The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-02
/ NEGROES CAME AS FREIGHT.
TURPENTINE OPER ATORs SHIPPED
TWENTY-EIGHT THAT WAY.

GOOds'-One Was seen Making HIS
Way Out and the Whole Bunch
Were Nabbed-TurpentIne Opera
tor Davis of AndaIusia, Ala, Put n
stiff Talk of Ignorance of the Men
being in the Car-It wouldn't
Hold Water. However, and He Had
10 Pay for the Transportation of
Twenty-Five From Worcestershire
Rest He Denied-TOOk the Bunch
on by the Central.
Twenty-eight negroes slowed away in
one freight car established a record for
the Plant System yesterday. 1t is doubt
full il any other road that enters Savan-
nah can equal the spread the Plant line
made in the way of free transportation.
The system was not exactly engaged in
a free and voluntary eleemosynary exhioi-
ton. In fact the officials made no little
trouble when they got on to the wholesale
swindle that was being perpetuated upon
them, tumblng to the fact that things
are not always what they seem and that
ii doesn't necessarily follow that because
car is marked "plunder and household
goods" it does not hold a big bunch, of
negroes.
When the car inspector approached the
car of lot that had just come In as
freight train from Charleston he had no
suspicion that everything was not all right
and that it did not contain just what the
bill of lading would have shown. He glanc-
ed down at the running gear of the car
saw that it was all right and was about
to pass on when he glanced up between
the car and the one next it to see dar-
ky emerging, feet foremost, through the
window at the end.
The Inspector reached up and caught the
negro. Oats all right, boss" he said
but you amt got de only one. Dere's
| forty mob in dere.'
The inspector glanced in through the
window and saw a big cluster of black,
shining faces that showed no little APP
prehension, the commoton on the outside
having reached their ears. Well he
said. "Ill just take you along first" Then
he made fast the window on the outside
and left with mis- prisoner for the passen-
ser depot, not far distant. There he turh-
ed the man over TO officer Sullivan, who
started back to the car after the others
Then the white man concerned in the
affair made his appearance. He had Slip
ped the plumber and household goods from
Columbia the night before, and the ne
groes, or most of them, as well. he had
the keys to the two big padlocks with
which the doors of the car were fastened,
only the window being left as a means
of ingress and egress for the cooped-up
darkies.
The mans name was Davis, turpenHne
operator at Andalusia, Ala. He produced
the key and the doors were thrown open
The "plunder and household goods" were
instructed TO separate themselves from the
car. When they had done so and the dar-
kics stood lined up it was seen that there
was freight in the car and just the sort
that was billed. Davis had shipped his
effects from Columbia and taken advan-
tage of what he thought a favorable OPP
portunity 10 get lot of turpentine hands
through without paying their fare.
The darkies We're a sorry-looking lot.
and seemed very regretful that they had
listened 10 the persuasions of the operator
and consented to make the trip 10 Ala
bama in the style he had selected for them.
They tod how they had been at work with
him in some grading on the new line above
Columbia. and were ready. as the job was
finished. TO go with him TO Andalusia 90
cut boxes. All this was told the policeman
and the two or three railroad men who
had gathered and it was the verdict that
the white man was the guilty one in the
party.
officer Sullivan accordingly arrested Da-
Wis and took him 10 the general offices Of
4 the system. the gang of twenty-eight ne
/ groes trailing along behind. Most of them
were switched off a the car shed and kept
| there, while Davis and a few of the ne
groes were taken TO the office of the SUI
/ periutendent of transportation TO tell their
/ story
| Davis tried TO throw the gang down. say
ing he had nothing TO do with their being
in the car; that he had only shipped
plumber and household goods. The ne
groes stuck to their story and Davis to his,
disClaiming all knowledge Of the men. He
was unwise enough, however. when he
thought no one heard him, TO say TO the
darkies: why the devil didn't you he
+ have yourselves and keep quiet? Then
/ you would have gone on through without
/ all this trouble" This remark was trans
/ mitted TO the officials. and the case against
T Davis was cinched. He tried to face it out,
but it was no go. aud the trouble was "
ended by his paying the fare of twenty
two of the men from YemaSsee to Savan-
nah. That was all the interest the Plant
+ system had in it. The car hal been turn
eG over to it there by the Charleston and
/ Western Carolina.
! The officials received $H that Davis paid
/ them. and the twenty-five negroes for
/ whom the money was paid were released.
| That left six of them in bad way. Davis
/ denied them strenuouSly, saying he kn7w
/ nothing about them at all, that, though
/ the admission came late, he had only b r
/ gained with twenty-five. One old darkev
J of the turned-down six plead piteously,
/ declaring that Mr. Davis ''shorey 'mem-
/ bered bout his havin TUX his perlce down
| 10 de train in Columbia de nj hi befo."
! Some way or other Davis recollection vas
unable to work ana the Cd man went 10
the barracks with the other five who we
denied by Davis. The charge against
/ them was a violation Of the state law by
stealing ride. Davis payment of the
fare of the others let them down easy.
The next thing for Davis 20 Try was Ell
effort to get reduced rates for his gang.
/ The Plant System could not see ii that
way, however. The passenger people told
him he would have to pay full fare That
brought on a lot of talk, Davis becoming
persuasive and the passenger men remain
ing obdurate. He finally gave up in dis
/ gust and went back to his bunch of dar-
! kies awaiting him at the depot.