IN THEIR SKIN STORY
January 14 1936
I drove into town today and saw 2 negroes walking around. They looked suspicious but I wasn't about to waste my time messing with them.
January 17 1936
Nothing exciting here in Moulton. It's been boring these last few days. I've been getting calls from the Smiths about kids being in their yard and trying to take a peek through the window. I usually tell Mr.Smith to tell those kids to leave him alone. These countless hours are being spent terribly. I've been reading reports years ago. I regret tons of things in my life. I should've, I knew Tom Robinson was innocent. I remember the trial like it was yesterday. Question after question Atticus Finch asked back to back. Being sheriff again gives me another chance. I know I can do better than last time. I'm ready for it.
January 21 1936
I walked through town today and caught up with some people. I walked to the woods. I haven't been hunting in a long time. People were there already. Amongst them a negro kid. He was with a white man retrieving everything that was hit.He looked like he was 16. “Fetch up negro!” The white man called. The kid ran picking up the dead bird. I spotted a bird and took my shot. “Go get em” The white man hollered out to kid. Again the kid went to get the bird. He came back without a bird in his hands. “I'll show you negro.” The man leaned his gun against a tree and started to walk. I took aim as I saw a bird fly. It land on a tree branch. “Clean shot sir.” The boy admitted “Thanks boy, do you shoot?” I replied to the boy. “No sir.” He responded. “You should try it out boy.” The negro stared at the gun leaning against the tree and reached out. His hand meet the gun. “Don’t hurt yourself now.” I said. He seen the man shoot before because he knew how to hold the gun. A bird flew low and thee boy directed the barrel. The bird was sitting getting ready to fly. The boy took a deep breath. It flapped it wings and took off. The boy fired his shot. “DAMN IT!” The man screamed a painful roar. I feared. I hurried towards the roars of the man. The boy followed me with an eagerness.The man wasn't far from us. The man was bleeding from his left leg. The boy ran as soon as he saw the blood. I placed my hands on the bullet hole to stop the bleeding. I took off my coat and put it over his leg. My hands were dripping red. I could hear some leaves braking and twigs snapping in the distance. People were rushing over to where I was. I suppose they heard the man scream. We lifted him to a car and drove him to the hospital. The doctors didn't let us see him. The man's son showed up. He looked just like his dad. Brown hair with brown eyes. His skin was white. He was eager to see his dad. No one was aloud to go in.
January 22 1936
This morning I was at the hospital. I went back to the office thinking about what had happened. I visited the hospital one last time to ask the son a couple of questions. “I bet he shot my dad on purpose Sheriff.” he said “My dad ain't ever doing nothing wrong.” “What's your dad's name?” I asked “Jeff.” was his response. “What happened to your dad was a accident.” I told him about what had happened. He wasn't convinced.
January 27 1936
Jeff was out this morning. I asked him questions about the boy. He gave me his name Andrew and a address. I went to the address Jeff gave me and Andrew was there with his mom and siblings. I talked with him about what happened.The worst thing that could happen is Jeff pressing charges against Andrew.
February 9 1936
Jeff’s son pressed charges on Andrew 4 days ago. Know we have a real problem. A court date for Andrew has been decided. He has to be there March 3. They got assigned lawyers to them and were told to appear at court.
February 17 1936
I went to Andrew's place to talk about court. He was nervous and kept telling me he didn't shoot on purpose. I knew he didn't shoot him. I told him he would be asked questions back to back and if he answered them truthfully there shouldn't be a problem. Andrew was getting very jumpy as if he was planning on running away. I wonder how Tom Robinson felt when he was told to appear in court. The feeling of being a negro at court was probably terrible. I wouldn't know what it's like because I was born white.
February 23 1936
I've been trying to keep my mind off the court date and think about other things. I took a stroll through town today. It helped just a little. Nothing too interesting was going on.
February 28 1936
The court date is right around the corner and I am starting to get nervous.
March 3 1936 (Court Date)
I’m nervous for what’s to come. Andrew was there sitting down looking nervous. I whispered it was all going to be okay. Andrew was the first one up. He took the (thing so you don't lie) and sat down. Mr. Walter Jeff's lawyer started to fire away at andrew with tons of questions. Andrew did a good job keeping up and answering. When it was my turn to go up I was struggling in understanding what Mr. Walter was saying. I asked him to repeat the questions a couple of times. After me it was Jeff and 2 of the men who were there shooting. They just gave information about what they saw. After everyone got asked questions the jury took a step outside to discuss the final decision. The judge came out. He stood up and said GUILTY. I couldn't believe what I heard. I thought that it was surely going to end in NOT GUILTY. The ending was a little like I expected. The white man always gets his way. Same thing happened in the Tom Robinson case and they killed him. I didn't want to same for Andrew. Not this time. I won't let it happen.
March 7 1936
Andrew is in jail doing 8 years. I went over to Andrew’s family and told them what was going to happen. Their faces were blue as soon as they heard the word jail. Tears filled in there eyes. I left them so they could think about it.
March 9 1936
Jail has been terrible for Andrew. His nights are lonely. He’s never felt like this. He is most worried about getting lynched. He’s careful and tells me to tell his family that he loves them. I feel bad for Andrew. I know that he shouldn't be here but yet he is. There isn't anything that I can do. I just hope that he doesn't get lynched like Tom Robinson.
March 15 1936
Andrew is still shocked to be in jail. He still doesn't want to accept it which is normal. Someone is planning on visiting him today and he is looking forward to seeing them.
July 24 1936
This is Andrew. Sheriff Heck Tate is dead. He died saving me. The people who were planning on visiting me were really just 4 guys who were trying to lynch me. If it wasn't for heck I would have been dead. He saved my life. He took the bullets for me. I cannot thank Heck enough. I found this journal in his office. I will always remember Heck.
January 14 1936
I drove into town today and saw 2 negroes walking around. They looked suspicious but I wasn't about to waste my time messing with them.
January 17 1936
Nothing exciting here in Moulton. It's been boring these last few days. I've been getting calls from the Smiths about kids being in their yard and trying to take a peek through the window. I usually tell Mr.Smith to tell those kids to leave him alone. These countless hours are being spent terribly. I've been reading reports years ago. I regret tons of things in my life. I should've, I knew Tom Robinson was innocent. I remember the trial like it was yesterday. Question after question Atticus Finch asked back to back. Being sheriff again gives me another chance. I know I can do better than last time. I'm ready for it.
January 21 1936
I walked through town today and caught up with some people. I walked to the woods. I haven't been hunting in a long time. People were there already. Amongst them a negro kid. He was with a white man retrieving everything that was hit.He looked like he was 16. “Fetch up negro!” The white man called. The kid ran picking up the dead bird. I spotted a bird and took my shot. “Go get em” The white man hollered out to kid. Again the kid went to get the bird. He came back without a bird in his hands. “I'll show you negro.” The man leaned his gun against a tree and started to walk. I took aim as I saw a bird fly. It land on a tree branch. “Clean shot sir.” The boy admitted “Thanks boy, do you shoot?” I replied to the boy. “No sir.” He responded. “You should try it out boy.” The negro stared at the gun leaning against the tree and reached out. His hand meet the gun. “Don’t hurt yourself now.” I said. He seen the man shoot before because he knew how to hold the gun. A bird flew low and thee boy directed the barrel. The bird was sitting getting ready to fly. The boy took a deep breath. It flapped it wings and took off. The boy fired his shot. “DAMN IT!” The man screamed a painful roar. I feared. I hurried towards the roars of the man. The boy followed me with an eagerness.The man wasn't far from us. The man was bleeding from his left leg. The boy ran as soon as he saw the blood. I placed my hands on the bullet hole to stop the bleeding. I took off my coat and put it over his leg. My hands were dripping red. I could hear some leaves braking and twigs snapping in the distance. People were rushing over to where I was. I suppose they heard the man scream. We lifted him to a car and drove him to the hospital. The doctors didn't let us see him. The man's son showed up. He looked just like his dad. Brown hair with brown eyes. His skin was white. He was eager to see his dad. No one was aloud to go in.
January 22 1936
This morning I was at the hospital. I went back to the office thinking about what had happened. I visited the hospital one last time to ask the son a couple of questions. “I bet he shot my dad on purpose Sheriff.” he said “My dad ain't ever doing nothing wrong.” “What's your dad's name?” I asked “Jeff.” was his response. “What happened to your dad was a accident.” I told him about what had happened. He wasn't convinced.
January 27 1936
Jeff was out this morning. I asked him questions about the boy. He gave me his name Andrew and a address. I went to the address Jeff gave me and Andrew was there with his mom and siblings. I talked with him about what happened.The worst thing that could happen is Jeff pressing charges against Andrew.
February 9 1936
Jeff’s son pressed charges on Andrew 4 days ago. Know we have a real problem. A court date for Andrew has been decided. He has to be there March 3. They got assigned lawyers to them and were told to appear at court.
February 17 1936
I went to Andrew's place to talk about court. He was nervous and kept telling me he didn't shoot on purpose. I knew he didn't shoot him. I told him he would be asked questions back to back and if he answered them truthfully there shouldn't be a problem. Andrew was getting very jumpy as if he was planning on running away. I wonder how Tom Robinson felt when he was told to appear in court. The feeling of being a negro at court was probably terrible. I wouldn't know what it's like because I was born white.
February 23 1936
I've been trying to keep my mind off the court date and think about other things. I took a stroll through town today. It helped just a little. Nothing too interesting was going on.
February 28 1936
The court date is right around the corner and I am starting to get nervous.
March 3 1936 (Court Date)
I’m nervous for what’s to come. Andrew was there sitting down looking nervous. I whispered it was all going to be okay. Andrew was the first one up. He took the (thing so you don't lie) and sat down. Mr. Walter Jeff's lawyer started to fire away at andrew with tons of questions. Andrew did a good job keeping up and answering. When it was my turn to go up I was struggling in understanding what Mr. Walter was saying. I asked him to repeat the questions a couple of times. After me it was Jeff and 2 of the men who were there shooting. They just gave information about what they saw. After everyone got asked questions the jury took a step outside to discuss the final decision. The judge came out. He stood up and said GUILTY. I couldn't believe what I heard. I thought that it was surely going to end in NOT GUILTY. The ending was a little like I expected. The white man always gets his way. Same thing happened in the Tom Robinson case and they killed him. I didn't want to same for Andrew. Not this time. I won't let it happen.
March 7 1936
Andrew is in jail doing 8 years. I went over to Andrew’s family and told them what was going to happen. Their faces were blue as soon as they heard the word jail. Tears filled in there eyes. I left them so they could think about it.
March 9 1936
Jail has been terrible for Andrew. His nights are lonely. He’s never felt like this. He is most worried about getting lynched. He’s careful and tells me to tell his family that he loves them. I feel bad for Andrew. I know that he shouldn't be here but yet he is. There isn't anything that I can do. I just hope that he doesn't get lynched like Tom Robinson.
March 15 1936
Andrew is still shocked to be in jail. He still doesn't want to accept it which is normal. Someone is planning on visiting him today and he is looking forward to seeing them.
July 24 1936
This is Andrew. Sheriff Heck Tate is dead. He died saving me. The people who were planning on visiting me were really just 4 guys who were trying to lynch me. If it wasn't for heck I would have been dead. He saved my life. He took the bullets for me. I cannot thank Heck enough. I found this journal in his office. I will always remember Heck.