USA > Tennessee > Old times in West Tennessee : reminiscences, semi-historic, of pioneer life and the early emigrant settlers in the Big Hatchie country > Part 16
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"Now, Mr. Chairman," he said, "I will make a motion that will engage the attention of this Court."
Suiting his action to his words, he let fly at the Chairman's head. He dodged and fell under the Judge's bench, the brick shattering the window- glass behind him. The Major let fly another, and another, at the associate members of the Court, un- til his pockets were emptied. In the meantime, the " Mr. Chairman," who lisped badly, was all the while crying out to his associates :
"Lah loh, boyth, lah loh, all on you! He'll hit thom ou you, if you don't lah loh."
The Major, after exhausting his ammunition, re- tired in good order, but the Court, apprehending his return with another pocket full of bats, ordered the Sheriff to adjourn Court, and they left the bench enjoying the last "motion."
"The Moody Case," occurring several years later, in which the Major figured, was the last case of any note in which he was connected. The case is mem- orable for the interest and excitement it produced in the county. It occurred in the days that Murrell and his clansmen figured, and Moody was regarded
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as one of the clan. As now remembered, it was ra prima facie case, under the law, of negro stealing. . A negro man; belonging to a highly respectable and worthy citizen of the county, Egbert Shephard, Esq., was missing from his master's premises. Whether decoyed off or "run away," was a question soon solved in the minds of the people, by the negro being caught in a watermelon patch somewhere best tween where his owner lived and the Mississippi river, and Moody, who had been "spotted," found upon the premises. The negro was brought back, and lodged in jail for safe-keeping, until the sup- posed negro stealer could be apprehended. Lan- guage is tame to say the county and town was in a blaze of excitement. The popular mind was in fever heat previous to the occurrence of this case. Negro stealing was becoming common, and the in- stitution was becoming menaced and threatened in divers ways ; so it was not long before Moody was brought for trial. The gathering ou the Public Square that day was large, and the excitement and indignation surpassed anything that occurred before or since. The old and best men of the county were there ready to participate in anything that was nec- essary to be done, whether to hang the offender, or to keep him from being hung, without judge or jury. But, alas! for the offended law, proof of the right sort was lacking. Negro proof was not legal, and it was the only kind of testimony in proof of his guilt that could be offered. Yet in the minds and consciences of every one he was guilty. He plead not guilty, however-stood up with a bold
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and defiant mien, and challenged proof before the men of the law of the land and God ! He vowed that he neither knew the negro by sight, nor did the negro know him.
It was arranged to put his avowed innocence to the test. The populace formed a ring, in the mid- dle of which a number of men known to be stran- gers to the negro, together with Moody, was left standing. The negro was brought out of jail, and turned loose, and told to go in the crowd and find the white man who had decoyed him away from his master's premises. He passed in through the outer circle, and up to where Moody, with a dozen men, were standing, and, to the amazed astonishment of the would-be innocent accused, laid his black hand upon his shoulder and announced him to be the man. A scene ensued that beggars description.
Moody winced and wilted, while the populace with one voice announced him guilty. He was then taken in the court-room, and before the committing magistrates, the owner of the negro having made affidavit, and of necessity was the prosecutor. Maj. Hess had engaged to defend him. The court-room was jammed with the intensely excited and indignant citizens. In the meantime many of the old and young heads were in council on the other side. Negro testimony not being admissible under the law, and no other tangible proof at hand or likely to be found, the wise heads concluded that a trial before the courts would result in a failure, if not a farce, and resolved, upon his being discharged by the magistrates, to take the case in their own hands.
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Upon the resolution being taken they proceeded to. the court-room and awaited the action of the magis trates, who, upon their being no proof or witnesses produced, dismissed the suit against the offender. The court-room filled to overflowing-every man a wit- ness in his own heart and conscience of the guilt of the prisoner. To see him discharged, to go hence without day, was grievously vexing. Just then a dozen or more of the leading bold spirits of the day rushed in with pistols in hand, leaping the outer railing, seized the culprit, and took him in their hands. The gallant Major, who had stood in his defense under the law, and who, by nature and in- stinct, was averse to the use of deadly weapons, gathered up his law books and announced to the new regime. that he did not practice in their court.
The " case" was then opened upon a new hearing. The people threw themselves into a committee of the whole, upon their original sovereign rights, and drew from among themselves a panel of twenty-five jurors, before whom Moody was arraigned and put upon his trial. Sundry speeches and harrangues were made, inflammable and conservative. The drift of conscience sentiment was inflexibly that Moody was the veritable man, and a full verdict of "guilty" was rendered by the twenty-five citizen jurors. Failing to fix the penalty for so grave an offence, and being for the most part in favor of hanging, they recommended that another jury be drawn, composed of twelve of the most conserva- tive and discreet citizens, who should fix the pen-
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alty, which was done, and constituted a part of the original proceedings.
According to the finding of the jury of his peers, the jury of twelve pronounced sentence according to the North Carolina laws; " that he be taken out and receive a given number of lashes upon his bare back, and be branded upon his left cheek with the letter 'R,' and required to put the Mississippi river or some other State line between himself and the State of Tennessee, within the twenty-four hours next ensuing." The sentence was fully executed, and Moody went according to the requirements of the people, acting in their sovereign capacity, and the "Moody Case" became history.
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CHAPTER XII.
The First Steamboat-The Denizens of Haywood Gather on the Bank of the Big Hatchie to see it-Valentine Sevier, the Wit and Humorist of Brownsville -- Cox, the Postmaster-Old Herring Boncs-The Young Horse, Trader.
"Old times" in Haywood is memorable for many amusing incidents, anecdotes and "good things." Among the most amusing, and yet remembered with a lively interest, occurred on the appearance of the first steamboat that came up the Big Hatchie. Her coming was heralded over the county several days in advance, and the day she would be at the Brownsville landing named. All the men, women and children that.could muster a horse or a go-cart (and many walked), turned out "to a man." A big circus or a general muster never drew a larger assem- blage of people than was assembled on the banks of the Big Hatchie on that memorable day to see the first steamboat.
From Brownsville they had gone in procession order, with banners flying, led by the orator of the day, Major Hess, who had been chosen to welcome the Captain and his steamer, the Red Rover, in an appropriate speech. The day was propitious, and everybody that could go was there and in waiting. Every available twig, limb, sappling or stake, from
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the river bank for many yards back, was put in requisition to hitch and fasten the horses to.
For miles below the "puff" of the boat was heard. With steam up to the highest gauge, and every pound turned on, she came up " booming."
Along the river bank, on the bluff, and every available place for getting a sight, was crowded; many, for want of standing room, and to get a bet- ter view, got up into the trees. As the boat neared the landing, the press and anxiety to see-to get the first sight-became intense. Amid shouts and yells she hove in sight, turning the bend below with the last inch of steam turned in her cylinder, driving her keel through the swift waters of the Big Hatchie, to the amazing delight of the hundreds of anxious, throbbing hearts that stood upon the bank. '
The dexterous pilot, judging well the place of landing as indicated by where the largest crowd was standing, with flying banners brought her to in a blaze of glory amid shouts of welcome. Run- ning out her head and spring lines she was made fast. The populace pressed in close to get a better sight, as well as to hear the speech of welcome. Just then the engineer raised his valves and let off steam, and the scene that ensued beggars all description. Men, women and children broke as for dear life, some shrieking and screaming amid the deafening noise of the blowing-off sham, which had reached its culminating point in the boilers. The frightened horses had broken loose, where they could, and were tearing helter skelter through the woods and up the road, and those that could not break loose were
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rearing, pitching and dancing around the trees and places that held them. Everything looked as though the devil had broke out of his harness. Many were so badly frightened that they did not stop running or look back until they were out of breath, and the frightened horses never stopped until they got home.
The imagination of the reader may run riot in picturing himself such a scene as is here attempted to be described, which occurred in real life forty- five years ago. Not one in thirty of those who were there that day ever saw a steamboat, or knew anything about them save through scraps in the newspapers describing the horrible "blowing up" and destruction of life. It may be said that the "let-off steam" of the boats in those days was in- comparably louder than now, and was as frightening then as a "blow up" would be now.
The reception proceedings were broken up for that day. The Captain and his officers were tendered a dinner at Brownsville the next day, where the Cap- tain was welcomed and toasted. A cotemporary of "old times" promised to furnish a copy of Major Hess' eloquent speech on that occasion, which is yet preserved. It is to be regretted that it could not be obtained, together with the proceedings of that memorable day, and find a place in these pages.
Life, when viewed through the dim vista of by- gone days with attending incidents, often appears as a curious piece of fiction wrought from a feverish, dreamy brain. The boys who walked four or siv miles (survivors of that vast gathering) to see the first steamboat, whose quick and elastic step is now
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touched by gout or stiffened by the long walk of time, yet retain a lively recollection of the amusing incidents and scenes of that day, while little hillocks and white stones mark what remains of the middle- aged and old, save the fond memories of affection and love.
Valentine Sevier, a wit, humorist and practical joker of no mean order, yet lives in the memories of "old times in Brownsville." A decendant of the old stock of Seviers, who began life in Tennes- see when it was "the State of Franklin, he inher- ited his full share of the genius of his forefathers, with the wit of his mother. Brave and generous, life with Vol was ever in the merry sunshine.
The town was never out of a joke-a fresh one for every day when times were dull-during his residence in it; the old and young came in for a measure of his wit. His manner, so frank and can- did, yet grave and intensely pious when need be, that the victim of his jokes of yesterday, would fall into his trap set for him the next day. An old and respected citizen was F. S. Cox, long the postmaster at Brownsville. Cox had his personality, border- ing on excentricities. Kind-hearted and generously submissive to whatever of fun that grew out of a joke practiced upon him, he not unfrequently con- ceived himself the real personage of a witty pun, or become seriously affected in imagination, by an inno- cent and harmless incident. So unsuspecting was his generous nature, that he often became a victim to Vol's jokes. Among the many amusing jokes perpretrated upon him, the following, in some
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degree, illustrates the man. One August afternoon he was returning from his dinner, when near the public square, he came to a little white fice dog and another little dog grining and growling at each other on the sidewalk. In passing, they were ind his way; he gave the little white fellow a rough shove with his foot, when the little dog turned and grabbed him by the calf of his leg, pinching him a little. Passing on, he paid no further attention to it. Vol Sevier was standing in Charley Guyger's store door and saw it. Picking up a double-barrel shot gun that set near, he sliped out the back door, and made his way around through an alley, and came up in a hurried walk to where Cox was just joining a crowd in front of the postoffice, inquiring aloud, as he came up, if any one had seen a little white fice dog. Passing up to Cox, he said:
" Mr. Cox, did you see anything of a little white fice dog on your way down from dinner?"
" Yes," says Cox, "if he belongs to you, Vol, you'll find him down there," pointing to where he had seen him.
"No," says Vol, "he is not mine, but I am after him to kill him; he is mad !"
" Mad! did you say ?" says the postmaster, gath- ering up his leg-" mad did you say ?- hydrophobia! hydrophobia!" he cried out, jumping upon one leg, holding on to the other until he reached the nearest seat. "Tench, Tench, my son, I am bitten by a mad-dog, my son. Oh! hydrophobia! hydrophobia! run my sou for the doctor, and tell him I am bitten by a mad-dog."
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Tench obeyed, and the postmaster hobbled in the back room, holding on to his bitten leg. In the meantime Vol slipped around and intercepted the doctor, and gave him the cue. The friends of Cox had gathered around him, not suspecting the joke, and wanted to see where and how he had been bitten.
"No," said Cox, holding on to the calf of his leg with both of his hands, "wait until the doctor comes."
The doctor soon came in with a smile in his eye. Cox related to him the manner and how he was bitten, laying himself flat of his back on a cot for the doctor to examine his leg. His pantaloons were carefully drawn off, his drawers turned up above his knee, and the doctor went to work to examine the fatal bite.
" Whereabouts is it," says the doctor.
"Right there," says Cox, putting his hand on the calf of his leg.
"Well," says the doctor, "take your hand away, and let me examine it."
The doctor looked and examined, but could find no bite or sign of a dog's tooth.
" Why, Cox, there must be some mistake. There is no mark of a dog's tooth on this leg."
" Yes he did bite me, and that must be the leg; it was the nearest to him-there is no mistake about it, I am bitten by a mad-dog. I am sure that I am bitten, for I felt it when Vol Sevier told me the dog was mad."
" Who told you the dog was mad?" says the doctor, with a grip upon his risable.
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" Vol Sevier; he was after him with a double- barrel."
The doctor could hold in no longer, bursting into a laugh, he said :
" Why, Cox, you are only bitten by one of Vol's jokes, there is no sign of a dog bite on your leg.",
The good-natured postmaster realizing the hoaks, dressed himself and joined his friends in the joke,
Vol played a joke off on old Robin, a notable character of "old times" in Brownsville. Robin was familiarly known as "Old Herring Bones," an appellation he inherited from his native State, North Carolina. His early raising was near the herring shoals of the old North State. He indignantly re- sented the slam upon his nativity. Known and respected for his age and fidelity to his owners, he became a sort of free man about town and a privileged character. The old negro swore like a trooper; and when provoked his tongue knew no' bounds. Robin always walked with a long staff- sometimes it would be a corn-stalk. When the boys about town would find Robin with his corn- stalk, they would poke fun at him by calling him "Old . Herring Bones;" when he would lose his self-command, and chase them to the school-room, or some safe place of retreat. Robin claimed revo- lutionary honors-that he served, with his old master, Macon, in the Revolutionary War. He was brought to Haywood by George Jordan, stepson of Colonel Nixon, and last belonged to Colonel Mans- field Ware, who, venerating his age and past faithful services, allowed him great latitude about town.
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On one occasion he bought for Robin the cloth for a fine suit of clothes, and told him to take it over to Eddings' tailor shop and get Mr. Eddings to take his measure and cut them out, and his mistress would have them made. Robin took the cloth and walked across the square to Eddings' shop. Mr. Eddings was out. Vol Sevier happened to be in the shop at the time.
Robin, after waiting some time, began to get im- patient for Eddings to return. Vol inquired of him what he wanted with Eddings. Robin told him that the Colonel had bought him cloth for a suit of clothes, and sent him to Mr. Eddings to have his measure taken and the suit cut out.
" Well," says Vol, "Robin, if you are in a hurry I can take your measure, and when Mr. Eddings comes in he can cut them out."
"What ! you tailor, Vol Sevier ? You no tailor; no, sir; can't spile this cloth, that you won't."
" But," says Vol, "Robin, I can take your mcast re and the tailor will do the cutting."
Vol's manner of speech became convincing, and removed old Robin's doubts as to his ability to take his measure. He finally consented, if he would be in a hurry and do it quick, as the Colonel would be waiting for him.
" Well," says Vol, "take off' your coat and vest." Robin did as he was told.
"Now take off your pants and shirt, Robin," says Vol.
Robin faltered, and began to doubt whether Vol knew what he was about. Vol soon convinced him,
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however, that he did, and he consented to take off everything he had, if Vol would only be in a hurry and let him off quick.
The old negro denuded himself of his shirt and breeches.
"Now," says Vol, "Robin, get up on this broad table; it was made for the purpose." Robin did as he was told.
"Now lay flat on your back."
Robin obeyed as a medium in the hands of a mes- merizer.
Vol straightened and fixed Robin's legs and arms, and taking a piece of chalk commenced taking bis measure. Beginning at Robin's head, he traced around and down his neck to his shoulder, then down his arm and round up to his arm-pit, then down his body and around his hip down to his heel, thence up the inside of the leg and down the other leg to the heel, thence up the other side as before to the beginning.
Just as he was making the finishing mark, Colonel Ware stepped to the door and asked for Robin. The old negro raised himself up in a sitting posture. The Colonel, comprehending in a moment what Vol had been at, commenced scolding Robin for allowing himself to be made a fool of by Vol Sevier. Robin, realizing his situation all in a moment, commenced cursing Vol, jumped off the bench, and gathered his long staff. Vol, understanding old Robin when he thought fun was being poked at him, leaped out of the front door and "Old Herring Bones" after him, and the Colonel calling to old Robin to come
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back and put on his clothes, an old fool, and go home.
It was several months before Vol Sevier would let old Robin get within reach of him.
" Old times" in Brownsville had its tailors, sad- dlers, tanners, ginmakers, and shoemakers, but was without a barber. The tailors, on account of their handling the scissors well, were often called on to do the hair-cutting; sometimes the dexterous young clerks, who always had sharp scissors, were called on. Vol in his kind offices toward his fel- low-man, learned to handle the scissors, and was regarded as the best hair-cutter in town, and was often called upon when he was not in the humor for the job. It was only his partial friends, and they were many, that he would barberize.
There came to Haywood, most every fall, a hand- some young man from Middle Tennessee, trading in horses and mules. He had made the acquaintance of the young men about town, and, withal, was an agreeable young man, and a pleasant companion. He dressed well, rode a fine horse, and always had money in his pocket. He was admitted into society-just enough to admit of his making the acquaintance of a few young ladies.
His hair needed cutting very much ; learning that Vol was an expert hair-cutter, he hunted him up. Vol, with a half dozen or more gentlemen of 12
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leisure, were sitting under the shade trees, before Welch's tavern, when the young man came up. Approaching him, he said :
" Mr. Sevier, I learn from your friends in town that you are in the habit of cutting hair, and that you are the best cutter in town; will you cut mine ?" Vol threw his humorous laughing eye upon the handsome young trader for a moment before replying.
" I hope I am not mistaken in the gentleman; your friend Mr. Cox, the postmaster, pointed you out to me, and told me you were the best hair-cut- ter in town, and that you would cut it for me."
Vol had decided, telling the young man to go over to Eddings' tailor shop, and get a pair of scissors. The evening was pleasant, and by the time the young horse-trader returned with the scissors, the crowd under the shade trees had increased in num- bers. The young man returned, his face beaming with delight. Camp-meeting was going on out at the camp-ground, and he wanted to look his best the next day. Vol rose and fixed his chair for the young man to sit in, who, taking off his coat, fixed himself straight up and was ready for the operation.
Vol pulled off his coat, and commenced without asking him how he wanted it cut. His hair was long and bushey, and inclined to be redish. Vol combed it out straight, parting it in the middle from his
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forehead to the nape of his neck, and commenced on one side where it was parted, and worked down to his ear. As the scissors clipped off the last long lock on that side, the crowd around looking on, began to giggle and snigger. The young man, devining that it was something about his head they were amusing themselves at, put his hand up to the barberized side, and feeling no hair, he bursted out into a rage of flaming words, jumped up and swore that it was an outrage-"that he had rather than the price of his fine horse, not to have had his head ruined." Vol, in his bland manner, without a smile, while the bystanders were in a roar of laugh- ter, persuaded the young man that his hair was not " ruined," and before he cut the other side, to walk in the public room of the tavern, where he would find a looking glass, and he would see that it was not "ruined."
The young trader took him at his word; went in and saw himself in the glass, as others had seen him. He grew furious and uncontrolable; swore and cursed at Sevier, and everybody else, but par- ticularly at Cox, for recommending him as a hair- cutter.
He swore "if anybody would fight him, he would fight the whole town."
All the while Vol kept his face unwrinkled, per- suading the young man, who had become wild with
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passion, to take his seat and let him finish the job.
But no! he would not. He vowed that "he should not put his hand on his head again or cut another hair."
The joke had taken rather deep root, and seemed likely to become serious. However, Vol possessed great fertility of expedient, and he was bound to work out of it. Few men knew better the workings of the human passions. A master performer exer- cised not more power over his instrument than he did in mastering the springs of fecling and thought of his subject, or with whom it was his wont to play. His joke had taken well, and he was willing that it should go forth as a preventive to future annoyances in the way of hair-cutting. Letting the young trader rage and fume until the mirthful crowd were satisfied (which satisfied him), remaining all the while without a wrinkle or reflex from his face to show that it was purposed, he threw his en- chanting coils around his green subject, and seated him again, for the other side of his head to be done likewise; and when finished, convinced the owner of a well shaved head that it became him admira- bly, which was attested by those around turning their mirth into admiration of his dexterity in handling the scissors.
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