ave him
the privilege of moving into the house he now occupies, near the
stockade that enclosed the hospital buildings; that afterwards Captain
Rench gave him the privilege of clearing off the ground east of the
stockade and raising a crop; that he hired hands and cleared and fenced
about fifteen acres; that his wife and children helped to raise a crop;
that after it was "laid by," Mr. Crawford, who claims the land, called
on him and demanded rent, that he also called on Lewis Williams, Howard
Ingraham, and Butler Johnson, who were raising crops around the
stockades by permission of Captain Rench, and demanded rent, that Mr.
Crawford called upon us four, with Mr. B. B. Dikes and Esquire Souber,
and compelled us to sign a written contract, which they had prepared,
that each of us four would pay forty bushels of corn each for rent; that
he (Williams) was unable to pay the forty bushels of corn, but did pay
ten dollars in money, ten bushels of corn which he gathered and hauled
to Mr. Dikes' crib, for which he was allowed fifteen dollars in rent.
None of the four men were able to pay the forty bushels of corn; but Mr.
Crawford brought the Bailiff, John Law, and took what corn he could, and
a sow and pig from Howard Ingraham. All these men but me have left their
places that they had cleared and fenced, because they could not pay such
rent, and Mr. Crawford has put the places in charge of Mr. Souber, and
brought him two males to cultivate the grounds. Mr. Williams states that
twice the stockade has been set on fire in the night, and he and his
boys have toted water and put it out.

Mr. Williams states that Mr. Souber came to his house some two or three
weeks ago, and told him he must get out of the house and leave the
place, that he had charge of it now, that he was going to fence in the
grounds and raise a crop in and around the stockade, and that he would
not let any body live there but those that worked the place. That some
time after this Mr. Souber sent him word by Bob Stevens that he had
rented the place to him, and that he must get out or Mr. Souber would
have him put out by the Sheriff, Mr. Raiford; that Mr. Stevens and his
wife have both been to his house several times with this message from
Mr. Souber; that last Saturday (January 23, 1869,) his wife told him
that Mr. Souber came to his house while he was away and told her we must
get out by Monday night or he would bring the Sheriff and have us put
out. Mr. Williams