The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-07-31


We was waltzed up on to the teach
ers platform, DR.. Kirby and me, and
set down in chairs there, with two
men to each Of US, and then a tall.
rawboned Teller stalks up to the teach
ers desk and raps on it with the butt
end of a pistol and says:
"Gentlemen, this meeting will come
to order"
They set down in the school kids
seats or on top Of the desks. and their
| legs stuck out into the aisles. and
they looked uncomfortable and awk-
by any manner Of means, but the most
part Of 'em respectable farmers. They
had look of meaning business
Gentlemen" says the Teller who
had raped, who will you have for
your chairman"
II reckon you'll do, WILL says an
| other Teller to the rawboned man.
which seemed to satisfy him. But he
made 'em vote on 1t before he took
Office.
"Now, them" says Will, 1.-The accused
must have counsel"
"Will." says another Teller very
hasty, whats the use of all this fuss
an feathers? You know as well as
do there's nothing legal about this. It's
only necessary. For my part
Buck Hightower" says Will, pound
ing on the desk, Won will please come
to order" which Buck done.
Now" says the chairman. turning
toward DR. Kirby. who had been set
ting there looking thoughtful from one
man to another like he was sizing
each one up. now must explain to
the chief defendant that we don't in
tend to lynch him"
He stopped Il second on that word
lynch as if to let it soak in. The doc
tor, he bowed toward him very cool
and ceremonious and says. hooking OF
him:
you reassure me. Mr.-Mr.- What
is your name:" He said it in q way
that would Of made a saint mad.
My name amt any difference" says
Will, trying not to show be was net
tied
you are quite right" says the doc
tor, looking Will up and down from
head to foot very slow and insulting
ITS Of no consequence in the world"
VIII, he flushed up, but he makes
himself steady and cool, and he goes
on with his little speech: There is to
be no lynching here tonight. There is
to be tria! and if necessary an exc
cution."
would it be asking too much" says
the doctor very polite, III were to
inquire who is to be tried and before
what court and upon what charger?
Then an understood little Teller who
wasn't a farmer by his clothes got up
and moved toward the platform. He
had a bullying out forehead and thin
lips and quick. nervous way about
him.
doctor, speaking in a kind Of shrill
sing song that cut your nerves in that
room full of bottled up excitement like
locust on hot day. You are to
be tried before this self constituted
court of Caucasian citizens-Anglo
forbears were at Runnymede! The
charge against you is stirring up the
negroes Of this community to the point
Of revolt You are accused. sir. OF
representing yourself to them as some
kind of a Moses You are arraigned
hor hn nf no
county and the supremacy Of the eau
caslan race by inspiring In the ne
groes the hope Of equality"
Old Daddy Withers had been setting
back by the door. seen him get ny
and slip out. 1t didn't look to me to
be any place fur gentle old poet.
While that little Teller was making
that charge you could feel the air get
ting ungly, like 1t does before rain
storm.
Some fellers started to clap their
hands IKE at a political rally and to
say, Go it. Billy"' That's right, Har-
denv' Which l found out later Billy
Harden was In the state Legislature
and quite a speaker and knowed it.
Will, the chairman, he pounded down
the applause. and then he says to the
doctor, pointing to Billy Harden:
mo man shall say of us that we did
not give you fair trial and square
DEAL I'm goin' to appoint this gentle
man as your counsel, and I'm goin' to
give you a reasonable time to talk with
him in private and prepare your case.
He is the ablest lawyer in southwest
Georgia and the brightest son Of Wat
son county"
The doctor looks kind Of lazy at
Billy Harden and back agin at Will,
the chairman, and smiles out Of the
oorner of his mouth. Then he says.
sort Of taking In the rest of the crowd
with his remark, like them two stand
ing there paying each other compli-
ments wasn't nothing but joke:
II refuse to recognize you and your
crowd as a court of any kind; that !
know nothing Of the silly accusations
opoipSt mo. that And M reason at a II