The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-05-22

heern de shootin'. He pass straight
by me on de road. and he seem to be
staggerin' lax. He was talkin' to his
sef as he pass whar l was hldih' IN
de brush. He had his pistol swingtn'
in his hand sub. lax a man what was
too excited to put it back after he use
1t. sub"
The prosecuting attorney moved
step nearer the witness. "You saw
that 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 1 done see you dis hyar
minnit, subj"
"Did you recognize him."
"Yass. sub. knowed him soon's l
set eyes on his face, sub"
do you see him In this courtroom
now?"
"Yass. sub"
"Point him out to the jury, Abe"
The negro, now feeling treasured, lev
eled his black finger at Tom Strickland
drama ically. The eyes Of the two, the
white man and the black, met, each
holding the others as If fascinated.
In those of the witness there was a
sort Of histrionic relish Of the value of
the situation tempered by a latent ap-
prehension. In those Of the accused
there was a strange and pitiful per
plexity.
"Dass him, suh," spoke the witness.
"Hit was Mistah Tom Strickland what
l seen passin' me on dat ar road, sub.
Lawdy massey! done know him since
he want mon knee high to duck,
subj"
There was a sudden stir throughout
the courtroom, movement Of tense
excitement, followed by a sinister hush
AFTER you saw and recognized this
man." said the prosecuting attorney
what happened then?"
II laid right dar 'twell he done gone
out o. sight, sub. He was a-goin' in to-
ards town, and done keep my eyes
on him 'tweI he turn ben in de road
and I CANT see him no mo-. Den
wait 'twcll I sho' he amt a-comin
back After dat, got up and started
on my way, keepin' in de shadow side
O. de road"
Again the witness paused.
"Well?" asked the prosecuting attor
ney. "Tell the jury what happened
then, Abe"
The witness shuffled uneasily in his
chair something Of awe in his blacb
face.
"l-1 had come purity nigh to de hoe
path whar was to strike off inter dc
bottom lands" he resumed, when
stumbled ovah sumpin a-layin' on dc
groun', part in de road and part In dc
grass side o de road"
He wiped his face with his opel
palm. Hit was a man." he said-anG
then, his voice solemn-"and de NAL
was dead. He been shot. seen dc
place whar he shot-right in de head
, 'twix' de eyes, only des III bit high
er up. When l stumble ovah him ant
nigh fall I stretch out my hand, dowr
lax, and hit tech de place whar ht
been shot and got all bloody"
The negro shuddered.
Did you see the face Of this man"
, asked the prosecuting attorney.
"Yass, subj"
did you recognize it,"
"Yass, subj
} "Abram," said the prosecuting attor
ney. tell the jury who the dead man
was whose body you thus found and
whose face you saw and recognized"
Hit was young Mistah Stamford
Tucker" the witness made answer
II knowed him. sub. dess as we'll as
know Mistah Tom Strickland settfn
right hyar TO my eyes, subj
The prosecuting attorney waited
moment, his shrewd eyes studying the
; faces Of the jurors.
"Abe." he asked, why didn't you al
} once report the finding Of Stamford
fuckers dead body and the seeing OF
Thomas w. Strickland, pistol in hand
as he came away from the spot where
that body lay?"
' The witness shook his head stubborn
: ly. "'Twan't none o. my business
subj" he replied. Hits a mighty foo
: niger what goes mixin' hiss'ef up in 8
shootin' scrape 'twix' two white gent
nun. sub I was skeered ter do it, sui
, 1dass why-and dess pick up my feel
and make tracks fas' as could tt
whar my camp in de bottom lands was
sub. And you amt heern no wu'd
'bout'n what I seen, and you amt had
/ me fetched to yo' Office, 'cept'n was
fool ernuf1 ter tell dat ar ole lsr'e
, FAINT what l run ercross down In d.
, bottom lands, suh!'
The states attorney turned to thu
, counsel for the defense. "You NAL
take the Witness" he said.
. A searching cross examination failet
J., to weaken in any respect the testimo
ny Just given. At its conclusion Majo
Gentry Dryden whispered earnestl!
with Colonel Bill Strickland.
1t was plainly dispirited and hope
less conference. Colonel Strickland
leaned back YEARLY at the end.
1T can't make any difference" h
oouttoro1 sadly sHThov'vo pOf the ROM