The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-08-05
FAITHFUL TO old MASTER.
Remarkable Case of the Devotion
of a Negro SIaye---His Val
liant War Service.

/ In these days, when negro crimes
are so general, and negro lynchings,
North and South, are recorded in
every days paper, and the relations
/ between the white and black races in
this country are far less friendly than
they ever have been before, it is
| refreshing to the utmost degree
/ to hear such story as that
which was told me today.
It was story of a slaves love for his
master, in war and in peace, that was
as strong as any passion which stirs
| the human heart.
When the war broke out forty-two
years ago, a favorite slave on the plan
tation Of John w. Key, Of Bedford
county, Tenn. was William, who was
then twenty-five years Of age. Mr..
Key was too old for military service,
| but his three sons espoused the cause
Of the Confederacy in the outset and
prepared to hasten to the front. There
was never thought that William was
TO be left behind, and to his care the
father and mother committed their
three boys when they rode away, Will
liam riding in the rear, the servant of
all three
The story of Williams devotion to
his young soldier masters sounds like
fiction, but one Of them, Mr.. John F.
Key, a well known resident Of this
city, tells it, and there can be no
doubt.
At Fort Donelson, when the Confed-
crates were forced to surrender, Will
liam built a bastion of logs and rocks,
behind which the wounded were
sheltered, Fort Bill, as the soldiers
termed it, saved many a wounded
mans life.
When Fort Donelson surrendered
William took on his back one of the
three brothers, who was badly wound
ed, and, evading the pickets, carried
him beyond the enemy's lines.
While with his masters at Shelby
vile, Tenn, William voluntarily went
to Murfreesboro to recover for Con-
federate officer a large sum of money
that had been left behind in the re-
treat. After having been knocking
about Murfreesboro for few hours
William was arrested as SPY. He was
made to wear a ball and chain for
three months before he had final
hearing. He was condemned to be
shot.
But William felt he was not born to
die that way. The ball and chain had
been taken off him and the night be-
fore the day fixed for the execution he
took his leave. He eluded. the guard
and got back within, the Confederate
lines.
William was frequently under fire
while serving his masters, and he
evinced all the courage of white man.
When the war was over and William
was free to go or to stay, he left his
masters only when assured that they
wished him to go out into the world
and do the best he could for himself.
He was good blacksmith, and he set
up his shop near his old home. He
was fine workman and made money.
In a few years he branched out and
began raising fine horses In this, too,
he was successful, and it was not long
before his white friends could see Will
liam wss growing rich.
Being a great lover Of horses, Will
liam undertook to train young horse
to do various things, generally thought
far beyond the capacity of beast.
William had previously managed to
obtain 8 degree from a veterinarians
school. and signed his name DR.. Viii
liam Key. Jim Key" he called the
horse, and the tricks which he taught
the animal we're so remarkable that
New Jersey man bought him at the
Nashville Exposition in 1897 for $40,
600. William was employed to exhibit
the horse, and he is now showing it
for the owner in Baltimore.
But William is rich. He made a
great deal of money by the sale of an
excellent horse inimen5, the formula
Of which he hit upon himself. He
owns several fine houses in Shelbyville,
besides a big stock farm near that
place.
But he has not forgotten his old
masters. A few days ago he wrote
from Baltimore to. Mr.. sKey, of this
city, Offering him beautiful home,
to be his while he lived. He closed
the letter with this pathetic reference
to the old days:
:" made your father a good servant.
I love the graves where the family are
laid. Your father and mother were
good to me. I remain, as ever, your
faithful servant until death, Will
liam Key.
'Your servant until death''-yet DR..
Key is a wealthy man. Those people
of the North who never owned slaves
or were raised with negroes. - as We
of younger generation often say can
not understand in the remotest degree
the affection which often existed be-
tween the black and his white master.
Richmond Times-Dispatch.
End of Bitter Fight.