The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-14
A ~REMARKABLE SEGRO.
horn In Africa. Ho speaks Ten Languages
and IL an Accomplished Forger.

Prom the Chicago Timss Hcrdli.
BIRMINGHAM. Ala, Feb. 1.-There is soon 10
BIO released from the State coal mines OF Ala.
bama Nicholas Said. one OF the most remarka.
BILE pogroes that ever felt the sting o. n lash,
Said drifted into Choctaw county. Alabama.
In 1874. at q time when Ku-Kluxism was a, Ia
height. 1t was during the exciting days when
Ben Turner. n former slave. was ptlng to
carve out = state Of society to his own liking. Tho
negroes generally were much perturbcd. Many
were armed. and SO menacing did they become
that the whites were forced to band together In
self.protection.
1t was the day following tho assassination Of
the entire family Of Blakely Bass at Blaion
Springs that Said appeared upon the scene. He
came up from Mobile on a Tombigbee River
steamboat. He took In the serious situation be.
foro he had remained at Bladon twen,y..our
hours. Somehow or other he quickly won the
confidence Of the whites. Intellectually he was
so vastly superior to tho others of his race that
they at once became his willing listeners. BE
fore he had been in the county two weeks Tur-
ner had been hanged and peace once more had
time on. He had already won the highest es.
TEEN from the white citizens, for IL was h. who
the two races that put q stop to assassination
and house burning. In q little while he began
months he had more than 800 pupils.
OF hi, NE prior 70 his arrival At Bladon no
story !" w tnst , soaiI IN s. EheT bo Hhhytsin (: has S S~n
Iohsed e ,hs british army. and that be bad
followed him over all the civilized world. OF
his parents no claimed to know nothing except
chiefs. He showed marks upon his body which he
said were the signs OF royalty. He said that Capt.
just as they were preparing to sail to his hfti'
can home. Thus being left alone, he decided to
sss %oT Isn g. Amerie. before going back to his
Said was . master of ten languages. His
English was perfect and tested in spanish.
hun that was fascinating. Standing Silently
carved tho figure from como piece OF black
stone. Except as to color, he possessed none %:
tho wing OF a crow. was straight ana Il s!.sea
nneness. His facial features were classical; his
lips same sauarely toeothsr: his teeth were
man and living among his race. TO the whites
his carriage was, in contrast with The others.
uniformly courteous. and possessed none Of tho
evil habits which at that time were Character
He knew something of political economy; had
studied the principles of law; possessed - smRt-
on religious topics. / well remem6e The CON
s ss9a : y. part he PLAYED IN H. Gampets9 Of
e]iectorai ticket and PREACHED TO- hi. les. !sno.
rant fellow men that the roadSo safety and mar.
mony G"tween the races lay - oting ID" demo
influence. so In that election there was a fair
count. OF the 1000 negro voters In the county
less than 500 voted for Hayes. on the stump
no seemed as ono inspired. His sentences were
short. clear cut, and logical.
said had more accomplishments than those
mentioned above. He was an expert penman.
He could write two different sentences At the
same time: one with his lett. the other with his
right hand. IL WAS his adeptnes> IN the art OF
writing ones name so much like the owner OF 1t
did that got him into trouble. For his first three
ouonces he was excused. But lie grew holder
As the years went on. Then he got two years.
Mhen released no began his bad practices again.
lie was sent up the second time and was again
pardoned. But the third time he caught u
merchant for q big sum and was sentenced for
ten years. His time will expire In March.