Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-07-29
4 STORY OF TWO SLAVES
Xus asuNAwAysp THE sEsr MEN
uppea FREE CONDITIONS.

s.,h.ru.r Makes suchs staAene
I'll. rrns story In Prosf Two
- xv.o ENDED Their Master for Three
y..r. Are Now weil-te-D" citihsna.
4 ssv DAVIS ago a gentleman In Haw'
kinsyille, Ca, said: ~
.sIt Il a strange fact, yet 1t Is true, thas
the negroes who were most pers'S'e'. =
.,a;r efforts to elnde masters whom they
hataa and who were commonly called
RUNAWAY niggers, are the very pss.
...,.ans IVA now have. | have watched
many Of them, and il has always turned
49,, rat way. Negroes usually did not
run away from their masters on account
Of work, but because OF III treatment OF
~ natural dislike, and when they once
took nm aversion to their master ne
might ~ well make up his mind to sell
.han, 10 some one whom they liked, or
- keep n pack of hounds for the pur'
pose Of capturing them every 'ithe ie
gave them chance to get away.
NOT AFRAID OF THE DOGS.
..Do YOU see that old coiored man IN
that buggy driving around the corner.
Well. thar is old Dempsey Clarke, ana
he ;s today one of the richest negroes IN
Georgia. He lived for three years IN tne
swamps Of Georgia because he hated nus
master. and suffered untold hardsliips
fighting for existence, yet he never did
give himself up until his master, in DC.
spair, sold him to neighbor named
Brown. who was good to his slaves.
Then Dempsey and his brother came out
of the woods and went to work ON Mr.
Browns plantation, where they worked
until the war was over.
~ remember the day that Dempsey
and his brother Brstow were brought
into Hawkinsville. There was big
sale that day and several thousand
slaves were brought by the slave
traders. When Dempsey and Bristow
we're put upon the block, they were bid
in by Mr.. Coley an old planter who
was rich in land and slaves When MT.
Coley bid them in, Dempsey said: We
don't lack yer, Dir. Coley. an yer needn't
buy us, 'kase we amt cr gwine ter live
wild ye.'
".Oh, WE'LL Mr.. Coley replied, I've
got plenty of dogs which meant that If
they ran away he would capture them
with the keen scented hounds kept for
that purpose.
1.-The trade was consummated and
Dempsey and Bristow were sent to MIR.
Coleys plantation. True to their word,
the third day after their arrival at the
plantation Dempsey and Bristow took to
the woods. They were captured once,
but before they were brought back to the
plantation they again made their escape,
and this time for good, as they swore
that they would die before they would
ever be taken back to Coley's plantation.
SOLD IN THE WOODS.
81 remember on one occasion a party
of negro hunters struck the trail of Bris
tow and Dempsey and chased them into
the cypress jungle, and among the la
goons Just below Big Greek, near where
the creek runs into the Okmulgee. The
swamp was almost impenetrable, but the
hunters followed their dogs and ap
preached within fifty yards of the run
away niggers.'
when they were cornered the two
slaves opened fire upon their pursuers
and as it was getting late in the evening
there was nothing left for them to d,
but to retreat, which they did. Afte
trying to recapture his slaves for thre'
years, Mr., Coley finally gave up in de
spair and sold them in the woods t,
q Mr.. Brown, of Houston county. Mr.
Brown was much liked by his slaves, ant
as soon as it became generally known
that he'had bought Dempsey and Bris
tow the two slaves made their appear
ance in the village and gave themselve
up to Mr.. Brown.
II will never forget how they locke,
when they came out of that swamp
Their hair and whiskers had not beel
cut until they fairly met, and it SCENE,
to me that nothing was visible of tn
face except two black eyes that locke
wildly at me. never saw two men s
nearly like wild men in my life, an
their clothing served to strengthen tn
impression made by the first glance a
their faces. Mr.. Brown gave then
clothes and cared for them, and in
short while they were perfectly at hom
on his plantation, where they RENAME
until after the war.
, Il do not know where Bristow is, bu
!, l am told that he is in Colorado. wher
he went after the war, and that he own
large mining interests there. He was
very bright negro, and always woul
.. accumulate, even as slave. Dempse
, remained in Houston county after tn
) war and followed farming for livinl
, lie has accumulated a large forum,
which consists principally in lands an
live stock. His wife. whom he marie
as slave, is still living, and his daugl
tiers are off at college. As a faithf,
slave OF the old type, good citizen an
an honest and upright business maj
Dempsey has the respect of all wi
know him. Atlanta (Ga.) Cor. Glob
, Democrat.
Wemans Tribute,
q a woman has more excellent way ,
U DeSt0Winn n faror tlo..