Viewing page 59 of 275

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

Nor would abide by any decision that any body should make - and accordingly did not appear at my office; deeming the complaint importance; I issued a warrant for the arrest of Bates & gave it to Lea to execute - (having no soldiers at my command) which he did in accordance with my orders.

Upon an investigation of the complaint - I found that both parties had at different times broken the contract, and were not getting along at all peaceably - and that Bates was really not making any crop. Lea offered him (Bates) every inducement (in my presence) that a reasonable man could desire, but Bates persistently refused to listen to any terms - being supported in his stubbornness by Mr. Fournequet who was present: Lea told Bates that if he wanted leave the place with out any more trouble, that he would give him his debt of $600 and all of the crop but the cotton and would pick the cotton himself (& Bates acknowledges that there will not be enough cotton to pay for the rent of the land) and permit him (Bates) to come at any time & gather his crop of corn and potatoes; but Bates still refused - saying that he was going to live in that house till his time expired which appeared to me to be a piece of contrariness on the part of Bates as