The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-28

the way the bureau worked it. with the
negro informcr. Yes it was money
making business. with the man running
the bureau. for the negroes were in
structed to bring complaints against peo-
pie only who were able to pay fines \
gentleman might be eating his breakfast,
feeling that all was right: he owed no
one: and no one had lugnt of malice to-
ward him. as he had none against any
one; when, bark the door bell ringsl A
solcier stands on the threshold with pa
per in hand: the gentleman reads it, He
is ordered to be at the headquarters of
the Freedman's bureau at 10 O'Clock
When he arrives. he is told that the mat
ter against him is of very serious na-
tltre, and that clouds of witnesses are
lowering around to make good the com
plant, etc, etc. The gentleman knows
the whole thing is a le-a trumped up
affair to extort money from him. but
he is powerless. He shows that he is
rerplexed, that he is outraged.
The officer, pretending to sympathize
with him, deplores the business he is in,
and would make the gentleman believe
that he almost despises the government
which requires him to distress people.
o0es speaking very SOljiy 10 the gen
tleman, he says: You see how it is /
can't help myself; I am bound to hear
AMI ad1udicate these complaints, how
ever distasteful the duty may be- If
you will however. allow me to make a
suggestion to you as friend, l would,
were l in your place, compromise this
matter. If we go into a trial with all
these witnesses to pay, it will cost you
not less than fifty dollars. Yes, l think
il | were you, ia compromise the ease
How much viii it take to compro-
m!se?' the gentleman inquiries.
The officer figures looks at the wall,
and figures again, and then in his bland
esr tone Of voice says: ut will only cost
you, if compromised, about twenty four
cellars and h!nhty-hine cents; and
make this suggestion of a compromise as
special favor to you.
The gentleman hands over his check
and departs, knowing that he has been
held up and robbed of twenty-five dol
lars. 1t is probable that the negro who
informed against him received twenty-five
cents as his share.
Forty acres and a mule" were all
the go with the negroes in the days Of
the break up, while the Yankees were
here. Word got out some how that every
negro who could raise ana pay over to
the head man" of the Yankees, ten dol
lars in gold. silver or grcenbacks, would
be entitled to forty acres Of his old mas
ter's land and a mule. Along would
come Yankee straggler, and seeing a
negro man, he would hail him and en-
quire if he had gotten his forty acres
and a mule YETI" Then the Yankee
would explain to him how the govern
ment was going to cut up and divide all
the land, and give every negro man who
could raise ten dollars, forty acres and
a mule to plow "Of course you can
get your forty acres, if you can raise
the ten dollars, and I'll be along here to-
morrow and stake off your farm right
where you want it," was the way the
Yankee would state the case to he dupe.
In some cases the negroes raised and
paid over to the head Yankee the ten
dollars, and taking parcel of led pegs,
the Yankee would make the negro believe
he was actually stalking off his forty
acres.
l heard of a case OF this sort The
row of red pegs, which the Yankee
stuck down ran close by and parable!
with fence; and the negro land owner
thought, as the fence and the pegs were
so near to each other, that he would