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FOLTYS
Wm. V. Ervin, P. W.
McLennan County, Texss.
lidtrict No. 8.
ad'N!
Reference
Interview with Dee Cook, early day peace officer of McLennan
County, South FifthlStreet, Waco, Texas.
nA good many years ago there was a newspaper man here by the name
of A. B. Davis who wrote for the local papers and the St. Louis Glohe-
Democrat. I'd often give him news. He never did publish anything I
asked him not to, or didn't until I told him he could. Be didn't pub-
lish things without knowing the facts. One of the biggest fights lever
AUG 23 1937
No. of words 855
File No, 240
Page No. 3.
saw came up over things he publidhed.
"One time'I was called to go down on the river and arrest a nigger
who had badly 'beaten. his little stepson. I went to get the rigger. I
found the boy out in a cornfield where he had run away to hide, and he
;bad built him a hut of cornstalks and was eating roasting ears to live
on, his back was on solid scab. When I got baok to town with his-
stepdaddy Davis met me, as he had been_told'where I had gone, and he
wanted the story. I told him all about it, and he wrote it up and sent
it to the Globe-Demoorat. He showed ma a :check for nine dollars, they had
sent to him for it. \The, paper got letters from all over the country about
that, and I got some, too, and óo did Davis.
nha fight was made by John Magee, who was jailer at that time, which'
while Pete Ross was sheriff in the late seventies, I was deputy then.
John was a big man strong as a horse, and he wag a mighty good man, some-
body for a joke had given some of the prisoners some food that had moulded,
and the prisoners showed it to a pieacher who had come to the jail to
preaoh a,sermon for them; and they told him that was the kind of food they
had to eat. I guess they did it for a joke as Magee always fed the prison-
ers good food., I had eaten some of it, and it was good. The preacher
believed them, and he told Jere Hutchings, who was reporter for the paper,
Is. V. .Nrvis,
McLennan County, Texas.
Astrlot No. 8.
File Now 240
Page No.
which was published by Major 7. W. Downs. Downs printed in the paper,
and he ought to have known better. None of them investigated to see if
it was true*
"Well, John Magee was good and med. When I came along he had Downs'
head under his left arm and was giving it to him in the face with his
right fist. Downs was a little an, but he was a scrapper, too, but he
wasn't doing mush with John than. Zahn worked Jere over next, and
knocked him around somewhat; and Zohn,61eeper„ who was n cousiliof Tore,
srvi hat was happening to Zero so he cane running up to take Zero's part.
Sleeper and Clifton hr a store near where the fight was taking place, an
the saviors. John hit Sleeper and knocked him away out there, and Sleeper
jurped up and went running into his house and yelling for a pie*e of raw
meat to put on his face to keeP it from turning black. Pete Ross came
out and separated John Magee. nnd Jere.
"A day or two before the fight, or maby it was the sane dny, Judge
Gerald was holding court in a building on the north side of the square,
and some of the lawyers didn't do what he told them to, and he threw the
inkwells z3nd books .:4t then, and they sure paid attention to him after that."
"J. R. Moors, chief of the acoo Fire Department remembered some more
of Judge Gerald's court methods. "If a witness wouldn't testify," said
Mr. Beers, "The judge would tell themit'You'll
I'll throw you so far back in th-t jail you'll
you again.' Usually the witnesses testified.
name of Skeeter Root was here then and came up
testify in this court,. or
rot before they think of
One time a gambler by the
before Judge Gerald.
Skeeter was a little, dapper, man always looked like he cams out of .a ban
box. He took a contemptuous attitude toward the Judge and the court be—
cause he expected only to be fined, and he had plenty of rioney to pay it
with. The judge says, Skeeter Root, I fine you one hundred dollars--*
FOLK-AYS
Wie4 V. Ervin, P.
jeLennan County 240
District No. 8.
Page No. 3
Skeeter h&rdly 10 the judge finish what be wne snying wren he says,
'Got it right har. in my poekst„ judge,' and jerked out a hundred —dollar
bill aud tossed at the judge. The judge says, 'And ninety days in
jail. Got that 1* your pocket too, yr, Skeeter Root?"