Browse:MURDER (Volume 4, entries 7261–7516)
MURDER
Volume 4, entries 7261–7516. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 7261
If a man is kilt dere's two certain ways. If a man is kilt an' he falls on his back, dat's de man, dat's de murderer kin easily escape an' very seldom captured. But if a man's kilt an' fall on his face, de murderer of de man is easily captured. But jis' how it's done, ah don't know, ah nevah have heard jis' how it's done.
Entry 7262
Heard in de ole times dey say if a person would kill somebody an' he [victim] would fall on his face, de man [killer] might go off but he couldn't stay. He'd return back in a short while an' give up. When he fall on his face he couldn't stand to stay away. In case he fall ovah backwards, the fellow might make his escape.
Entry 7263
Ah hear 'em say if dey die - when de' [dey] die, if he falls on his face, dat dey will ketch him [murderer].
The reported belief explicitly concerns dying. Hearsay and conditional wording remain; the bracketed murderer identification is editorial.
Entry 7264
If a man's killed an' he fall on his face, de one dat done it, he'll tell it befo' he dies; if a man's killed an' he fall on his back, he won' tell it.
Entry 7265
I've heard 'em say if you kill anyone an' de man falls on his face, de murderer can't git away; an' if he go, he'll have to come back.
Entry 7267
Ah heard dat if a fellah shoot a man down an' de fellah wanted tuh git away, why dey run dere an' grab de fellah dat he shot, if he's daid, an' turn 'im ovah on 'is face an' de man couldn't git away, he would lingah around some- whah. (His friends would turn the man over, turn the corpse over on its face.) De man dat was daid - an' den dat would have de man tuh lingah round somewhah an' he'd come back.
Entry 7268
Ah knowed a fellah - dat's right, he kilt a man. An' he shot de man an' de man fell on his face. An' he run dere an' - aftah de man fell - an' shoved de man on his back, see. An' den he - de woods ah reckon wus jes' about five hunderd yards, yo' know, from where he kilt de man, an' he runned yo' know an' he jumped ovah de fence in de woods, yo' see. An' when dey brought de hounds, yo' know, dere to put on his track, de hounds couldn't run 'im a bit furthah den dis swamp. An' dey ain't got 'im from dat day up until dis [1939]. Dat wus in de time of de World War [I] - it wus comin' on [before 1917].
Entry 7269
Dey claim dat if a man gits killed, dey claim whichevah way de man falls, dat's killed, dat is de way dat de fellah dat did de killin', prob'ly de one dat did de killin', dey'll go in dat direction. Let it be eastward, north- ward or westward or southward, dey will go in de direction - jes' in de direction de man fallen dat he's killed. [Notice anti-sunwise or anti-clock motion; we have the order of the four cardinal points of the compass.]
Entry 7270
If corpse falls the way murderer goes, murderer will come back [from that direction]. [A better statement of belief is given in its margin title.]
Entry 7271
If yo' kill any person an' yo' kin git a chance tuh step ovah 'im, can't git no kinda bloodhoun's tuh git behin' atall any mo'. Jes' step 'cross 'im aftah yo' kill 'im, see. [As we shall see in a moment, any stepping over the corpse, forward or backwards, makes the sign of the cross, a sacred symbol that will protect the murderer against the avenging spirit of the dead body.]
Entry 7272
Whut dey say yo' kin do tuh git away.
(What do they say about that?)
Jes' lak if a man kill anothah man or sompin of de kin' lak dat, said jes' step ovah his body. Be shure tuh step ovah his body an' dey'll nevah ketch chew no mo' through life. Jes' step ovah his body an' don' look back.
Entry 7273
If ah kill yo', ah kin jes' step right ovah yo' an' don' nevah look back an' den yo' won' ketch me.
Entry 7274
Wal, a sinner-man lotsa times he'll come back cuz if he didn't step ovah dis man, he more den apt tuh git caught. Or he will come back cuz [the spirit of] dis man whole lotsa times will worry him so until he [comes back].
Entry 7275
When dey kill a man, if he fall on 'is face, why if he fall on 'is face lak dat, yo' step like dis [demonstrates] step backwards ovah him. If he fall any way [you step backwards over him], but more specially if he fall on 'is face lak dat. Yo' come round dis way [demonstrates] an' step back- wards ovah him. Dey won't ketch yo'.
Entry 7276
To keep from being caught, let murderer jump backwards across the corpse and then put turpentine on feet.
Entry 7277
Said dat he could take de man dat he killed an' jump ovah him dis way [demonstrates] an' den jump backwards, but he do's it fo' three times an' den he goes on away. An' dey said he can't be caught, de hounds can't trail 'im. [Forwards and backwards is one time; do three times.]
Entry 7278
Know whut dey do to keep 'em from ketchin' 'im? Well, soon as de man fall - ah've seen dat mahself an' ah ain't nevah hear'd of dem ketchin' 'im. Soon as de man fall aftah dey shoot 'im, yo' know, an' he dies, why he steps cross 'im three times. He goes an' step cross 'im an' goes right roun' 'im an' step right cross 'im ag'in, three times.
(Steps forward over him?)
Yes sir, step fahward an' come right on back de same way an' step cross 'im three times, an' den leave. Dey'll har'ly ketch 'im. (He doesn't walk around the corpse [I demonstrate]: Steps [forward], over him like that, comes back [steps back over body], and then back [steps forward over body second time].) Yes sir, three times.
Entry 7279
Fo' instance, if a man would kill a man an' he would cross 'im three times.
(Here is the body. Now, how would he cross him?)
[For the body I probably used my Numbers Book, small note book containing the number of each informant and brief information about him after he left.1 He'd cross him dis way [demonstrates] an' den he'd come back dis way. Den he'd come farward ag'in. Dat's three times [forward, back- Ward, forward - each on an angle to form an X or cross.] Den he'd go away an' he won't be ketched by comin' back. Yo' may ketch him in California or somewhere but not by him returnin' back hisself, yo' see. But, if yo' know de party dat commit de crime an' will take dat chicken aig an' write his name on de aig nine time backwards. If his name Charles Smith, write Smith Charles, burying dat party wit dat aig in dere. Ah guarantee yo' in about three or fo' mont' time, yo' will ketch him near de place where he commit de crime, comin' back fo' some reason. He won't stay 'way. Well, if he [you or I] commit de crime, an' havin' trouble - so no dog, no law, nuthin could find out mah business or nuthin'; but if yo' kin git to it, de turpentine swamps. yo' git de turpentine an' put it at de bottom of his feet, rub it at de bottom in de shoe sole an' de dogs won't trail him. He'll be caught by someone else, but de dogs won' trail wit turpentine.
Entry 7280
Lak ah go out dere an' kill a fellah. Well, if ah kin manage tuh push 'im from me or step 'cross 'im three times an' walk 'way from him wit mah back to him, dat de law will nevah fin' me. (Well, how do you mean you step across him? Here's the body now. Now, how do you step across there?) See [demonstrates], if he would fall when ah shootin' 'im - if he'd a-fall to me, if ah'd manage to git to him an' turn 'im backwards an' let 'im fall on 'is back - an' ah come to him an' walk 'cross [him] lak dis [demonstrates] de first time, lak heah an' back ag'in, den ah walk away from 'im. (You walk over him once and back over him. You step across him three times and then you turn your back. Do you back away from him or just walk?) Yo' walk off from 'im. Step back an' back off nine steps dat way an' den yo' turn yore back, an' go on away from 'im, an' if yo' kin keep from lookin' back, de law will nevah git chew.
Entry 7281
If a man killed anybody an' don't want 'em tuh ketch 'im, he kin - de one dat he killed, he kin step backwards ovah 'im three times an' hug 'im an' kiss 'im, go to de graveyard an' put some dirt in each one of 'is shoes, an' dey can't ketch 'im.
Entry 7282
Ah've undahstood it dis way, dat when dey kills a man - aftah dey kill de man - dey turn an' walk backwards ovah 'im, for five paces I believe, back- Wards ovah de man; den dey turn facewards an' go in de same direction dat you turned an' dey couldn't ketch chew. [The murderer faces his victim while killing him, and then with his back to the corpse so that he can take one step backwards over the fall- en body, he continues five more steps backwards. At this spot the killer again turns 180 degrees to look towards the original or attack direction, the direction in which he now walks or runs away.]
Entry 7283
After, if a man kilt a [man], dey walk backwards nine steps, see, and den step across [the corpse]. Co'se if he can't go away [author interrupts]...
(He steps nine steps backwards and then waht do they do?)
Den dey'll step across - yeah, to de right [demonstrates].
(I see, make a cross.)
Yes, an' cross 'im an' he can git away. [Any stepping backwards across a corpse on the ground makes the sign of the cross: the stepping being one arm of the cross, the corpse the other. The step- per or killer is crossing or crossing up the ghost of his victim rather than trying to evade the police. The cross of our present rite is more complicated. Lay a broom on the floor to represent the dead body. Stand with your back to the broom and feet to- gether so that they touch the handle. Lift your right foot back to the right, diagonally, over the handle (body) so that it comes to rest solidly on the floor (ground). Then steady yourself on right foot while you move left foot to right until it, on other side of handle (body), is almost opposite right foot. Final- ly, lift up left foot, bringing it backwards to the left, diagonally, across handle (body). Your feet have made a cross as diagrammed: BROOM L-R Ｌ Ｌ
Entry 7284
Aftah he wuz killed, ah heard dat he could take an' step nine steps backwards, an' when he steps nine steps backwards, he would whirl round on de left heel an' pick up a strand of hair outa dat track an' call 'is name - name an' a lock of 'is hair. Ah heard dat's de way yo' git 'em back. (You call the man's name that wus kill- ed?) Call de nam dat killed 'im. (Well, how did they know it was that man?) Well, when dey step backwards nine steps an' whirl round an' dey git de strand of 'is hair, dey would know dat hair on account dey have seen dat man. An' den, his 'nitials - his 'nitials be cut in dat hair.
(You mean that would be the hair of the man that did the killing?)
Yessuh. [To whirl round on the heel (usually right) and find a hair in the heel mark is a common rite: In the hole you make by turning around three times on your right heel you will find a hair like that of your destined mate's (FACI 1st ed., No.7037; cf.7038-7039). For finding hair in shoe or stocking, see 2nd ed., 9105-9115.1 [Informant is describing the work of a doctor, who could recognize the hair and see the initials; a simple task for a gifted person, as anyone familiar with these volumes of Hoodoo knows.]
Entry 7285
Says, if yo' kill a man an' if he fall on 'is back, dat if yo' kill 'im an' if yo' step ovah him, dat he [spirit of dead man] won't tell it [by bleeding and other methods]. If yo' step ovah 'im an jes' keep goin' right straight goin' away fo' about fo' yards [12 feet or steps] yo' won't tell, de one dat done de killin'.
Entry 7286
When a man do a killin' lak dat, if he wants tuh git away where nobody bothah yo' [him]. Ah've heered dat whenevah he kills a man an' wants tuh git away, at de time dat chew kill 'im - first kill 'im - take a han'chief out of yore pocket or rag or somepin an' git some of 'is own blood, an' take dat blood whut chew git offa 'im an jes' smear it right cross yore nose - some part of yore nose. Put dat bloody han'chief back in yore pocket an' dey say dey nevah will ovahtake yo' an' yo' always will be out dere han's.
Entry 7287
To do away wit tracks whah [where] de bloodhoun's might cross, put it [chicken manure] undah de bottom of yore foot. Jis' git chew a big pile of it, yo' know, de sole of yore shoe, an' jis' wipe it aroun' in dere until yo' git a-plenty of it on. An' den leave it. Dat's so de bloodhoun's cain't even start.
(What kind of manure do you use?)
Dat chicken manure.
Entry 7288
[The use of cow manure to escape the law is known everywhere. This margin title contains only a few examples of the general statement variously worded; many others, as well as specialized uses, will be found in these volumes of text.1 (Suppose I kill somebody and I run away, can I do something so they can't catch me? Do you know what I could do?) Yes sir, jes' lak if yo' killed me, well, yo' will go cross mah body - step cross mah body three times an' go to de nearest place dat yo' know where a cow lot, an' walk in de manure of de cow, an' go on through. De dog won't track yo an' yo'll keep a-goin' on safe ground, unlessen yo' jes' talk too much. An dey'll ketch yo' by yo' talkin'. But dey won't know nuthin atall. Dat's whut dey tell me. Ah've nevah did.
Entry 7289
Dey say yo kin go through a cow lot, slip through a cow lot where dere manure, an' dat will kill de odor, an' de dogs can't git de trail.
Entry 7290
Dat's jes' in case de law chasin' 'em wit de hound dogs. Dey tell me dat - people say dat dey kin go through a cow's lot or anywhere dat dey kin git to fresh hill of dat, where she jes' dropped it, an' wipe dey feets in it an' dat will turr de dogs around right dere.
Entry 7291
Well, dat fellah will run till he git to a cow pasture, an' when he git to a cow pasture he go on through an' he step in de cow manure; jes' step on de cow manure an' jes' keep a-goin'. De dogs won't nevah ketch 'im.
Entry 7292
A man tole me dat if a man do a crime an' wanta git away, say he go to a cow, where a cow have dropped, an' go an' rub 'is feets in dat cow droppin', say dey couldn't ketch 'im. Dat's all ah heerd 'em say about it.
Entry 7293
Jes' lak ah go an' kill someone an' ah wants tuh git away, see. Ah heard dat chew kin go in a cow stall an' put both foots in de cow manure, yo' understan', an' ah done walk on off an' de dog kinnot trail yo'. Don' care where ah go, de dog will come up to de stall - come dere an' stop right dere.
Entry 7294
If he happen tuh do somepin an' run away, an' he'll go to a cow stall an' step in cow manure, go through dis cow stall an' step in dis cow manure, dey may track 'im to de cow stall [but no farther].
Entry 7295
A dog won't track yo', yeah. Yo' kin keeps dogs from trackin' yo'. Yo' mean bloodhoun's. Yo' go to a cow stable an' yo' run fourteen steps, yo' know steps, an' git cow [manure] - yo' know, quite natural yo'll put it in de tracks where yo' step an' den go round. Don't come back to de same tracks, go round, yo' know, leavin', an' dey can't track yo'. Dey stoppin' right dere.
(You take fourteen steps into what?)
Fourteen, yo' know. Lak yo' goin' off - ah mean, yo' done left de stable now. An' mean yo' goin' on off on yore way. (Oh! You walk through this cow manure and then you walk - you take fourteen steps. Then you make a circle around those fourteen steps and go on about your business.) Dey can't go a bit furthah den right dere when dey gits to dat.
Entry 7296
Hear of 'em takin' cow manure an' hold a policeman back off from dem. Dey take an' put it on dere feets an' walk roun' an' roun' dere house nine times, an' through dey COW MANURE ON FEET - CIRCUMAMBULATE HOUSE 9 TIMES house nine times, an' take de shoes whut dey have on - scrape it away from de shoes an' bury it, bury it to sunrise. An' de policeman will nevah come upon dem.
(They burn the shoes or just the manure?)
Burn de manure. Jes' scrape de dust an' thing from de shoes an' burn it. Scrape it back to 'em, not away from 'em. Scrape it to 'em cuz dey want de help to 'em. An' burn it an' bury it to sunrise, an' de policeman will nevah come no place about 'em. (That is if they are running away from them [police] or something of that sort?) Dat's right.
Entry 7297
Yes sir, fresh cow 'nure, rub dere face, aftah dis persons - rub ovah each face good an' clean wit it. Rub it until it jes' - git it jes' juicy in yore fingahs, yo' know, den make yo' a tea an' drink it. Den yo' kin go an' git along. (Go along and do what?) About chure business an' won't no one bothah yo'. Ah mean if yo' did sompin, yo' know - ah mean if yo' broke gang or sompin like dat.
(If you run away from the chain gang?)
Yes sir. (Or something of that sort. You do this with cow manure.)
Entry 7298
One thing yo' kin do, yo' kin go tuh a stable or a cow lot an' walk in dere. Den yo' kin take othah - somepin lak turpentine - jes' lak dat an' put on yore feet, an' de dogs couldn't trial yo'.
Entry 7299
Well, if a man kill someone. "Long in dem days dey had bloodhounds. Well, he'd git ovah to some of 'is friends house an' git some turpentine an' he'd 'noint the bottom of 'is foots an' he'd go tuh a cow path where de cow had took a dump an' he put his foot in dat cow stuff, fresh cow stuff. an' dat turpentine, an' de dog [trailing him] he'd wandah, nevah could [dog] do anythin' wit 'im.
(DID HE ANOINT HIS FEET IN ANY PARTICULAR WAY?)
Jes' straight out [so that he would move forward]. (Oh! He rubbed his feet straight out from the heel to the toe with turpen- tine.)
Entry 7300
Well, yo' kin take some spirits of turpentine an' wet chure shoe wit spirits of turpentine or undah yore feet, an' yo' kin - he won't bothah yo'. Eithah yo' kin run through a cow lot where a cow pasture is, an' dey ain't comin no fu'thah an' dat. De dogs cain't track yo'.
Entry 7301
(You mean, if they put dogs on your trail?)
Yes. All right. If yo' figure dey goin' to put dogs on yore trail, if yo' can jes' make it out of town, anywheres, jes' git a little turpentine an' put it in yore shoe. All right, de first place yo' can, git out in de woods where a cow at - fresh cow's manure dere. Yo' step in it an' yo' can walk right on anywhere yo' want to. Dere's nobody goin' to bothah yo'.
(Dogs won't track you?)
Naw, de dogs ain't goin' to track yo' atall.
Entry 7302
Graveyard dirt? Dog can't run yo' wit graveyard dirt.
(What do you mean dogs can't run you?)
You know, run-away time - yo' know, ah got all dis in slave-time and since freedom. But ah knowed of it in slavery times, when a man run away from 'is mah- stah. [This man said he was 107 years ola when I interviewed him in 1937.] Dey had dogs an' dey fetch a dog behind yo' track, an' dey will start it from right from where yo' started away from de house, but can't go no furthah cuz he done bur-ried [burrowed] his Way out. May care [carry] it tuh de graveyard [dog may care track as far as graveyard], but no furthah dan de graveyard will dey run - can't run. No, can't run. Dog played out right dere. Yes suh.
(What did this man do that was being chased?)
An' when he gittin' away from home, he take a hat or pocket [handkerchief], perhaps an' put it ovah his feet an' put dat graveyard dirt in dere. Well, he [dog] can't run 'im atall. He'll stay right around dere an' de dog will play out right dere. Ah knows dat fer a fact.
Entry 7303
Ah heard dat jes' lak if yo' git in any trouble - anythin' lak dat - jes' lak if ah would kill a man or sompin othah an' ah wanted tuh git away, why ah would go den to a graveyard an' ah would git some graveyard dirt an' put it in both of mah shoes. Well, ah kin go - if it ain't nuthin but turpentine gum, it bes' tuh be turpentine spirits though, an' wet de bottom of mah foots in dat spirits. If ah can't git tuh de spirits, gits gum outa a car [truck collecting turpentine gum] an' jes' step in it. Go on, a dog can't trail yo' no way.
Entry 7304
Well, ah've heered 'em say dey do somepin sep'rate wit it. Dey take it an' kin take de graveyard dirt - now, jes' lak if yo' or ah wus on de [chain] gang an' ah Wanted [to] git away, why jes' if somebody git to a graveyard, ah would take dat dirt an' put it in mah shoes, right undah de sole, hollah of mah feet. Well, yo' see, a dog couldn't track dat.
The informant introduces hearsay and a conditional example. '[chain]' and '[to]' are editorial insertions within the printed speech; the tracking claim remains source-reported.
Entry 7305
An' dey put bloodhoun's in behin' yo' or sompin lak dat, yo' know, yo' kin go to de graveyard an' git some dirt out dere, all down to de elbow [dig in- to grave elbow-deep] yo' understan', an' take de graveyard dirt yo' know an' wear it in yore shoes. Keep sprinklin' it in yore shoes an' wear it.
The informant describes dirt from a graveyard in a hypothetical pursuit. The bracketed explanation of digging elbow-deep is editorial matter within the printed speech.
Entry 7306
Jes' lak if yo' would do somepin an' dey would git aftah yo', git de dogs aftah yo' or de hounds aftah yo' to ketch chew. Say yo' could go to a graveyard an' git some of de dirt an' git chure feet wet wit it. Wet chure feet an' put some of it in yore shoes. Dose dogs run yo' to de graveyard but dat's fur as dey could run yo'. Ah've heard dat.
The informant gives a hypothetical pursuit account and closes with 'Ah've heard dat'. The dirt and dog-tracking claim remains hearsay rather than a personal escape account.
Entry 7307
De reason yo' use graveyard dirt, lotta people jis' say fo' instance dey kill someone an' dey git away an' don't want 'em tuh track yo'. Yo' put some of dat graveyard dust in yore shoe. Well, de bloodhoun's won't trail yo' or nuthin. If yo' want git de bloodhoun's off yore trail [another method] den put red peppah in yore shoes.
(So that bloodhounds won't track you?)
Yes sir.
The informant reports hypothetical pursuit claims for graveyard dust and a separate red-pepper method. '[another method]' is editorial; the interviewer's question and the informant's answer remain separate.
Entry 7308
Well, dere so many diff'ren' little things yo' kin do wit graveyard dust. Suppose yo' is in trouble an' yo' killed somebody an' yo' wanted git away. Yo' gits - go to de graveyard an' git some of dat dust. Put some in yore shoes an' put some in yore right pocket, an' dere couldn't no houn's run yo'.
Entry 7309
Ah say if a person kill a person - jes' lak de detectives is now - yo' could kill a person an' go to de graveyard an' git some of dat graveyard dirt. Go to a fresh grave, as fresh a grave as yo' could find, an' git some of dat graveyard dirt and put it in yore shoe. An' den git some an' put in yore left-hand hip pocket an' aftah yo' - don't go out of de gate, git ovah de fence. An' don't nevah look back, jes' keep a-goin' an' yo' kin git plumb away. Ah've heard dat.
Entry 7310
Go to de graveyard gittin' some dirt, diggin' Way down in dere an' gittin' some dirt, an' put it in dey pocket an' yo' go ahead on. Den dey nevah will ketch 'em.
(That's if a fellow did some crime or something.)
Entry 7311
A man 'at [that] kills yuh - say, fo' ninstance, ah shoo' choo an' yo' die, ah stay in ambush an' hid aroun' heah until yo' are buried. Ah go to yore grave an' step backwards over dere an' git some of de dirt, an' ah nevah will be apprehended. (What do you do with that dirt then, after you get it?) Care [carry] it in yore pocket, stick it in yore pocket. Long as yo' keep dat, yo'll go free.
Entry 7312
Well, ah heard 'em say dat it wus good tuh keep from bein' caught when- evah yo' wanted tuh git outa de way of de officahs - things lak dat. (How would you do that?) Yo' would go out an' git dis dirt from a grave where a mean man is buried, an' yo' git it about twelve a'clock in de night, an' yo' take it an' put it in yore shoes. An' de dogs an' things can't track yo'.
Entry 7313
Jes' lak dat ah would kill yo', yo' see, an' ah wanta git away, see. An' yo' know it used [to] be at de time - AH DON'T GUESS YO' REMEMBAH IT. AH DO CUZ AH'M OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW, dat when a murderer killed a man, he goes to de graveyard. He goes to de left side or [and] to de head of de grave, and he goes dere an' he gits a handful of dat dirt - goes down an' gits 'im a handful of dat dirt from dat grave. An' he puts it in his left-hand pocket an' he puts it in his shoes, both shoes. No hound in de world kin trace him.
Entry 7314
If yo' take an' do somepin to a person - kill 'im, an' dey say such a thing as ha'nt comin' back. If yo' see anything, yo' know dis person, yo' go to dey grave on de left-hand side, an' git some dirt an' wear it on yo', an' yo' won't be worried wit such a thing. (That is you get this dirt from the per- son whose spirit is around you, right from his grave.) Yes, on de left-hand side. An' wear it.
Entry 7315
(Have you ever heard of them going out to the graveyard and getting some of -that dirt out there?) I've heard of people usin' graveyard soil, but ah nevah used any in mah life - no.
(Well, what do they say they do with that?)
Ah've heard dey say dey take it an' have diff'ren' cases lak yo' might kill a man an' he's buried dere an' yo' wanta try to help yoreself. Why yo' take nine thimbles of dat graveyard soil from dat grave, but yo' stand off from de grave. [You] stands off an' wit de index fingah [he means little finger] an' your thumb - undahstand, stands off an', as yo' stands off, yo' measure dose spans in equal parts. Dere yo' are. An' yo' take a brass thimble an' take up nine thimblefuls of dat graveyard soil in yore hand, an' dat'll help yo' in de court.
(I see. When you have killed the man. If you have killed a man.)
[My second statement tries to soften the first.]
Say, if yo' killed one - yo' know, anyone, not only - not de person dat kilt de man kin do dat, but ah mean anyone else dat do dat fur 'em, yo' know, what git to de graveyard where de fellah is buried dere. (But YOU MEAN THE FELLOW THAT KILLED THE MAN MUST BE UP IN COURT AND SOMEBODY MUST DO THAT FOR HIM?) Oh, sure, yeah! (Well now, how did you measure that off? I didn't quite understand how he did that.) Measure it off wit yore hand - de index an' de thumb here.
(WHERE DO YOU BEGIN NOW ON THE GRAVE?)
Right at de head of de grave. Dere yo' are.
(In the head of the grave.)
Down to de feet dere. (FROM THE THUMB TO YOUR INDEX FINGER.) [Only later did I realize informant Was calling the little finger the index finger. HE WAS USING THE COMMON SPAN = 9 INCHES. HE WAS HORSE-MEASURING THE GRAVE!] Dere yo' are.
(And you do this way - keep measuring off nine.)
[I solved a number of unusual problems as they arose at the interview table, but this one I missed completely! My keep measuring off nine means informant kept measuring off the distance between his spread-out thumb and index finger! I thought he was measuring them in groups of nine! I did not know that he was try- ing to locate the center of the grave. That comes later. The diagonal lines connecting the 4 corners of the grave - easily drawn with a stick or by crossing 2 long sticks would have given the center. THAT WORD SPAN WAS THE CLUE. BUT IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT ANYONE WOULD HAVE HORSE-MEASURED A GRAVE. WHY NOT STEP IT OFF, SIGNIFYING THAT MURDERER OR HIS SUBSTITUTE HAD THE VICTIM UNDER HIS FEET? PERHAPS SOME OTHER SYMBOL OF MAGIC IS INDICATED HERE.1 Nine. Measure off till yo' measure off to de end of de grave. Dere yo' are.
(Oh! To the end of the grave.)
Den yo' divide dose spans - keep count of dose spans. Was it ten, was it five an' a part, was it nine, or was it four an' a half? Yo' understand, huh? Den yo' take an' measure dat grave in de middle section [measure width]. An' den yo' take up - dig a little hole [in] dat [center] an' take dose nine thimbleful of dat graveyard soil.
(In Other WOrds, YOU MEASURE THIS GRAVE TO GET THE EXACT CENTER?)
Dere yo' are.
(I see, I understand. That's what they do to get the fellow off in court.)
Entry 7316
Go to de cemetery right where he [murdered man] wuz buried, yessuh, an' git some of dat dirt right off de top right middleways, an' put it down in a red bag an' sew it up, an' den take dese heah nine needles an' jes' stick 'em all de way roun' de top, an' throw dat in runnin' watah, an' dis man [murderer] he would come back.
(This man who killed this other man?) Yes, he's comin' right back where he left from.
Entry 7317
[Ah] heard one thing about graveyard dirt, dat if yo' wus on de chain gang workin' an' could git to graveyard an' pull up de headbo'rd an' reach down in dere jes' as fah as yo' could, or anywhere in de grave dig down if yo' could, an' git de dirt an' put it in yore shoes, dat de dogs wouldn't run yuh, wouldn't track yo'.
Entry 7318
Go to de graveyard right heah and bury it right chere [demonstrates]. Like dis is mah head heah and dis is mah foot, an' walk backwards - turn yore back an' walk backwards toward mah face, walk all roun' tull [till] yo' git to de headbo'd.
(Wait! You walk back like that, around the grave. And then what?)
[Informant probably demonstrated by walking backwards round his chair.]
An' den yo' put chure han' right down dere an' git a han'ful of dirt an' put yore han' in yore pocket an' turn yore back.
(What does that do?)
If dey do [give] yo' trouble any way, dey can't ketch yuh - de dogs won't run yo' wit it. (Suppose they are trying to catch me and I go out to the cemetery, to the graveyard, and I turn my back and I walk round the grave.) Yes, sir. (I walk back over [round] the head down to the foot. Where do I get this dirt?) Git it right out de head of de - at de headbo'd. See, de bo'd nail down dere. Yo' reach right down dere at de head an' git it.
(Do you get it at the footboard or the headboard?)
De headbo'd.
Entry 7319
If yo' do anythin' an' gittin' away an' de dogs in behin' yo', go to a cemetery to a fresh grave an' run across a fresh grave an' git chew some dirt an' make yore track an' put dat fresh grave [dirt] in it. Take dat fresh graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it around in a circle an' go on off. An' de dog couldn't go no furthah den dat track from dat cemetery dirt from de fresh grave.
(You sprinkle it in a circle.)
Yes, make a circle round lak dat.
(Where do you make the circle around?)
Jes' where yo' standin' at. Jes' take yore dirt an' git chew a handful an' sprinkle it round like dat an' go on off dataway. De dog wouldn't come no fur- thah den dat dirt, where dat dirt at - couldn't pick it [track] up no mo'.
Entry 7320
Yo' go to de graveyard late at night an' run yore han' dat deep down into de head of grave [demonstrates].
(The length of your arm.)
Yes, an' git up some dirt. If yo' is in prison or anythin' an' yo' kin - dey goin' run yo' wit hounds, or anythin', yo' take dat dirt. Pay dat - put a penny dere, Pay dat [dead] man. An' take dat dirt an' yo' go out. When de hounds git aftah yuh, yo' jes' throw dat dirt all around in a ring an' go ahead. When dey git dere dey'll run back to de house.
(What do you mean you throw that dirt all around in a ring?)
Jes' lak yo's turin' around.
(Throw it around yourself, and then you go off and you get away?)
Yes.
Entry 7321
Well, when yo' goes out to de fo'ks of de road is when yo' in any kinda trouble wit de laws or anyone behin' yo'. Yo' kin take an' go out tuh de fo'k of de road an' take some sulphur an' some red peppah, an' go tuh de graveyard an' git some dirt offa any kinda grave dat chew wanta, between twelve [mid- night] to fo' a'clock. An' yo' kin scattah it all de way around yo' [make a circle round you], an' make a cross mark underneat' each one of yore feets an' one up in de hair ovah yore haid. An' jes' goes right where yo' knows evah offi- cah have tuh come out of his do' an' jes' sprinkle some of dat dirt round dere, an' jes' stay outa de way from 'im fo' nine days. Dey will nevah bothah yo'. (You have to go out to the.forks of the road - the crossroad to do that, where you make that circle.) Yes sir.
Entry 7322
Yo' kin go to de graveyard an' git some graveyard dust. Yessuh, an' den dey kin put some in dere shoe, an' run on to a cow pasture an' keep on goin'. An' den dey kin come on back an' git yo' fingah- print or yore han'print an' dat'll work a long ways. (What do you go to the graveyard for - what's wrong?) Jes' lak if yo' happen tuh be in any trouble any way. (You go to the graveyard and get some graveyard dirt, and what do you do with that graveyard dirt?) Put it in yore shoe, so dey say, an' den run through a cow pasture, if yo' in any trouble or anythin'.
(What will that do?)
Dat will he'p yo' git away. Dat whut dey say. [Sumter, S. Car., (1378), 2448.
Entry 7323
A fellah could - jes' lak he kill someone an' he wanted tuh git away - go an' git some of dat graveyard dirt of de fella dat he killed an' wear it inhis shoe, an' den endurin' [during] de time dat he wearin' dat in 'is shoe - dat is, if dey wus crowdin' 'im wit dogs or somepin lak dat, go on through some big bunch of cows [to step in cow manure] an' go on about 'is business. An' de dogs couldn't trail 'im.
Entry 7324
Jes' lak if somebody kill somebody, well dey git de track dogs on dere track. Well dey kin go tuh de graveyard an' git graveyard dirt an' put it in de bottom of dere shoes. Well de track dogs couldn't track 'em. Also, dey kin git cayenne peppah an' put it in de bottom of dere shoes. Well dat cayenne peppah yo' know will strangle de dogs so dey git off de track.
Entry 7325
An' black or red peppah, salt, bluestone. Make dat stuff up an' sprin- kle it down, if yo' done a crime an' yo' Wanta git away. Dey goin' take de blood- hound to git aftah yo'. Git dat graveyard dirt an' dat bluestone an' salt an' stuff an' put it in your shoe. An' anywhere yo' go dat dog'll track yo' till yo' got dat, an' den when yo' got dat he can't track yo' no furthah, yo' see. Yo' see, yo' done hoodooed dat dog. Dat dog come on back. An' he can't go ovah dat cuz it's too strong fo' 'im, yo' see - dat graveyard dirt.
Entry 7326
Ah heard of if a man or a woman done a crime an' dey git out an' try tuh git away, dey'd rub turpentine undah de bottom of dey feet an' walk across de graveyard an' dey could git away. [This may be my only ex- ample of a woman trailed by dogs. Yes, I remember Eliza in Uncle Tom's Cabin.]
Entry 7327
Jes' lak if a man kill a man an' he wanta git away, he goes to de cem- etery an' gits some of dat graveyard dirt, an' turpentine an' put in 'is tracks, an' dey will nevah ketch 'im.
(Put it in whose tracks?)
In his own tracks.
The informant gives a hypothetical example. The interviewer asks whose tracks, and the informant replies 'In his own tracks'; the escape claim remains source-reported.
Entry 7328
(You take the graveyard dirt and put some turpentine in it.)
[I am repeating what informant had said.]
But take - have yo' a bottle of spirits of turpentine an' git de graveyard dirt. An' when yo' go to handle yo' shoes, go tuh dis one. An' den yo' go pull off de othah shoe an' put on yo' othah [first] one an' po' dirt in it - po' dirt in de [each] shoe an' po' spirits of turpentine on de bottom [outside]. An' de dogs won't chase yo', dey can't ketch yo'.
Entry 7329
About de graveyard? Say if dey should do anythin' in de city an' dey wanta dodge de law or keep de dogs from trackin' 'em, dey go to de graveyard an' git de graveyard dirt an' put it in dey shoe; an' dey sprinkle a little turpen- tine, yo' know raw turpentine, in dere an' de dogs couldn't track 'em.
The informant describes a hypothetical attempt to evade pursuit using graveyard dirt with turpentine. The tracking claim remains source-reported.
Entry 7330
If yo' done a crime an' yo' don't want de houn' tuh track yo', go to a graveyard an' git dat fresh dirt - lak a party's been bur-ried [buried], today git de fresh dirt. An' rub de bottom of yore foot wit some turpentine an' dat dirt an' de dog can't track yo' no fu'thah. Wal ah know fren' of me done dat his- self.
Entry 7331
If a person - lak nov, say ah kilt somebody an' ah wanted tuh git away. Ah kin take mah foot an' put it in dat [cow] manure an' den step in tur- pentine an' run through a cemetery. An' ah'm gone, dey couldn't find me.
Entry 7332
(You mean the knee from this dead man?)
De cap of de knee.
(How do they do that?)
Well, jes' lak if anybody kill a person, git in trouble an' wanta git away, so dey won't be caught chew know an' dey won't even look fo' dem; an' den, if dey run, happen tuh run 'cross 'em, dey can't handle 'em. All right. Dey kin go by a cemetery an' dey'll dig up a dead person, yo' know, if dey in trouble or sompin. An' dey want dat knee. An' dey:11 take dat knee an' dey'll tote it in dere pocket, see. All right. Befo' dey git dere, git dat knee - 'fo' dey git to dat knee, dey will take turpentine an' will rub it in dere shoes, see. Dat's tuh keep - jes' lak dey got dogs out aftah 'em or sompin, [keep dogs away] till dey git to de graveyard an' git dat knee. Take an' wrap it up or sompin an' put it in dere pocket an' go on 'bout dere business.
Entry 7333
Like if a fellah done kilt a man, regardless of what nationality or what color or whoever he are, he's goin' up befo' de judge - he's goin' fer 'is neck or life sentence. Yo' know some fellah, de fellah - yo' know what ah mean, dat he have kilt. Yo' go, yo' have to take anothah fellah wit yo' to do dis. Yo' take yo' a spade or whatevah yo' kin. Of co'se, yo' kin always git in de cemetery at night. Yo' gotta know where dis party's buried dat he kilt. Yo' dig 'im up till yo' git to his lef' ahrm [arm]. Yo' can't wait too long befo' yo' do dis, yo' gotta git 'im befo' he is spoiled. Yo' git 'is lef' ahrm or eithah his han' - anythin' yo' kin git. Yo' git all of dose fingahnails, de whole five of 'em offa dere. Yo' take 'em an' yo' git yo nine needles an' yo' heat dese needles. Yo' bore a hole in each one of dose fingahnails wit each needle. Yo' take dat an' yo' make a necklace outa hit. Now, dis is fo' de fellah dat did de killin'. Yo' give dis necklace to de fellah to wear when he go up befo' de judge, he's gotta get discharged.
(I see. You dig up that left arm. You mean you don't have to get the [whole]
left arm, just so you get the left hand?) Jes' so yo' kin get de...
(You don't want to get the left arm, just so you get the left hand?)
Git de fingahnails, dat's all yo' want. Yo' don't want de flesh at all, yo' jes' want de nails offa de hand.
Entry 7334
A man kin git in a chase an' a dog behin' 'im lak dat, an' he kin take his own an' stop 'em. Got a chance to git fur enough, he'll up an' take a dump. Jis' git up an' wipe his feets in it an' he ain't gotta run.
(The same as the cow manure, only he will use his own.)
Ah know about 'is own but ah jes' heard about dat othah. [Brunswick, Ga., 1174), 1983:7.]
Entry 7335
If a fellah wus to kill somebody an' try to git away an' dey had de hounds chase 'em, ah know dey could throw 'em off de track so dey wouldn't ketch 'em. He could take off 'is shoes an' use de passage from 'is bowels, an' leave it in 'is shoes an' de hounds wouldn't bothah 'im no mo'.
(In both shoes?)
Yes, in both shoes.
Entry 7336
Take a onion - yo' bit a onion an' rub it on de bottom of yore feet an' de dog can't trail yo'.
Entry 7337
It [red onion] will grow back hair. Yo' take it an' rub it on a bald spot an' it will grow back hair. An' den it's good to keep dogs from runnin' yo'. Lak yo' a prisonah, gits out of a [chain] gang or anythin' lak dat, yo' put de salt an' [red] peppah an' de red onion togethah an' put it in yore shoes, an' dey can't run yo'.
Entry 7338
Ah've seen dis done - pardon me. Ah've seen 'em git some cayenne pep- pah an' put, yo' know, cayenne peppah an' salt, table salt - dey gits real table salt. Put a teaspoonful of cayenne peppah an' a teaspoonful of table salt an' put it into - jes' put it on some papah an' stir it up, yo: know. An' den dey take dat cayenne peppah an' put's it in dey left hand [of] de person dat done some devilment, yo' know dat shot a man - jes' like dey had killed 'im - an' he throws it ovah his left shoul- dah. Throws it ovah his left shouldah, den he walks right on. Don't look back. An' he walks right on an' nobody don't bothah 'im.
(If he had killed a man. So they won't catch him.)
Yassuh, ah've seen dat done.
Entry 7339
Takes a pod of red peppah an' gits nine grains [seeds] an' put it in both shoes an' wear it in dere. An' take yo' some salt an' sugah an' put it in de toe of yore shoe, an' yo' could walk anywhere yo' Wanted tuh go. If dey hounds wuz aftah yo', den yo' git chew some red peppah [cayenne] or eithah a piece of sock or sompin, an' rub it undah yore arms, undah each arm an' put it in yore shoe, den dey couldn't trail yo'. (Put those nine grains of red peppah in each shoe, so if you walk over any- thing it won't hurt you?) Dat's whut dat's fo'.
(This other is for the hounds tracking you?)
Yes.
Entry 7340
Sprinkle salt as dey go, if dey goin'. An' right aftah dey go, jes sprinkle salt along dere an' de dogs can't trail 'em - can't trail 'em ovah dat salt. (You mean if a person committed a crime you would sprinkle some salt around?) Dat's right. Can't trail 'em.