Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-03-31
THE

By OSCAR o

N1ncucOtCly ACLoAASo aAtCA tAC 0lIcA
der to his plantation and e~ndeayored
n restore it to something like order.
The fences had been burned for camp
Ares: the outhouses had been torn
aown for lumber with which to build
temporary quarters for the sick and
tered.
few, it is true, remained, but they
we're so old as to be useless. Freedom
m them meant a reliance ON them
elves at the close of their lives to
yhich they had never been accustom-
ID. They chung to the old plantation
because 1t was home. The young own
ar made them as comfortable as he
could, but to provide food and clothing
for them was no easy matter.
James Lynch, a former overseer, had
aayed money and when Colonel Ether
EDGE needed a loan had taken a mort
age on the plantation for funds ad-
yanced. Now hat the new south was
opening he was DESTROYS of taking the
moperty to himself and running it on
the free labor principle. There being
long accumulation Of unpaid interest,
he went to the owner and demanded 1t.
Etheredge asked for time. Lynch re-
fused. Etheredge, knowing that his
creditor was indebted to the colonel,
his father, for all that he was, re-
preached him angrily. There was a
quarrel, and Etheredge knocked the ex-
oyerseer down. Lynch sued Etheredge
for assault.
The only witness of the scuff1e was
Moses, a white haired old darky
whom Lynch summoned for the prose-
cution. When Moses took the stand he
laid a trembling hand ON the rail be-
fore him and looked at the assembly
mildly.
uncle Noses" said the prosecutor,
where were you on the Goth of June
last, the day that Mr.. Lynch visited
MI. E%theredge and a quarrel occurred
between them?'
Don't know no sech pusson."
There he is" pointing to Lynch.
dat no Mr.. Lynch. Dat Jim Lynch
UUCl DCCl. We doCo " Ndh al
heart Lynch"
Never mind what you used to cali
him. Tell us what you saw on the day
he visited the Etheredge plantation"
Il saw de oberseer come on to de
veranda, and Mars Etheredge he come
out to meet him. Lynch he say to
Mars Etheredge, L want ma money
what / loan de cunnel.' Mars Ether
edge he say: 'Fust thing / got to do
Is git some salt polk and con pOne TO-
de helpless niggers wot's too ole f0'
wO'k. Ma fadder TUX yo' in when yo'
war starvin' and paid yo' big wages
fO'"-
II didn't ask you what was said. I
asked you what was done," interrupted
the lawyer, endeayoring by his severe
tone to overaWe the witness.
"How 1 gwine tole yo' wot war did
befo' l tole yo' wot war said?'
did you see Mr.. Etheredge strike
Nh. Lynch?"
mo, sab. l didn't see no fight be-
tween de oberseer and Mars Ether
edge"
Eyes, you did. You were there when
1t occurred"
Il seen somp'n goin' ON between
Mars Etheredge and dat low down
poo white trash oberseer."
what did you seer
II sor Mars Etheredge point de fin
ger OBJ soon at de oberseer and say de
Cunnel sabe him from starvin' y
stop there. If you don't tell me
what you saw and not what you heard
I'll ask his honor to commit you for
Contempt of court"
me fo' contempt O. nuttin' but dat
mis'able specimen OBJ poo white trash,
Jim Lynch"
By this time the faces of the jury
and the spectators wore a broad grin,
the witness looked placid and the
Prosecutor very much embarrassed.
be would have dismissed the witness.
out he was the only person who saw
his client knocked down, and he must
either make him so testify or lose the
- 1CtdihCo thC nOlhy Ddt
~persuadingly or, rather, strategically:
Uncle Remus, did you ever see a
man knocked DOWN."
What data"
Like this" The lawyer drew back
Dis arm and struck the air.
No, sab. I nebber sor a mar do
lutt1n' like dat"
Tell me-remember you are under
@th-did you not see Mr.. Etheredge
10 that to James Lynch?"
No, sab! Mars Etheredge got sump'n
letter to do dan swingin' de am ag'in
de wind"
This was too much for the specta-
"rs, who burst into a roar. Etheredge
poke a few words to his counsel, who
rose and said:
Your honor, my client has request
"a me to refuse to proceed further in
us case. If convicted he will pay
whatever fine your honor chooses 70