85.	112

worms had eaten his face and he was almost dead. Thepeople brought him to
~


the courthouse and began ringing the boll to let the people know that some

injustio had been done. When ono became tired another took his place. The bell rang both night and day until most of the citizens of the county ce,me to see what was wrong. A nuin.bor of men went in daytime, without mask or disquiso, to the Williams home and hung Jess Williams. They intendéd to hang the two boys but they got away.
•‚~~L~ ‚~ •	..„



~	~ B~LLA~WCo (J.R:W~lkerson) ~ T~~•‘ ~ ~ ~y
	During the period of~ slavery in the Purchase Region, buying and sell..

Ing slaves was carried on~t irregular intervals. The trading usually took place at the home of the slave owner. The prices paid for slaves was

dependent upon certain conditions. In case of a full grown, robust negro boy the price was sometimes as much as one thousand dollars. The prices

paid was varied according to the age, the general health and other conditions of the individual.

	At times pathetic scenes prevailed in the selling of slaves; namely, the separation of mother and child. Often, a boy or girl would be sold and taken away from his or her mother. in many cases the parting would be perxnan~ ent and the child and its mother would never see each other again.

	The slave owner maintained separate housing quarters for his slaves. In some cases the livins quarters of slaves was comfortable and agreeable; iii other oases, living conditions of slaves was anything but agreeable. Some. masters were reasonably gentle to their slaves, while othBra were cruel.

	One of the sadddest, darkest and most pathetic conditions that existed during the period of slavery was the intimate mingling of slave owners, in faot many ~white men, with negro women, It has beoome Ictio~~m that very often a slave was sold who was the direct offspring of his or her owner. This practice prevailed to some extent in the Purohase Region, but was not universal.