About these whippings, the “Prophet” tells many a blood-curdling tale.

“One day when an old woman was plowing in the field, an overseer came by and reprimanded her for being so slow—­she gave him some back talk, he took out a long closely woven whip and lashed her severely.  The woman became sore and took her hoe and chopped him right across his head, and child you should have seen how she chopped this man to a bloody death.”

“Prophet” Kemp will tell you that he hates to tell these things to any investigator, because he hates for people to know just how mean his “fahter” really was.

So great was the fear in which Gay was held that when Kemp’s mother, Arnette Young, complained to Mrs. Gay, that her husband was constantly seeking her for a mistress and threatening her with death if she did not submit, even Mrs. Gay had to advise the slaves to do as Gay demanded, saying—­“My husband is a dirty man and will find some reason to kill you if you don’t.”  “I can’t do a thing with him.”  Since Arnette worked at the “big house” there was no alternative, and it was believed that out of the union with her master, Henry was born.  A young slave by the name of Broxton Kemp was given to the woman as husband at the time John Kemp was born, it is from this man that “Prophet” took his name.

Life on the plantation held nothing but misery for the slaves of John Gay.  A week’s allowance of groceries for the average small family consisted of a package of about ten pounds containing crudely ground meal, a slab of bacon—­called side-meat and from a pint to a quart of syrup made from sorghum, depending upon the season.

All slaves reported for work a 5 o’clock in the morning, except those who cared for the overseer, who began their work an hour earlier to enable the overseer to be present at the morning checkup.  This checkup determined which slaves were late or who had committed some offense late on the day before or during the night.  These were singled out and before the rest of the slaves began their work they were treated to the sight of these delinquents being stripped and beaten until blood flowed; women were no exception to the rule.

The possible loss of his slaves upon the declaration of freedom on January 1, 1866 caused Gay considerable concern.  His liquor-ridden mind was not long in finding a solution, however, he barred all visitors from his plantation and insisted that his overseers see to the carrying out of this detail.  They did, with such efficiency that it was not until May 8, when the government finally learned of the condition and sent a marshall to the plantation, that freedom came to Gay’s slaves.  May 8, is still celebrated in this section of Mississippi, as the official emancipation day.

Relief for the hundreds of slaves of Gay came at last with the declaration of freedom for them.  The government officials divided the grown and growing crops; and some land was parcelled out to the former slaves.