The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-04-27
DISAPPOINTING AN EDITOR.
How an Obstinate CoIored Man Got the
Best of White Folks.

I sat talking with the editor of a
southern weekly paper when tele-
gram was handed him, and after he
had read it he handed it to me, says
M. Quad in the n. Y. World. 1t was
from a town seven miles away. and
read: ave have caught the niger; he
hangs tonight. Boys will wait for you
to come over"
"You see," explained the editor,
"they have got the niger who shot at
Col. Dunbar over in Cassville, and they
won't wait to take the law on him. l
reckon I'll have to 90 over, and I'd like
to have you go along"
1t was agreed, and a horse and bug
gy were brought around, and we set
out When we reached the town it
was about o'clock in the evening, and
the prisoner was being guarded in a
vacant room. There were about seven
ty-five excited citizens around the
place, and noosed rope had already
been thrown over the limb of a shade
tree near by. We were duly welcomed,
and were accorded the privilege of an
interview with the prisoner. We found
him in a somewhat anxious frame of
mind, but cool enough to answer all
questions.
"Now, them" began the editor, as he
pulled out his notebook, "what name
do you go by and what part of the
country do you hail from?"
Look heah, replied the man, "doan'
yo' folks make no mistake about dis!
I'ze not de pussun yo' want. l nebber
dun shot at nobody. My name am
Peter White an rze dun ibed in Glen
dale ober ten Vars. Eberybody ober
dar knows me-"
"Have you made any mistaken"
asked the editor of the constable.
"Why, reckon not. They fotched
him in and said he was the nigger we
wanted. Can't be no mistake, of
co'se."
"Yo' jest send to Mars James, Mars
Taylor, Mars Tompson, or anybody
else ober dar, an dey'll tell yo' all
about me-" protested the man.
"Do you deny shooting at Col. Dun
bar?"
"Of co'se I does. I didn't eben h'ar
about it. was huntin' hogs in de
woods fur Mars John Greenfield when
dey cotched me. Doan' you dun make
no mistake!"
Ten minutes later all were fairly
satisfied that a mistake had been made.
Then a Glendale man arrived and
settled the matter. They had got the
wrong man.
"Look here, boy" said the editor,
when the truth came out, "I've driven
seven miles to see you lynched."
eyes, sab, but can't help it."
"These men spent all day to get you
/ orA +I,o ,.O10a ic oil
81 know it, but I'ze innocent"
Haven't you ever killed man, stolen
a mule or fired gun? Come, now,
own up like man."
"Nebber, sah," firmly replied the
prisoner.
"Can't you remember of ever doing
anything for which you ought to be
hungP" softly inquired the editor.
mo, sab; can't"
"This, you must know, is great
disappointment to me and my friend
here. We shall have our drive o1
| intending to make at least two col
"Yes, sab; but nebbah dun it."
"And you protest against being
hung?"
'I does, sah,"
"You must have at least done. some.
thing for which you ought to be
switched-stolen cotton, run off hog
or something of that sort?"
"No, sab; [ nebber did,"
"It's a drive of fourteen miles, you
know, and the roads are bad"
"Yes, sab; but you'll hev to 'scuse
me dis time"
| EGJU,1J +I,o o1;+or ~, ,,-o =,
to go, "I'm sorry things have turned
out this way, but can't see that any
body is to blame"
We got into the buggy and started
back. We had gone mile or SO before
the silence was broken. Then the
editor said:
"That just shows you how internally
obstinate a niger can be when h'
makes up his mind to it and wants tC
get the better of white man."