Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-04-05
Henry Gays Plea Awaited Not.

rim the Lewiston police. court Friday.
beside six or seven men charged with in
toxication. vagrancy, etc. sat the old
man Henry Clay. his sable face shining
like ebony with the tears which chased
each other down his face, his mouth
/ wrought into an expression of agony, his
eyes protruding from his head, and the
whites vying with his ivory teeth in
whiteness. says the Lewiston Journal.
Henry was in disgrace. and he did his
best to look as if he felt it. In vain hd
strove to catch the eye of the policeman
who put him before the court. 1t was
studiously turned away. The old negro
cast appealing glances in all directions
but there was none to save. Finally the
clerk called his name. Henry Clay.
stand up.
"Yaas massa that is me. I'm is day
pure man as owns dat name"
The clerk read the complaint and Henry
pleaded:
Not guilty and added Your honor,
Ia like ter say word or two for my
self. Its this way, Jedge. I'm poor
niger WHAT got no one 10 look atter
him. Is an Old mani is. Is seventy
years old and older l was born way
down south where the niggers grow ana
when your norvern soldiers come down
dare | left de old plantation. and all the
niger folks. l left my old nanny. and
de massa. and / jined de Norf. | was a
good soldier. jedge and | enlisted in do
Fourteenth Maine. Dem was bad days.
bad days and Henry let his voice gro"
soft and reminiscent as he thought sof the
foraging expeditions when every negro
in the ranks could carry gun ana roo
hen roosts and have Uncle sam 70 PACK
him up. But. ledge after de wan, what
was [ goin' fer ter do? l came !oiiS
Norf wild the Maine boys. came piiS
Norf to Augusta and there was treateu
we'll. There | used ter see jim n,A'ne,
dis morhning?' Dey all stop ter tax "id
Henry Clay in dose days. He was sood
Niger and he wore de army biue. II.
an old soldier. Jedge, fought and Died
fer my country and fer de freedom Oh All
de Niger fold away down Soul
Den ! was at Bowdoin college, Jedse.
You know deys mighty good fellers DOWN
deere | used to wait on the students anu
dev would. saw 'Dere comes henry Gay
and his uniform. | used ter WORN ioi
rich young Teller down there On ne Wa
a swell. and | was his hostler, ms Vale.'
his man. his his-I was swell IN those
days" and Henry looked MS conserve g.,s
ness of having seen better days. me
Court looked as If he was about 70 sliut
off Henrys plea. and he hasteneu ~
turn to it. But | wuz always noI n he
/ wuz always honest here. useu ~ -
janitor of the lookup when oap,a na-Can-
French and Leo were on the lorce 10
tain John French wouldn't nave pu 49,
before the court-never. | own d 49,
Your Honor. and got bed do"h -, y,
amt no vaghroant. man ~, In
stove to warm him and bed 10 So wv
amt a vaghroant. And then there w.
shoe box When de warm oays .,uaat
dis old negro is going out on uhe nan
and black shoes My box Is up al
Longs | can leave it there any IN ,nS,
want to- When | have applied iot 10
ing here | have always had iittie no ~
in my pocket. haint been gum
poverty Last night | came III ue -
ton poor and tired. an old Niger ~.
ing a place to rest my worn oouy'
SEES. ses dey. You go in DAN and lay Wv"
anywhere you want to-. | went H. ou.,
today. dey puts de ole man afore lour
Honor. and here / is-here | Is -ieu,ns
his voice become soft and wnlsperi"e
again.-'.and won't yer let me &C?
The Court summed up the case IN Vet.
few words. There was no doubt but Una.
Henry Clay's oratory dweH withih inc
mouth of this colored man from the
South. but oratory couldn't change tne
law. The judge felt panied to do II. pu,
he must pronounce a just judgment-aho
Henry Clay went over for 90 days.
ou,ya~ I n RradburV attorney Tor