ?"
EUR quarter of mile, and the
trail led right fur Moses cabin. Can't
be no doubt on that pint, Jedge.
That yere Nose Keplo has got that
hog"
"And you want warrant ?"
"Of co'se. I'm gwine ter send that
nigger over the road fur suah."
could have enlightened them on
the matter, but l didn't think best
not at that stage of the game. A
warrant was sworn out, and after sup
per | went with the constable and
three or four others to serve the war
rant. Keplo sat on his door step, Sc
rene as the evening, and when the
constable made known his errand, he
answered:
"Shoo! but you don't tell me.
Why, Mars Jim, l nebber dun stole
muffin in my life."
"Look-a-yere, Mose," said Payson,
as he came forward, "I'm one as be-
lieves in giving the niger chance.
Ye shall hev fair trial, and if We
can show that we didn't steal the hog
I'll abide"
"Steal yo' hog Steal yo' hog !"
exclaimed Moses. Why, Mars Pay
son, what has dun befallen yo' to be-
lieve dat of me?"
When told that he would have to
come along he made no objection, al
though his wife protested vigorously
and his two children set up a howl.
AT the Mills he was locked up in the
corn crib for the night, and as the key
was turned on him the constable said:
II believe in giving the nigger a
far show, and l hope ye kin prove
ye didn't steal the hog"
His honor, when informed that the
warrant had been served, observed
"Wall, some likes to keep the mig
ger down, but | reckon he orter have
chances. I'll give him fair show"
Payson was rather jubilant over the
capture, but remarked:
"In co'se, if he amt ornery why /
don't want to see him convicted |
hev allus given the niger show an
| allus shall. Nigger's has feelings
almost as much as white folks, and |
don't allow that they should be sot on
onless they are ornery."
The next forenoon the examination
came off. Neither plaintiff nor de-
fendant had lawyer, but the justice
acted for both. Moses alleged that he
had been working in certain field all
day long, and that he was not within
half a mile of the spot where the hog
was killed. | had forgotten to state
that his house was searched when the
warrant was served, but not the slight.
est trace of the plunder could be
found. This was in his favor at the
1
examination, but still, as Payson OBJ.
served;
Now, Jedge, we want to give the
nigger chance, but he must hev stole
that yere hog. Of co'se he must
Niggers steal hogs all over the ken
try. They can't let hogs alone"
"Yes, it's likely he stole that hog"
replied the iustice hut we orter hev