Year: 1876

ter move before you go don't know what may
happen to your things before you get back" She
came-the daughter stayed to cook for white fam
ily While she was away one day. their home was
burned to the ground The daughter ran to the
house, hoping to save a few things, but it was
so thoroughly afre, to use her own expression,
"She did not enough TO wrap round a finger
nail. Ma, not been out half an hour, and lef no
fire but Goals covered up. l never see house burn
so; there must have been kerosene all over the floor,
1t was fire all over" As write, this much-injured
woman sits by. sitting the tears as she tells how
"all my dresses and bed-clothes, and nice white
cOunterpanes, for wanted to live like white folks
and dishes and glasses are burnt up / went to hunt
in the ashes for twelve dollars in silver 1 had but
could find none;" and then with smOthered sob:
never did no harm to the white folks why did
they do such to me 7 thought to come up here and
tell what they wanted to know and had seen, but
by the time was done talking here, word came my
house done burnt up"


Let me say here, il takes brave women and
courageous to leave home and give testimony
imphcating the whites. They know the risk to life
and property Is it likely they would do it for the
pay of witness, as some assertf Many who came
from EllentOn and Rouses Bridge have not dared to
go back, thus losing much of their crop. The wife
of 10, whose husband was killed, will most likely
lose the pay for her own and her husbands
labor since January. They worked together in
the cotton-field happy in their Young love, and
were to give share to the landowner. Alas she
Is not there, and all are afraid to demand justice for
her, so he is gathering it ALL She is too valuable
witness to be permitted to return though, she
said to me, with that pathos so peculiar to
the race, al pray the Lord to suffer me to 60 to
court and tell the truth, and if their deeds don't
condemn them they may co. Then if want TO go
back to my people am going; and if they kill me
for telling the truth, they may do it my husband
died for the truth, and am not afraid to die"
make no appeal, but if any wish to contribute
to the support of the woman whose house
was burned or assist the young widow
with her unborn child, / will receive and
deliver anything that may be forwarded to me.
have questioned the blacks closely TO get the ex-
act truth. and as / want to be equally just, will
state that l told two of the large landowners
Whose names would like TO give refused to allow
the companies of armed men to ride through their
plantations One had his dining-room full of the
colored men on his place. who there for safety.


Since writing my other letter have received so
many letters from friends and strangers, showing
such great sympathy and strong desire to know the
exact truth that my duties will scarcely allow time
for answering all. ] appreciate and am thankful
for the sympathy. made these outragcs known for
the sake of truth, and because my highest education
has been TO do my duty, leaving the result to God.
During my twelve years of teaching in this
State have always advocated the right of a man
to be a Democrat, and that he should be unmoested
in his opinion; but l wish with my whole heart
hundreds of Northern Democrats would como South
with the purpose of finding the truth. Humanity,
Justice and the honor Of our nation demand that the
weak as well as the strong should be protected.
There are many more deeds as terrible as those
have related, and these will doubt be proved
when the United States Court meets Sincerely and
respectfully, MARTHA SCHoFIELD.
Aiken, 5. c., Nov. 26, 1876.