Lay This Body Down by Charles Fergus

Author:Charles Fergus
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781956763454
Publisher: Arcade Crimewise
Published: 2023-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

Tramping down Decatur, approaching the office of the Colerain Democrat, Gideon recalled the newspaper’s motto printed in each issue: Too Much Government in the Land.

Potter’s death and the shuttering of the Adamant Argus meant the Belknaps’ own paper would thrive. And could they have had something to do with the disappearances of those three people? Coming from Virginia, the Belknaps would have connections in that slave state. In no way did they seem to be the sort who would abduct people and sell them into bondage, but looks could deceive.

When Gideon went in the door, Hosea Belknap glanced up from the type case and smiled. Lenore Belknap, seated at a desk, gave Gideon a more guarded look.

The newspaperman set down his composing stick and came over with his hand out—then seemed to realize that an ink-stained handclasp wouldn’t be appreciated, and rested his palms on the counter instead. Gideon noticed that Belknap’s hands were small and soft looking, almost like a woman’s.

“Good morning, Sheriff,” Belknap said. “Some news for us regarding your investigation into Mr. Potter’s death?”

“I’m afraid not. I was actually hoping that you could help me with a different matter.”

“Certainly.”

“Mr. Belknap, I don’t know much about slavery. I understand that you came here from Virginia, and that you owned slaves there.”

Belknap’s expression immediately changed from accommodating to wary.

“You had a plantation, correct?” Gideon asked.

“Hardly. A farm, and not a very big one. Just under a hundred tillable acres.”

“What did you grow?”

“Hay, corn, cotton. We had a nice orchard.” Belknap seemed to relax a little. “We made and sold a very fine apple brandy, if I say so myself.”

“And you worked your land with slaves?”

“With servants, yes. Most of them inherited from my parents. I assure you, Sheriff, our negroes were well treated. They were content. Never gave us a bit of trouble.”

Gideon glanced at Lenore Belknap. He wondered if the sober expression on her face belied her husband’s rosy tale.

“How many slaves did you own, Mr. Belknap?”

“The greatest number of servants under our ownership at any one time was, I believe . . . sixteen.”

“Did you work alongside them?”

“We employed an overseer.”

“He treated your slaves well?”

“He made sure they did their work. But yes, he treated them fairly.” Belknap drummed his ink-smudged fingers on the countertop. “Sheriff, I’ll be frank with you. I myself am not completely comfortable with the institution of servitude. Although I think you will agree with me when I call it a necessary evil. We may not want it, but we cannot end it. What would the negroes do? In Southampton County, where my family has lived for five generations, sixty-five hundred whites coexist with something like ten thousand blacks. Of these, perhaps eight thousand are servants; the rest are free.

“My father always said that servitude was the will of God. That’s the older generation talking.” Belknap’s shoulders gave a hitch. “I’m not sure I believe that. But I can tell you that it’s an economic necessity. It would not be possible for Southerners to manumit their servants.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.