The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-06-27
Brother Brown.

OIL Ola cOl02Vi UA0SS NSANSALy ~
denied. The story runs thus:
Away back in the forties T. j. Brown,
one of the pioneer settlers of Carroll
county, aud who is remembered by many
of the old settlers, moved to northern
Mississippi. When he reached his place
of destiny he had nothing, with the
exception of "a pony and yoke of oxen.
He bought a farm on credit and went to
work. Fortune smiled on him so abun.
dainty that when the var came up he
was the owner ola large farm, mill, a
big ginnery and magnificent mansion i;
and, moreover, had'managed to lay up
about peck Of gold.
Everything moved along quietly until
Sheridan made raid through that part
of Mississippi. Brown, as true patriot
would have done, sided with the South,
but one of his nearest neighbors was a
unionist. Browns union neighbor was
30 kind as to inform some of Sheridan's
men that Brown was in peaceful posses.
sion. ola vast quantity of gold. 1t was
not many days before they called on
him for his gold, but Brown in the
meantime had taken the precaution to
hide his precious metal. Time and
again did they demand his gold, but,
finding that demands were of no avail
they burned his ginhouse, together with
forty bales of cotton, in order to bring
him to terms. Becoming exasperated at
his obstinacy, after riding his dwelling
of all its valuables, including accounts,
notes and land deeds, they submitted
it to the flames.
As Brown was not to be induced to tell
where his hidden treasure was by the
conAsgration Of his property, they de-
termined, as last resort, TO swing the old
man (for he was then seventy years old)
up to limb. Taking him to an oak that
stood in the yard, they swung the old
man up to limb three times but he Was
not to be brought to terms-not even by
fear of death. His wife stood near aud
begged him to tell where his gold vas
hidden. She would have told herself,
but, as it happened, she did not know
where it was. Brown, in speaking of the
matter afterwards, said that be would
have died rather than told them; not
that he priced his gold so highly, but
that be was determined not to be forced
10 do thing by his enemies. On letting
him down the third time, his prosecutors
left him senseless on the ground. They
gave him up as hopeless case, and left.
Brown soon recovered, and heard a
continual firing for few minutes in the
direction they had gone. Brown walked
out that way after the shooting had
ceased, and found the dead bodies of
several of the men who had been his
tormentors, and in the pockets of one of
them he found his notes and land deeds.
After leaving Browns they had met some
confederate soldiers, who had made it
hot for them.
Brown belonged to the Primitive Bap-
tist church, which denomination does
not tolerate profane swearing, debauch>
cry, etc, While the federals we're des-
troying his property, Brown could not
refrain from making use Of a few oaths.
For this the good old brethren had him
arraigned in their ecclesiastical court.
Brother Brown, in making his acknowl.
edgement, said: Brethren I did curse
them. I do not deny it. I am not sorry
for it either; felt just like were doing
Gods service" The brethren readily
decided that the brother was excuaable
for cursing under the circumstances
atlanta Constitution.