made
an oath to Almighty God that if he was elected, he'd never betray his
trus'. In one of his speeches he said: "I hope God 'ill paralize me
should I do as others have done." He was elected an' never see the
Congress. One white man from Orangeburg, Samuel Dibbin, bought him out.
An' three weeks later McKinley took a stroke that carry him to a' early
grave. James Wright, a Negro judge of Charleston in 1876 sol' out for
ten thousand dollars--a dime of which he hasn't receive' yet. He 'cross
the bridge an' stay in a' ole house an' die there. The Probate Judge, A.
Whipper, refused to give up the books of Judge Wright to the white man
he sell out to. Judge Whipper went in Beauford jail an' die there 'cause
he wouldn't give up the books. Wright kept such a poor record that Judge
Whipper was ashamed to have them expose', an' that's why he didn't give
up the books. Henry Smalls, owner of the Smalls Lot on Comin' Street was
Second Lieutenant on the Police Force. Henry Fordham was Second
Assistant Lieutenant. Captain James Williams, Third Assistant Lieutenant
who become Captain of the Military Department an' forme' the Carolina
Light Infantry which was recogniz' 'til Ben Tillman call' them on the
Green an' take their guns.

I was janitor at Benedict College in Columbia for two years an' at
Clafflin in Orangeburg for twelve. The Presidents under which I worke'
was: Allen Webster, grandson of the dictionary maker; J.C. Cook; an' Dr.
Duntin.

Now all that is pass' an I'm livin' from han' to mouth. The banks took
all my money an' I can't work. I do the collectin' for my lan'lord an'
he give me a room free. If it wasn't for that I don't know what I'd do.

=Source:=

Interview with Elijah Green, 156 Elizabeth Street, Charleston, S.C.

Project 1885-1
FOLKLORE
Spartanburg, Dist. 4
Sept. 7, 1937

Edited by:
Elmer Turnage

STORIES OF EX-SLAVES

"Cap, I was born on de Bonner place, five miles from Gaffney. Jest about
de very first recollection dat sticks wid me, is my mammy a-hiding me
when de Ku Klux was riding. She heard de hosses a-trotting and she
rushed us out'n our beds and took us and buried us in de fodder out in
our barn, and told us to be as quiet as possible. Both my parents went
and hid in de edge of de woods. De Ku Klux passed on by widout even
holding up dere hosses.

"During slavery my mother went to Mississippi wid her mistress,
Artimesse Smith Ross. Soon atter Freedom dey come back