The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-05
NICHOLAS SAID.
Fame Gus Negro of the South and His
Checkered Career.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala, Feb. 4-There
is soon to be released from the state
coal mines Of Alabama Nicholas Said,
one of the most remarkable negroes
that ever felt the sting Of a masters
lash Said drifted into Choctaw Coun-
ty, Alabama, in 1874, at a time when
Ku-KluXism was at it's height. 1t was
during the exciting days when Ben
Turner, former slave, was attempting
to carve out a state Of society to his
own liking. The negroes generally
were much perturbed. Many were
armed, and SO menacing did they be-
come that the whites were forced to
band together in self-protectiOn. 1t
was the day following the assassina-
ton of the entire family Of Blakely
Bass at Blandon Springs, that Said ap
peared upon the scene. He came up
from Mobile on q Tombigbee river
steamboat He took in the serious
situation before he had remained at
Rlandon tWenty-four hours. Somehow
or other, he quickly won the confidence
of the whites. Intellectually he was
so vastly superior to the others Of his
race that they at once became his
willing listeners. Before he had been
In the county two weeks Turner had
been hanged and peace once more had
come The negroes were his slaves from
that time on. He had already won the
highest esteem from the white citizens,
for 1T was he who had brought about
an understanding between the TWO
races that put stop to ASSASSINATION
and house burning. In a little while ne
began teaching colored school and
in less than six months he had more
than 300 pupils.
Of his life prior to his arrival at
Pladon no one In that community knew
anything. His own story was that In
early boyhood he had been captured
in Africa by Capt. Simpson, who be-
onged to the British army, and that
he had been made body-servant to the
captain and had followed him over AL
the civilized world OF his parents he
claimed to know nothing except that
his father was one Of the South Afrl-
can chiefs. He showed marks upon his
body which he said were the signs OF
royalty. He said that Capt. Simpson
had died at the port OF New Orleans
just as they were preparing to sail to
his African home. Thus being lett
alone, he decided to see more of Amer
ice before going back to his native
land.
His English was perfect and, tested
in Spanish, French and German, IT
was found that he was equally as good
in these He had a dash about him
that was fascinating Standing silent
ly and erect, he looked as If a master
hand had carved the figure from some
piece of black stone. Except as TO
color he possessed none Of the African
features. His hair, while black as the
wing of a crow, was straight and OF
silken f1neness. His facial features
were classical; his lips came squarely
together; his teeth were even and were
as white as pearls. Being a black man
and living among his race, to the
whites his carriage was, in contrast
with the others, refreshingly graceful
and pleasant. He was uniformly cour-
teous and possessed none Of the evil
habits which at that time were char
acteristic Of his kin.
He knew something of political econ
omy; had studied the principles Of law;
possessed a smattering knowledge of
physic and had read much on religious
topics. I we'll remember the conspicT-
Gus part he played in the campaign of
1876. He took the stump in behalf
of the Tilden electoral ticket and
preached to his less ignorant fellow
men that the road to safety and har-
mony between the races lay in voting
the Democratic ticket It was deter
mined to test Said's 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 he seemed as one inspired. His
sentences were short, clear-cut and
logical When attempting to lay par
ticular stress upon subject, and ges-
ticulating with his arms, the eye could
almost see sparks dripping from his
finger tips.
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 left, the other with his
right hand. 1t was his adeptness in
the art Of writing ones name so much
like the owner of it did that got him
into trouble. For his first three Of
lenses he was excused. But he grew
holder as the years went on. Then he
got two years. When released he be-
gan his bad practices again He was
sent up the second time and was again
pardoned. But the third time he
caught country merchant for a big
sum and was sentenced for ten years.
His time will expire in March.