The First CaravanThe deputies stopped giggling as the sheriff emerged from the stairwell. No matter how many times they did it, the reaction of the prisoners to the opening of the gallows trap door never got old. McCullough realized he needed to explain the realities of the evening again. “Men, it doesn’t seem like you understand what’s going on here.”
“What do you mean?” one of the deputies asked.
“The crowd outside is out of control. We’re going to be tested.”
“Are you saying we’re not turning him over?”
“That’s right.”
“But we turned over Roy Belton and he was a White man! Rowland is nothing but a Darkey. This makes no sense.”
“I never asked you to decide what makes sense—you need to do as I say and I’m commanding you to shoot anyone who comes through that door. If you can’t follo
