The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1890-05-02

"Cnnnlc," he whispered hoarse-
~, I'D resign iust. Besides have
no call ter act. The grand jury
has found no Indictment. Thar S
no warrant out. | never saw Ran
som fire shot. We jest know il
reason that he done the job, but
thet's all. We amt got no pint
blank evidence, and we don't
want none,"
'It will hurt the county"
"Not by a durn sight. Ii will
help it,"
Then Sheriff Jack told ne all
about the sad business.
Robert Ransom had come TO
Bnckshot county with his young
wife from the North, aud had made
his home on plantation.
The Ransoms in quiet way
made it understood from the first
that they were going to carry out
! their own peculiar ideas. They
hired IA large number tof negroes,
and lrea'ed them just as they
would have treated so many
whites. They paid them good
wages monthly in cash, loaned
them money, worked them eight
hours a day, and gave them ire
quent holidays.
The young couple were. 50 pleas
ant aud attractive, so honest IN
their views. and 50 full Of good
fellowship that their neighbora
were very friendly with them.
Occasionally the older citizens
warned them that They'll were
making a mistake, and their ne
groas would give them trouble.
But the Ransoms laughed at all
this. They said that kindness was
bound to win, and they believed
that putting the negroes on a foot
ING with the whites would siimu-
late them to do better work and
make them more faithful.
1t WAS suggested one day TO Ran
som that it was a risk to leave his
wife alone on the plantation when
he went i'll to town.
The young man laughed the idea
! TO scurn.
"My policy makes us safe;" he
said. My negroes are bound to me
by the ties of gratitude and friend
ship. They would die in our de
lensc."
One day in the summer Ransom
had 70 go to town on business.
Just before he started his wife,
a pretty, fragile little thing, put heI
arm arounl his neck and begged
him to return early.
"Bless my lie! | believe yon
are afraid ~ said Ransom.
81 eelnervous, answered his wife.
II don't know what Is the matter
with me, but | am strangely de-
pressed. All the house servants are
going off to camp meeting and
| shall be alone. Now to try to
get home before dark, please"
Ransom promised, and kissed
her, and then handed her a small
pistol
eff anybody bothers you point
that at them,' he said jesliugly.
81 will do mOre," she answered,
"if l am in danger of the worse
will turn it against myself"
Her husband kissed her again,
told her that she was little tool,
and rode off lO town.
1t was Saturday, and a busy day. |
In spite of his best efforts Ransom
found that he was late in getting
home.
AT last nhe planter was on The
road, and he aew at the top of his
speed.
Nine o'clock-ten caught him
before he reached The plantation.
Before taking his horse to
the stable he thought he would
speak 10 his wife whose white dress
he saw on the piazza.
He walked right up TO her and
she did moi move, as size sat their
in a big rocking chair.
What did her silence mean!
Ransom saw dark stain on a
white dress, and seized his wife
by The arm. She was dead-shot
through the breast, aud in one
hand she still held The pistol with
which she had taken her young life.
Tie wretched man found that
the house had been rubbed, aud /
the footprints near il showed that
a strong gang of negroes had visit
ed il during his absence. 1t need
ed no one TO tell him why his wife
had killed herself. 1t was her only |
escape from a worse fate.
YES" drawled Sheriff Jack, ar |
Ter telling this part OF the story, |
"il stirred mp The country. Every |
body was sorry for the poor feller,
but he might er knowed Jest how il |
would turn out. All The niggers |
turned gp but six, an in course we |
su>picioneil 'em. We tried blood |
hounds an done our level besl, bnt |
nobody had ANY luck hut Ransom. |
Fusi an last he got erway with SIX 4
OF the devils, an made no bones
about il, eiiher.n
@Did he tell itT' 1 asked.
"Sarlinlv he did. Many an
many night he's come back from |
his hunt an told me about another
Niger he'd fixed that day"
"Itis awlul," " was my comment.
"rhei's mo name Tor II. said The I
shnrin .tLni Bnrsnm was moi Ter |