The officer
passed the lantern to his attendant, and after putting a pair of
gloves on his hands, began to feel his head, turn aside his torn
clothes, and wipe the dirt from the places where the blood seemed to
be clotted. "Good gracious! I didn't conjecture that you were cut so
bad. Here, my good fellow, (addressing himself to Tommy,) hold the
lantern. Michael, go get a pail of water, and some cloths," said he,
very suddenly becoming awakened to the real condition of the man,
after he had exhibited a coldness that bordered on brutality.
Water and cloths were soon brought. The attendant, Michael,
commenced to strip his clothes off, but the poor fellow was so sore
that he screeched, in the greatest agony, every time he attempted to
touch him. "Be easy," said the officer, "he's hurt pretty badly. He
must a' been mighty refractory, or they'd never beaten him in this
manner," he continued, opening a roll of adhesive plaster, and
cutting it into strips. After washing, him with water and whiskey,
they dressed his wounds with the plaster, and bound his head with an
old silk handkerchief which they found in his pocket, after which
they left the light burning and retired.
After they retired, Tommy inquired of the negro how they came to
keep him so long, before they brought him to the guard-house? It
proved, that as soon as they came up with him, the first one knocked
him down with a club; and they all at once commenced beating him
with their bludgeons, and continued until they had satisfied their
mad fury.
Pages:
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233