Down In Hills Of Tennessee (1932)

DELK, GREGSON, ALEXANDER, EICHHORN

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 12/10/2009 at 23:36:27

Grinnell (IA) Herald; Oct. 18, 1932

DOWN IN HILLS
OF TENNESSEE
(From the Montezuma Republican)

Bill Delk of Jamestown, Tenn., who was arrested near Searsboro last August, charged with carrying concealed weapons and who was paroled on good behavior, is now in Fort Madison, by order of Judge Frank Bechly. Sheriff Robert Gregson, R.S. Alexander and Glenn L. Eichhorn went down after Delk who was being held in jail. The Montezuma party left Friday morning and returned Wednesday afternoon, after many new and novel experiences.

Delk, who was to have appeared before the grand jury, did not do so and his arrest was then ordered. He will have to serve two years in Fort Madison. He can neither read nor write.

A delicate situation arose in Jamestown, which by the way is the home of Sergeant Alvin York, World War hero. When the local men reached their destination, they drove to the south side of the court house. Soon a large crowd collected and when Bob Gregson went into the court house with the sheriff of that county, the crowd followed right along and it looked for a time as if the mountaineers would not permit the taking of the prisoner. However, the Tennessee sheriff told the men that Iowa fellows would do Bill no harm and that it had all been talked over between them. The men grouped themselves about the two police officers in the small entry room and things looked bad for a while.

The southern sheriff then said that the best thing to do would be to go over to a lawyer's office and see that all the papers were correct. If they were not, then Bill would remain where he was. The two police officers and the lawyer then went across the square and into the office. The papers were examined and just as the work was completed, in stalked two big rough looking men, who never said a word, but just sat down eyeing Bob in such a manner, that he knew they were not trying to work up a summer flirtation. However, nothing was said.

The group then went over to the jail and all three local men got into the car. The Tennessee sheriff stood with his foot on the running board, and hand on the top of the car. The men grouped about the car at a respectful distance. Bob then asked where Bill was and was told that he would be out in a minute as he was bidding good-bye to his wife. Soon she appeared. Bill came out a second later and climbed into the car. The men said "Good-bye Bill" and the car was started on its homeward journey. Previous to this Bill pulled eighty cents from his pocket and gave his wife half of it. That was all the money in the family.

As the car left the outskirts of the little town and started the journey home, through wild and woolly woods, Bill waved every so often at the men peering out from the underbrush. When asked who they were he told the men one was a brother, another a cousin.

At one town they stopped they asked a taxi driver where the jail was. He told them and after seeing who their prisoner was wanted to know what they were doing with his cousin. The taxi driver also told the men not to stray far from the hotel that night as a celebration was on. When asked about it, they were told that several days previous a Federal officer had been shot and that was the why of the gala day.

The party came on home to Fort Madison where the prisoner was left. They had no real trouble but were on the verge all the time after leaving Jamestown.

Mr. Alexander says that down in Nashville, everything closes on Sunday, tight as a drum, not even a gas station open. However, if you drive just outside the city limits, you can get service. He saw one ball game, but not a bit of cheering was heard. Seemed rather hushed after one in this vicinity. The hush was due of course to its being Sunday.