The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-29

NNAANAt'A'A
that an actual attempt ut assault had
haon made Sykes was bound over, but
his attorney. Mr.. II. V. Hargett, went
ont among the citizens and soon succeed
ed in making subscription bond. Men
who had seen the truly wonderful BRAY
erv displaved by the friendless man did
not believe that he could be guilty of
the crime charged and they were willing
to back their judgment with their sig
natures to the bond for his appearance
at court.
when the bond was signed and Sykes
was released he thanked the gentlemen
who had befriended him, and told them
they need give themselves no uneasiness,
AS he would be present when wanted.
He went right out and began to hunt
work. and succeeded in finding a job in
the Southern railroad shops, and there
he has worked every day when there was
anything to do ever since, and it is TO
his credit when Mr. c. w. Chears, well
known in Atlanta and throughout the
State, says that he is a faithful man.
NO TRUE BILL FOUND.
Last week the grand jury failed to find
true bill against him, and he was de-
clared a free man. Sykes was the pic
ture of happiness and said that he was
glad he was once more on an equal foot
ing with the towards who tainted to
lynch him."
II told some Of those buffers that
would see them later, and l will | ex-
pect to stay here just as long as l want
to. and ] want some Of these frisky fell
lows to try any didoes with me and we
will have a little fun sure enough"
How does it feel to be lynchedT inter
rogated Sykes, when a Journal man pro-
pounded to him the very question which
he answered by repeating. Giving his
struggling moustache a twist with his
badly drawn up fingers, which had been
in an explosion, and looking squarely into
the eyes of his questioner, he continued:
1T is altogether the condition mans
gastric regions are in as to how he feels
when he has reasons to believe that he
is to lead funeral procession. My man,
that has a great deal to do with it and
you can bank ON it, Now, | will tell you
the truth about that experience of mine.
When some of these towards imagined
they wanted me to perform at the end of
tight rope didn't much care whether
they carried out their intention or not /
was weak and hungry and was not parti-
cular where my next stopping place was
anyway; but it did gall me to see a lot of
people so rank to string up one poor devil.
and so just determined to die game if |
had to so. Gosh, how | did want to do
one or two of those fellows a line or
two-just to leave something as a keep
sake"
NO MORE NERVOUS FEARS.
Il have never feared death, and / sup
pose | was about as near ready to go as /
ever was or ever viii be. / have never
harmed a living creature, though a good
many have done me-kin folks, for in
stance. Ne, | was not bothered about
where | was going to land if they did put
me out of the way. / was not thinking
about that. was thinking about what
disgrace it would be for an honest man
to be yanked off by such hand-sawed
specimens of humanity Now, it is all
right to be bowed up in a NINE run over
by an express wagon, mashed to death
while riding blind baggage, starved for
want Of a bit Of charity, but | didn't pro-
pose to be sent across the river by
mob Of such men as charged upon me
that day / have too much respect for
my good name for anything like that.
had the consciousness of knowing that /
had neyed harmed a living creature. had
lived an honorable life, had never been
in place where / was afraid to go back,
and the feelings Of really being almost at
the end OF my earthly career did not
give me the least concern.
1T was, as | say, the manner Of go
ing.
Il have never lost my pride, even if /
have been on the road since | was about
seven years of age Then, another thing
have always had an inner feeling that
some power would always take care of
me as long as l lived up to what / re-
garded as a true man.
"A tramp can be a gentleman and an
honest man, and | have always tried to
be. Now, / think / have given you my
feeling and the causes for the same, just
about as near as / can, but ! would like
to say that there is a little too much Of
this lynching business going on, and such
fo0lishness had better be stopped
Wouldn't it always be best to be alb
solutely sure of having the right man. be-
fore killing him? If / had been lynched
that would have been the last of it, and
every newspaper in the land would have
come out in flaming heads and said that
a fend had met his just deserts, and
by-and-by, when a few more lynchings
had taken place, my death would have
been forgotten. No, sir, it won't do to
be too fast in such matters. expect to
remain on this mundane sphere for some
time to come"
And now Sykes proposes to write a
book and tell Of his travels and expert
ences as n tramp, tramp life, and the
causes leading to the making Of tramps
He is man who don't bank little Bit
on kinfolks. He thinks they are mighty
poor property, but he has some in Ala
bama who are rich. They give him little
concern, however. Talking of his forth
coming book, he said:
There are too many people in this
world who regard every tramp as an out
cast and escaped criminal. There are
many of these birds Of passage who are
men true to the very core, but whom for
tune has not favored, and who are forced
to travel from pillar to post in search Of
employment to keep soul and body to-
gethcr. Unfortunate circumstances sur
round them, and they find no pleasure