Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1943-06-05
MA T I'VE:
SON
BY RICHARD WRIGHT

she tried to get out of that air.
shaft, but she couldn't. She froze
to death. We got the brick you hit
her with We got the blanket and
the quilt and the pillows you took
from her room. We got the letter
from her purse she had written to
you and hadn't mailed, a letter
telling you she didn't want to go
through with trying to collect ran
som money. You see, boy, we got
you Come on, tell me all obout it.
Bigger said nothing. He buried his
face in his hands.
You raped her, didn't you? Well
if you won't tell about Bessie. then
tell me me about that woman you
RAPID and choked to death over on
University Avenue last fall"
Was the man trying to scare him
or Gid he really think he had Done
other killings?
boy, you might just as we'll tell
me We've got a line on all you
ever did. And how about the girl
you attacked in Jackson Park last
summer? Listen, boy, when you
were in your cell sleeping and
wouldn't talk, we brought women
in to identify you. Two women
swore complaints against you One
was the sister Of the woman you
killed last fall. Mrs. Clinton. The
other woman. Miss Ashton, says
you attacked her last summer by
climbing through the window of
her bedroom.
eel amt bothered no woman last
summer or last fall either bigger
said
Miss Ashton identified you. She
swears you're the one
IT don't know nothing about it
But Mrs. Clinton, the sister Of the
woman YOU killed last fall, came to
your cell and pointed you out.
Who'll believe YOU when you say
didn't do it? You killed and raped
two women in two DAYS; who'll be-
Heve YOU when you say you didn't
rape and kill the others? Come on
boy. You haven't a chance holding
out
Il dent know nothing about other
women. Bigger repeated stubbornly.
Bigger wondered how much did
the man really know Was he lying
about the other women in order to
get him to tell about Mary and Bes-
sic? Or were ti1ev really trying to
pin other crimes upon him?
boy, when the newspapers get
hold Of what we've got on YOU,
you're cooked. I'm not the one who's
doing this. The Police Department
is digging up the dirt and bringing
it to me. Why don't YOU talk? Did
you kill the other women? Or did
somebody make you do it? Was
Jan in this business? Were the Reds
helping you? You're a fool if Jan
was mixed up in this and you wont
tell"
Bigger shifted his feet and listen
ed to the faint clang of another
street car passing. The man leaned
forward caught hold Of Bigger's
arm and sopke while shaking him.
you're hurting nobody but YOUR
self holding out like this. boyi Tell
me were Mary, Bessie, MIS-. Gin
toms sister, and Miss Ashton the
only women you raped or killed."
The words burst out of Bigger:
= never heard of nc Miss Clin-
ton or Miss Ashton before!'
Didn't YOU attack a, girl in Jack
son Park last summer"
New"
Didn't you climb through win
dow out in Englewood last fall and
rape womar?"
Nav; nawl I tell you I didn't"
you're not telling the truth, boy.
Lying WON'T get you anywhere"
'T am telling the truth"
Whose idea was the kidnap note?
JAMS?
"He didn't have nothing to do
with it." Bigger said, feeling a keen
desire on the mans part to have
him implicate Jan.
whats the use of holding out,
boy? Make it easy for yourself
Why not talk and get it over
with? They knew he was guilty.
They could prove it. If he did not
talk. then they would say he had
committed every crime they could
think Of.
boy, why didn't you and your
pals rob BIum's store like you'd
planned to last Saturday."
Bigger looked at him in surprise.
They had found that out too