The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-05-17

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made the following statement to him:
Stukes' Statement.
,.On the day previous to the TRACE
dy I sent ore of my children over to
its grandmother's and Mr.. Wells
came to me and told me not to send
my children anywhere without first
consulting either my wife or himself
before doing so. / told him as the
child was mine I thought I had
right to let it visit its grandmother
at any time. I felt disposed. Mr.
Wells then said that if I ever sent one
of my children OFF again without con-
sulting him he would put me on the
chain gang, as he had me under con-
tract and could do as he pleased with
me-. I said nothing more and went
away perfectly friendly.
Might before last went: to my
mothers for. visit, and when I re-
turned home I Immediately went to
bed as had to get up early. AS was
my custom got up at 4:30 and went
out and rang the farm bell and then
went to Mr.. Wells. room to get the
keys to feed the stock. Mr., Wells
said to me that Fraser Gibbes had
told him that I had lost a lot Of time
the day before in the field. was the
foreman Of the plow gang. I told
him that there was some mistake. ]
had lost no time. Mr., Wells then
said that Nathan had done more
plowing than I had. I said no sir,
captain, I. can prove by Mr.. Wilson
Johnson that I kept ahead Of the
plow hands all day. He then said if
the other hands would tell him that
I had lest no time it would be all
right. The other hands told him that
I had been making full time, and
everything seemed to be satisfactory
with Mr. Wells,
tI then went to work and plowed
all the morning and during the early
part. of the morning my wife came to
the field and told me that Mr.. Wells
had approached her, and had asked
her If he. sent me to the cha n gang
would she remain with him and she
told him no. Mr. Wells then told my
wife that she could not help herself.
as he had her bound by contract and
She would have to stay, and would
have to do as he said. told my wife
to get my mother and two of her
family and have them present when
saw Mr.. Wells about the matter.
when Il. went to the house at II
O'Clock Mr.. Wells asked me if was
going to send for my mother, and 7.
-old him that I was, as / wished to
have her here, as I wanted to talk
with him. Mr.. Wells then told one
of the boys. to shitch a. mule to the
buggy and go for my mother, but be-
fore the boy left I said to Mr.. Wells
that I thought I had al right to die
tate to my wife as to what I thought
was best, but from what had been
told me by others it seemed that he
(Mr. Wells) thought different. He
chen said to the boy in the buggy not
to go for my mother, and then called
to Nathan Washington and: told him
60 go for Mr. Ingram and tell him to
come over and bring a pair Of hand
cuffs, as he intended to have me pun
on the chain gang. and would then do
as he pleased with my wife and
children.
"We: were then sitting in the hall
of the house. Mr.. Wells in a chair
and I was sitting on the water shelf.
81 then told Mr.. Wells that before
he put n,e on the chain gang about
nv VIE and child. en- had rather he
would take them, as he seemed 20
think I had no control over them,
any way.I I also told him that I
had lived up to my contract with him.
but it seemed that he wanted to get
rid Of me for some cause.
'He was sitting directly in front OF
me smoking a pipe. He jumped from
his chair, throwing his pipe and to-
sbacco on the safe, and started to-
ward me and struck at me twice.
was sitting on high place and knew
that if he knocked me off the fall
would kill me- Ny wife and Frazier
.Gibbes We're standing there at this
time, and as I started. to. get down
Frazier Gibbes left, my wife remain
Ied after Gu. MIR. Wells and he fell
to the ground at which time she left.
Mr.. Wells cursed me after 1 had cut
him the first time and also reach
ed for a chair, and if he had not done