Birmingham state herald., 1897-01-10

Tom Parker-when we was first malk- ing up the thing he-Andy-said that one man man wasn't tR give away the thing on l the others, and he swore me and Emanu- ell. We held up our hands and Andy 1 Swore us. l told Emanuel I says. l Emanuel, I am this kind of nigger, I l don't care which way 1t goes. I wont tell | lie. I wont give the crowd away. If I ever give it away it will be when all are there 7 I don't know wheth-. l CT It was strike us dead but we made some kind of an oath. Anyhow, Andy made me and Emanuel hold up our 1 nands. and I told them if I ever told the truth and gave them away it would l De when they were all there together. Tom Parker-There was three strange men. Nobody knowed 'em but Andy and l Nat They knowed them in prison And I went to get them boys to go with him. l Andy, didn't you take an oath? 1 l took an oath.
 l Didn't you confess to John Medlock? amt had word to say to John Med lock today. Yesterday when they car ried me back in there said, John, they 1 have broke my neck or will get mighty long time in prison" He said, "Why?' said, Two niggers say I stole a wrench and bar and they swore I could not catch | a mule."
 1 read a little.
 Who do you get to read your letters? l First one and then another when can't l make it out myself.
 l Here Is letter-shall tear it open for 1 you?
 1 No, sir.
 1 Do you know anybody in Tennessee? My mother lives in Tennessee. Gentle | men, If I knowed anything I would tell l you but don't krow nothing. Of course l you have enough to break my neck or any 1 other mans neck in the state of Alabama. l l don't know nothing to tell you. For Gods sake don't worry me any more NAT TRANNUM.
 | 23 years old, is nearly black negro, l feet inches, weight 160 pounds, medium | build, smooth face, above the average negro m intelligence, and appears to have | had considerable education, although he | ayers that he has attended school but | two months during his life.
 l He is well known about Oxmoor in this I county, where he lived for fifteen years. His connection with the conspiracy. 10 wreck the Georgia Pacific mail on Me | Combs trestle is here given in his own | language.
 l STORY OF THE CONSPIRACY. My name is Nat Trannum. Was born at Calera and lived most of my time, .n this county. My father and mother be- longed to Col. John T. Milner during sIav- cry times. I served about year in Coal burg prison and was discharged from there about last July. I met Tom Parker at Woodward's ore mines early in Decem- Der and went with him to Birmingham and then to Henryellen. We got to Hen- ryelen on Thursday night, about two weeks before Christmas. As soon as we got there, the first two shifts that I worked. Andy Faegin and Tom Parker told me about the plan to wreck the Geor- gia Pacific train that come from Atlanta. They said they would get the money from the baggage car and everything that was any account from the passen- gers. They were going to pull spikes from the rail on the three story trestle and throw the train off into the bottom. It's the trestle two miles this side of Hen ryellen. Faegin and Tom said I must go in with them. Faegfn had big stick in his hand and when talked slow about it, he said if I didn't go would have to beat him through the woods.
 l was with Tom Parker when the wrench was stole. Tom was walking down the track with me and we saw the wrench on the lever car. I think that was on Sunday, the first Sunday I got there I know I worked two days be- fore that day that the wrench was taken. Tom took it. He said there is some thing need" and went to the lever car and took the wrench, and then hid it un- der the leaves at the end of the little cut nearest to the depot. He first tried the wrench on one of the taps. on the rail- road track and said 1t was all right the very thing he needed. He said he would put it there in the leaves and nobody would know it but me and if the wrench was missing when I knowed anything | wouldn't know nothing.
 Andy Feagin said they wouldn't need guns; that when the train, fell they could get plenty of guns. The spike bar was stolen on Saturday night before the wreck. Andy and Sam Parker and Emanuel got it. I was at Andy's house and Emanuel and Tom and Andy was | there. Andy told me to get my coat anal | go with them. They were going to throw the train that night. I went to my house to get my coat and slipped away from them. They were gone about an hour. I met them near the store, and they said they had come back after me. started to run and Andy caught me and threw l me down. Andy asked Tom must he knock me in the head. Andy had his big stick. Tom said no, let me off until they could see what was I going to do. They took me back to Feagin's house and I | promised them to go next time they got ready. Andy said he knew where he could get double barrel shot gun with one barrel that would shoot and he would blow my brains out if I didn't go next time.
 Andy said he would get enough money off the passengers and baggage car to not work any more. Andy and Tom talked together all day Sunday. On Monday morning I drew all my | time in store checks and cashed them with the Columbus and Western opera tor. I got my grip and had to run to catch the trainsWAndy yelled at me but I didn't answerihim. wanted to get | away because | was a1rald or Anuy ana | Tom I staid in, Birmingham several days, and then went to Brookside, where MT. Jones arrested me. My ideas was when he came in the door he was com ing for me about the wreck. I heard of the wreck at Wises bar back of the Union depot. When I heard 1t my ideas was right away that Feagin and Tom and the other fellows had done it. After I heard of the wreck I didn't tell any body about what I knew of it. I didn't even tell my brother. Emanuel came in on the train Monday when I came. I saw him about two days after we got off the train. I didn't see him any more until after I was arrested.
 TO WELCOME INGALLS,.