The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-19
JOHN THE BAPTIST NO. g.
The Way Clay County, NO.. Heard About
the Civil War and Its Results


A story was printed not long ago to the
effect that q Texas negro, who was sent
to Mexico by his master before the civil
war. returned to Texas recently to dis
oover that he was free. He had been en-
ployed on . remote plantation in Mexico
until his return to the States. The story
may be like others that have lived for the
moment, but 1t recalled to one who read
II fact which seems almost Incredible.
In q settlement in Clay county, Mo-,
within less than 100 miles Of Kansas City,
the results as we'll as a good deal Of the
history OF the OWL war were not known
until nearly two years after its close. And
this was In part Of county which had
sent soldiers to both armies, and in county
which was devastated alternately by the
border soldiery known as bushwhackers
and jayhawkers.
About two years after the war new
man, as he was called settled in the strip
Of the county referred to and opened a
country store. He was an ex-Confederate
soldier. and compared with his customers
he was. in the vocabulary Of Missouri a
mighty smart man.
Soon after he had opened his shop an
old darby made purchase which he
asked the merchant TO charge to his
smarster.' The merchant did not know
the 'marster.' but the old negro told him
enough to warrant the merchant in letting
the goods 60.
In questioning the negro he learned
that the negro was not aware that he was
free. The merchant did not tell the negro
Of his discovery. but he mentioned it to
an old doctor In the settlement. who told
the merchant that only few persons in
the settlement knew anything OF the result
Of the war.
The merchant thereupon began to en-
tighten the heather. as he called his GUS
toners, and for some time thereafter they
hocked to the new mans store TO hear him
tell about the war.
.He used to tell me- said the man who
avers that the story Ia true, 'how they
would come In and listen to him and some
times shake their heads. One elderly
da me who lived in a thiclret said to him
when he had explained to her the capture
Of JET Davis:
Maybe it's ~. but I'm thinkin' you're
the same sort OF q man that come to my
cabin oncst and told me and my children
that John the Baptist sprinkled people
instead OF sousin' 'em under. and never
believed what he W I'd
Then the merchant told me how the
'marster' Of the old negro who had made
the purchs &c came to him one day and
asked him II It was true that the negro
VIZ free, and when the merchant old him
Il WI 30, the old men said:
well, wish II l may be damned
II lint been feedin' and clothin' a. free
Niger all this time, and / reckon III sue
the AZ mined Government for his board
sThe old white ma u eoon afterward killed
himself, and the merchant used to tell
me that he believed the man committed
.uicide over the loss OF his one negro.
Il sked the meroha mt how long he sta yed
In the community which he enlishtense ed
and he g. Id bout six months. and added
that he might have stayed longer, but
some Of the heather wanted him to start
a new church. and when he asked them
vhy. they aid they had been fooled about
| the war and Il might be they were fooled
about their religion, and as he was &c
mighty smart, M ybe he could show them
sprI,e abort cut to salvs ton. and then be
quit. They got to calling him John the
happened to know the belt OF Clay
county n which he lived. and ! believed
| his story