The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-10-12

business letters, signed my OliiS OF
lading, and receipted for stores from
New Orleans and elsewhere. On one
occasion, when l was making some
very large purchases in New Orleans,
l sent nearly $4,000 in gold and
bank bills to that city in Ben Mont
gomery's charge"
But it was during the war that
Montgomery rendered Mr.. Davis his
greatest service. In 1861, when the
capital of the Confederacy was moved
from Montgomery, Ala, to Richmond,
of course Jefferson Oavis's official
duties made it necessary for him to
reside in the latter place. Joseph
Davis, his brother, was commissioned
Brigadier General in the Confederate
Army. This made the responsibility
upon Montgomery the heaviest per-
haps, that was ever laid upon slave.
He was in charge of all the great
Hurricanes estates, and attended to
the business of Joseph as we'll as Of
Jefferson Davis Of course there was
white general manager for all the
estates, and white overseer on each
of the three places and the proper
cultivation of the crop and its gather
ing. The purchasing of the stores
necessary for such vast establishment
as this was now, the shipment of the
cotton, and the deposits of the money
received for it, were all entrusted to
Ben Montgomery.
In 1868, after Mr.. Lincoln had
issued his famous Emancipation Proc
iamation, for the first time in his life
Ben asked permission to come to
Richmond. Mr.. Davis kept that letter
to his dying day.
"Dear Marse Jeff" Ben wrote, "I
want to come to Richmond to see
you, and l want to come right away.
There is something l want to tell you
which dare not write, so do please
let me come to Richmond at once.
Your faithful servant, Ben."
Mr.. Davis was little startled and
somewhat alarmed at the tone of Ben S
letter. He could not imagine what in
the world that negro had in his mind.
Of course he wrote Ben to come at
once, and sent him the necessary
permit for slave to travel.
"Marse Jeff" said Ben, when he
arrived at Richmond, and had an
opportunity to talk to his master oc-
cured, 81 got something l want to
tell you about. You know Mr.. Lincoln
has issued what he calls an Emancipa-
ton Proclamation, and with it another
proclamation contiscating the property
of certain arch rebels, as he calls them.
Now, they are going to con6scate
your property just as soon as they get
a chance"
How-how do you know all this,
Benz" said Mr.. Davis, good bit
startled.
"Oh, l hear all the news" said
Ben, "and just as soon as they capture
Vicksburg (this visit was in February
of 1869 they will come up here and
take possession of all your property
HIS GREAT IDEA.
This made Mr.. Davis uneasy.
"What do you think I had better do,
Benz" said he.
81 tell you what was thinking" "
said Ben, rather hesitatingly. "Sup-
pose you and Master Joe sell me the
Hurricanes estate and do it be.ore the
Yankees capture our country"
"Why, Ben," Mr.. Davis said, "you
are a slave and can't hold property in
Mississippi"
Yes, that is true,: said Ben, "but
you set me free. Make out two sets Of
the free papers. Give me one set and
keep one yourself. Then make out a
third paper, which shall say that under
certain conditions the free papers will
be cancelled.
The conditions were that the FEEDER
ais should capture the city of Vicks'
burg and the Hurricanes estate, which
lay eighteen miles below.
f "Why, Ben, that's an excellent idea
Let me think over it day or two,
Mr.. Davis said.
He talked it over with his brother
Joe. 1t was important to both o.
them that they should have the income
of this estate. If the Federals die
capture Vicksburg, about the frs
property they would conhscate and
loot would be the Hurricanes. 1t hac
on it then over 1900 bales of cotton
besides o,ooo bushels of corn, anc
other valuable stores. Cotton wa
worth IS cents a pound, and a balt
weighed 500 pounds. But if thi
property belonged to negro who wa
freed before the capture of Vicksburg
then, under the Emancipation Procla
nation, this cotton would be his, ane
could not be seized by the Fedora
, cotton agents. 1t was a cunningl!
, devised plan, thought the Davi
. brothers, who, after consultation, de
cided to adopt it.
Mr.. Jefferson Davis loaned to Ben
: for the purpose of making the sale
, 100000, on ten years time will
: interest at per cent. Knowing Their
! would he some trouble about tn
, matter, the legal papers were draw
: with great care. Judge John A. Camp
, bell, who resigned his place on tn
+ United States Supreme Bench whel
the war began, was the attorney. A
:, the same time he drew Ben's fre'
papers in duplicate, with a clause ii
each that under certain condition
, (the substance of which was contained
in document No. y the free paper
! should become null and void.
y There was great deal of sensation
! in the country when the news came t
the women at home. and the men wit
the Mississippi regiments in the fel'
that Jeff Davis had set Ben Mont