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The Hindered Hand, a novel by Sutton E. Griggs |
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Chapter 26. Gus Martin |
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_ CHAPTER XXVI. Gus Martin Gus Martin, for it was he who was Mr. Seabright's visitor, saw to it that every window and door of the house was properly barred, and then repaired to the tower which commanded every approach to the house. To his very great surprise he found the tower a veritable arsenal with ammunition in abundance and death dealing devices of the most improved types. He perceived that the tower was protected by armor plate and was so constructed that one might fire upon others with practically no danger of being hit himself. "Beyond doubt I shall go to judgment to-day, but I shall take along with me a putty good body guard," said Martin, as he settled himself back. The day dawned beautifully, and Martin put a hand to his lips and threw a kiss at the sun. "To-morrow I'll know more about you than I do now," said he. "And some others will, too," he added. At about eleven o'clock he saw leaping the front gate a tall raw boned bloodhound. "It's a pity a pore dum' brute has got to lead this pursession; but if it mus' be, it mus' be." So saying, he lifted his rifle to his shoulder and a shot rang out on the air. The beast leaped high up in the air, twisted his head to one side and plunged forward lifeless. Within a few more moments a second hound appeared, and he met a like fate. Soon there was a clatter of a horse's feet and an officer of the law came dashing down the street. As he got opposite the Seabright home a rifle shot rang out and his horse fell, throwing the rider against an electric light post, and stunning him for the time being. Martin aimed his rifle at the officer as he lay, then lowered it. "Not yet. Ain't had the confab yet." The people in the vicinity perceived that there was something unusual going on and began to crowd in front of the space facing the Seabright residence. It soon became known that Rev. Percy G. Marshall had been murdered and the murderer had been tracked to the Seabright residence. It was also surmised that the offender was a Negro, as the hounds had traced him from the place of the killing to a Negro dwelling, thence on to the Seabright house. The city of Almaville was soon in a ferment and the white people poured out to that section of the town. Several thousand people were soon massed in the neighborhood of the Seabright residence. Martin had provided himself with a speaking trumpet and through it he now shouted, "You people are permitted to stand in front uv these premises, but you mustn't 'tempt to git over my front yard fence." Some one suggested the getting of a trumpet to induce whoever the party was to allow officers of the law to come in unmolested. The trumpet was procured and the following dialogue took place. The trumpeteer of the crowd shouted, "Whoever you are, we call upon you in the name of the State to surrender." Martin replied, "I'm a nigger. Martin is my name. I have killed a white man fur a good cause. Before I give up I would like to have a little talk with the sheriff. Tell him to step to the neares' tellerphone place and call up Seabright." The sheriff did as requested and Gus went to the telephone. "Say, Mistah Sheriff, this is Gus Martin that saw Dave Harper lynched. If I give up to you will you perteck me?" "I'll do what I can, Martin. Of course, you know what you have done." "Will you lose your life trying to perteck me?" asked Martin. "Well, uh--well, Martin, that's pretty hard to say, considering you murdered one of my race, you know." "Ring off," said Martin. Gus now called up the Governor's office. "Governor, this is Gus Martin. Will you perteck my life if I surrender to this heah sheriff? I am 'cused uv killin' a white preacher." "I can do nothing unless called upon by the sheriff of your county," said the Governor, and put up the telephone receiver. The Seabright residence had 'long distance' telephone connections and Gus called up the White House at Washington. He stated his case and the secretary to the President replied: "We are powerless to act. The most that we can at present do is to create a healthy public sentiment against lynching." "Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Gus through the telephone. "Is that all you can say to a man that risked his life fur your flag?" Gus now called up the British legation to sound it on the question of proposing intervention on the part of the leading nations of the world. He was told that the problem was a domestic one and that foreign countries could not intervene. Gus returned to his trumpet and said, "I have tellerphoned 'round the world and there ain't no justice nowhere fur a black man. We'll fight it out right here." In the meantime five young men had formed an agreement that they would make the dash to the building. They had figured that Gus could not shoot all five before one of them could reach the lower door and be sheltered from the fire. They made the dash, but Gus was quicker than they fancied, and one by one they went down before his deadly aim. The city was in a frenzy. We must leave the scene of combat for a while in order to be prepared for the dramatic turn events were about to take. _ |
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