THE WHITELY INCIDENT

 Interview on July 8, 1943

It seems that he had gone with Rufe Rice and captured a man named Whitely. Crockett Hendricks, Hamp McCain, and one of the Berkleys, as I recall from the conversation, wanted to interfere. He said Uncle Rufe to tell them that he would not give him up. And he told the prisoner, if bothered, he would let him have his Winchester. They hurried on and beat Rufe to town. Those fellows had thought he would give him up.

On the first trip out there he had to go by way of Jack Durham’s toll bridge because the Leon River was up, and he came by Hosea Underwood’s and the man (Whitely) thought that they were going to hang him. The first time there came the three Bohemians with long squirrel guns. He told them to stay back and Hendricks but they followed on to the house. (Should have asked more about what they had against Whitely.)

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