The Reluctant Famulus # 83 September/October 2011 Thomas D
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83 The Reluctant Famulus # 83 September/October 2011 Thomas D. Sadler, Editor/Publisher, etc. 305 Gill Branch Road, Owenton, KY 40359 Phone: 502-484-3766 E-mail: [email protected] Contents Introduction, Editor 1 Old Kit Bag, Robert Sabella 4 Indian Battle, Editor 6 News Bits, Editor 7 Rat Stew, Gene Stewart 8 Grave Marker, Editor 10 Serpent Mound, Al Byrd 11 Old Alabama News, Editor 14 Indiana-ania, Matt Howard 15 The Eyes Say It All, Sheryl Birkhead 19 Oh Dear, Matt Howard 22 Things I Discover, Editor 23 Iguanacon,* Taral Wayne 24 Letters of Comment 30 The End, Editor 45 Artwork G. Thomas Doubrley Front cover Helen Davis 11, 12 Kurt Erichsen 4, 8 Brad Foster 38, Back Cover Alexis Gilliland 6, 30, 34, 42 T. D. Sadler 10 (bottom), 21 Spore & Toe Toe Hodges 7, 32, 36, 40, 44 Internet 2, 10 (top) Indianapolis Star 15 (Lcol.), 17, 18 Indiana State Library 15 (R col.) Postcard 16 Taral Wayne 24, 29 * Reprinted from DQ 9, 1978 The Reluctant Famulus is a product of Strange Dwarf Publications. Many of the comments expressed herein are sole- ly those of the Editor/Publisher and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts of any sane, rational persons who know what they are doing and have carefully thought out beforehand what they wanted to say. Material not written or pro- duced by the Editor/Publisher is printed by permission of the various writers and artists and is copyright by them and remains their sole property. Permission is granted to any persons who wish to reprint material presented herein, pro- vided proper and due credit is given both to the author/artist who produced the material and to the original publication in which it appeared. TRF maybe obtained for The Usual but especially in return for written material and artwork, postage costs, The Meaning of Life, , and Editorial Whim. The Reluctant Famulus Introduction: Events We'd Much Rather Forget This introduction deals with an ugly, Patona, Ala., July 12 -- Yesterday unpleasant and cruel but unfortunately pre- evening, about 5 O’clock, as the up passen- valant activity which occurred primarily in ger train on the Selma, Rome and Dalton Rail- the south from the mid-19th century into the road was approaching Cross Plains, Ala. A first third or so of the 20th. I present it as a white boy and a negro got into a fight, and reminder of shameful things we’d much when the train halted the negroes on the ten- rather forget but never should and which we der jumped off and took a hand in the fight, should always strive to avoid forever. The when other white boys and men took part, chilling event was real and occurred in Cal- and the fight became general. At night a par- houn County, Alabama near the city of Cross ty consisting of about a dozen of Wendall Plains. As a note of interest, at the time and Phillips’ children created a sensation and place mentioned, my great-great-grandfather almost a panic, by shooting at persons return- Samuel T. H. Saddler (as they were enumerat- ing from church. Only one lady was slightly ed back in that particular census) and his fam- hurt. The citizens assembled and shot four ily, one member who was my great-grandfa- negroes who refused to surrender. Over one ther James, lived near Cross Plains, as did hundred negroes were arrested. A carpet-bag- Sam’s brother and five sisters (all unmarried, ger named Luke, from Canada, who is teach- by a pact they had made once many years ear- ing a negro school at this place, is under lier). Also interestingly, Levi Mercer and his arrest as being the leader of the negroes in family lived in the general area at the time this murderous assault. Considerable excite- but in Cleburne County. One of Levi Mer- ment during the entire day. The white people cer’s daughters married James E. Sadler and are the masters of the situation and will hold became (eventually) my great-great-grand- the negroes to a strict accountability for their mother. As far as I’m aware, none of them insane folly. Numbers of men are arriving had anything to do with what went on but every hour, fully armed. A sheriff’s posse they must surely have heard about it one way will leave this evening on the train for Rome or another. How they stood on the matter is to arrest the negro ring-leaders who escaped. anyone’s guess. Herewith, The authorities are determined to arrest every negro engaged in the riot, and settle the ques- From: The New York Times, July 19, 1870 tion of white supremacy at once. The Selma paper adds: “Since the above The War of Races in Alabama -- Only a Few was received, we learn from passengers who Negroes Shot — They Were, as Usual, to came down on the road, yesterday, that the Blame [Editor’s note: I’m uncertain if the citizens of Cross Plains arrested all the last six words were meant ironically or not, negroes in that place and in Patona, as well considering that the following news article as the white man Luke, tried them, on Mon- was reprinted in a orthern newspaper.] day, and held the man Luke and four of the negroes, for further examination, and turned The following special appeared in a Sel- them over to the Sheriff for safe keeping. On ma, Alabama, paper: Monday night, a party of armed men took them from the Sheriff and hugh them by the 1 road-side. Another negro who escaped the while their men combated neighbors in the day before, was captured at Prior’s Station streets. The chaos was quieted by Major Bai- and shot. Luke was given time to say his ley, a confederate veteran and a current ad- prayers, and a letter was written to his wife, ministrator at the local school house. Bailey which was found sticking to a post near took measures to turn the prisoners over to where he was hung. The bodied were still the sheriff and the men involved in the con- hanging at noon yesterday. Everything was flict were then escorted down the tree-lined reported as quiet at the Plains. streets of Cross Plains. They were quaran- But that’s not the end of the story. The tined and questioned in the schoolhouse. The following is from a course called: “Rise And instigator, Green Little was nowhere to be Fall of the Slave South”, University of Vir- found. ginia. QUIET AT THE PLAINS: Race Relations, Violence and the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama The morning of July 11, 1870, was much like any other in Patona, Calhoun County, Alabama: quiet. The city's two main roads were still, the farms and fields hot with the summer sun; the rural environment uninter- rupted. The only sound for miles was that of a train barreling down the Rome and Dalton railroad. The events both inside and outside of the train did not reflect the peace and quiet that The local sheriff started his questioning lent itself to Patona. Earlier that morning, a about the incident with William Luke who fight had erupted inside the train between a immediately admitted his role. Luke had sold white boy and a black man. The assault esca- the pistols to the black men of Patona, mak- lated when the train came to a stop at ing him liable for the incident. Witnesses Patona/Cross Plains and others joined in on gathered and a disorganized trial com- the fray. It was not until later in the evening menced. The evening grew dark and the hour that Green Little, a former slave mustered up late, accordingly the trial ceased and was a small army of men to continue the day's scheduled to resume the next day. It was at events at Cross Plains. William Luke, an this late hour, when bystanders had returned Irishman, an immigrant and a Methodist min- to their homes, that local members of the Klu ister did his best to persuade Little not to set- Klux Klan executed a vicious plan. The tle the score. The pistol-toting Little refused Klan, known for their racial hatred and vio- to listen and continued on as the night grew lence, hid armed in the shadows as the prison- dark and sticky with the evening heat. ers settled in for what would be, unbe- Hearing the news of an imminent attack, knownst to them, the last night of their lives. members of the local Methodist Church The Klansmen attacked the prisoners, hit- began to flee. Commotion ensued, bullets ting and dragging them down the street and whipped the wind and gunfire could be heard well across the railroad tracks. The mob- for miles. For 48-hours Cross Plains was in stopped upon reaching the edge of town at distress. Women and children sought safety 2 Prior's Station. Torches lit, ropes in hand, the appealed to the Supreme Court at the next Klansmen prepared to exterminate Luke and term and the sentence suspended. Bailes mur- his black counterparts. Three blacks hanged dered his wife and lynch law was prevented first, followed by two more. Luke was with difficulty when he was first arrested. allowed enough time to write his wife. In his About three thousand people assembled at letter, he claimed he his death was deserved noon today, broke into jail, took Bailes a half and God would certainly forgive him. The mile from town for the purpose of hanging executioners had been quick to kill the black him, but not a man would tie the knot.