The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-01-11
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DT RIPLEY D. SAUNDERS
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DT RIPLEY D.SAuNDtRs



Negro man about forty years OF
age took the stand in answer to the
sheriff's cry. He seemed frightened
and reluctant TO testify.
What is your name"
My name is Abram Lincoln TOLL.
yer, suh-dass my name"
What is your occupation. Abram-
what do you do to make a living?"
Mostly ketches fish, sub. hunts
some, too. and | sets traps for coon
and mink, down yander In de Black
Bottom swamps. sLh."
Where were YOU, Abe, on the night,
OF July Twenty-sixth, just past?"
Part de time | was right hyar In
dis heah town o Nineveh. and after
dat | went on my way TO Thar done
got my camp In de bottom lands, sub"
What time did you leave the town
OF Nineveh TO go TO your camp in the
Black Bottoms?"
II lef dess a III shile after half
after eight, sub"
How do you know this!"
Case done ak Ben Dalton. 20
cullud man, whar ] been visitin'. what
Il
him good-by cub.
What road did you take to 20 to
your camp In the Black Bottoms?"
Why, sub, 'cose ] TOXIN de Black
Bottoms road. suh--leas'way 'twell Il
comes TO a III hog.path what leads
! down into de big swamps off'n dat-ar
/ road. sub"
How far is Il from town before you
come TO that hog-path, Abe?"
Dess 'boutn mile, sub, ter de bes'
20 my knowledge. and speakin' sorter
or-hand lax, sub"
DO you know where the Tucker
place is on the Black Bottoms road?"
"Yass. sub"
| is that path OF which you speak
more or less than halfway to the
Tucker place as you 90 out from
! town."
/ Hit dess III mon Railways. suh."
NOW, Aoram, and the prosecuting
attorney Strengthened to his full height
and spoke with especial earnestness-
| / want you TO tell the Jury exactly
what happened to you on your wav TO
your camp In the Black Bottoms that
night. Tell 1t in your own way. INST
as II happened"
The witness looked at his aiestioner
with apprehension In his childlfke
eyes
| "Mistah Cromwell, you-you dona
gimme yo' wu'd dey amt no harm
a-comin' TO me eff tells dat % he cried
appealingly And you done tole me
halter tell 1t, whur' | wants to err no
Amt dat so?'
That is the truth, Abe. The law
compels you to testify to the facts M
your knowledge bearing upon this
case. And 1t is the laws intent that
no harm shall come to you for 40
doing"
The witness began in a low yoice
'Dey want nothin' happened to ma
twel ! come nigh to dat-ar hog.path
what cuts of inter de bottoms" he
said. "Des TO | got dar, sub. | heerd
shootin. One shot. and den annurr'
hit seem lax ter me, sub. / was
skeered when l hear dat-ar shootin
and seem lax better not 60 on ter
whar sho' ter ran smack into II
Mistah Cromwell-yass, sub, Use
a-tellin' il ter de Jury, sub. So huc
come ! done hid in de brush side o.
de road, sub, layin' fat on de groun'.
And dar | stayed, sub"
The witness hesitated.
Go on said the prosecuting attor
ney. Tell the jury precisely what,
happened next"
i lay dar, lax | say" resumed the
witness, when. all OF sudden lax. a
man come down de road rum whar
heern de shootin'. He pass straight
by me on de road, and he seem To be
staggerin' lax. He was talkin' to his.
SET as he pass whar / was hidin' in
de brush He had his pistol swingin'
In his hand. sub, lax a man what too
excited TO put It back after he rse II.
sub"
The prosecuting attorney moved a
step nearer the witness. You saw
the man plainly. Abe?" he asked You
got good look at his face?'
"Yass, sub. Hit was bright moon
light night. seen dat-ar man dess
as plain as | done see you dis-hyar
minnit, sub"
did you recognize him."
"Yass sub. | knowed him soon's I
set eyes on his face, sub"
do you see him in this courtroom
now"
"Yass, sub"
Point him out to the jury, Abe."s
tTo he Coptinued.b
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