The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-29
DOCKERY's BIG COON SUPPER.
How He Captured the Vote of the Caldwell
Comfy Rack Ralt.

How He Captured the Vote OF the Caldwell
County Black Belt.
HAMILTON, No., Nov. 28-For some days
past the colored population of this neigh
borhood have been dropping hints of "de
bang up coon supper we had with Mr..
Dockery." The colored race has thickly
settled the bottoms along the creeks in
this section of Caldwell county and it has
always been strongly republican when
election day came. This has been one por-
ton of Congressman Dockery's district
which has always been hard for him to ham
die and he has been at his wits end to find
some means of capturing the colored vote.
The story, as it now leaks out, is that the
congressman took two of his most trusted
lieutenants some days before the last cleo
ton and made trip through the BLACK
Belt" giving out mysterious invitations to
the colored voters. They were told to meet
at q certain time at a certain blacksmith
shop at certain crossroads and they would
be RECALLED with one of the best suppers
they ever ate. They were cautioned to keep
the-mntter. very quiet, as the supper was to
be given to a select few.
Immediately following the invitation
there was great stir among the noted
colored hunters of the region, and for a
week about fifty men and twice that num-
her OF yellow dogs we're securing the woods
and cornfields along the bottoms. The
result OF the weeks work was twenty SIX
fat corn-fed coons. thirty 'possums and n
large quantity of sweet potatoes, the sight
of which was calculated to make any
darky g mouth water.
At 10 O'Clock on the night designated
there conaregated at the little blacksmith
shop 15O bl,ck and three white men. TWAS
weird scene as tho fitful glare of the
forge fire would at times light up tho faces
of those assembled and then leave the place
in semi darkness, as it flashed and paled
with the motion of the bellows. On all
sides we're piled edibles. Coons, 'possums,
which is evidently indigenous to this seq
ton. filed the bill of fare In the center
of the shop was Congressman Dockery,
seated on an anvil, eating 'possum and tell
ing stories, while all around stood his
guests, the ebony hued voters of the dis
trict. The furniture of tine room was
scanty. In fact, it was sans floor, except
the one furnished by nature. sans chairs,
sans table. sans everything, except coons,
possums, whisky, sweet potatoes, darkies,
Congressman Dockery and his two friends.
The doctors stories kept the crowd in a
roar OF laughter, and when the feast of
good things had plenty of time to impress
the minds of his guests, the congressman
made q little political speech. He told
them how the iniquitous tariff bill had
brought hardships to the poor colored man
and how he, with the other democrats
would take of the duty on stove wood and
place it ON coon skins.
Dr. Dockery has undoubtedly been in
gatherings where there were more notet
men around tho board, but it is safe to sa,
that he has never been happier than he wa
while sitting on that anvil eating coon aut
possum and telling stories to his coloreG
constituents. That he solved the problem
Of catching their votes was proven by tn
fact that the .Rlack Belt'' gave him an al
most solid vote.