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The State of Texas County of Austin Corporation of Hempstead Personally appeared before the undersigned authority Bram Gorden a Freedman and resident of Said County & State and reside on my farm about 8 miles North of Hempstead who being sworn according to law declares and says, for the past two weeks since he has noticed an unusual excitement which was so plain that I abandoned my daily work and have rode about to admonish freedmen to abandon their purpose for I had heard that the cause of this arming drilling & meeting was for the purpose of an indiscriminate slaughter and seizing the property of the whites - I my riding however I have not been able to find any to acknowledge this fact. I was informed by a white man who came to my house that the freedmen understand that the whites propose to murder all the male adult freedmen and put the woman & children back in bondage. When I pushed the matter on some freedmen they said they wanted wanted to arm them selves to prevent being taken out of their houses & whiped but I do not know of any such case I have been strongly importuned to join the Loyal League I have steadily declined this may be the cause I have not been able to asertain further of the movements I have been thoroughly convinced some deep dark scheme is or was in contemplation from my own observations. Bram Gordon his x mark Sworn & Subscribed to this 27 day of June AD 1867 at my office in Hempstead Henry L Rankin 'C Recorder & Ex off JP
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Reopened for Editing 2023-04-02 10:22:21