re, reversed."[227] The judiciary was the
best department of government under Reconstruction in
Mississippi.

Taking up the question of ignorant Negro office holders, he says:

All that I find as to Evans, except Garner's statement of "it was
alleged," is in an account of Reconstruction in De Soto County,
written by I. C. Nichols in the publication of the Miss. Hist.
Soc., XI, 307. He does not say that Evans could not read or
write, but that his "bondsmen really administered his affairs and
ran his office." At one time there was a charge of defalcation
against him, but nothing specific, and Nichols concludes that
nothing really was wrong. After this some changes were made in
his bondsmen and "R. R. West was put in charge of the office and
became Sheriff in all but name." West was, perhaps, one of the
"honest, efficient, and capable assistants." Evans had been a
slave. In Washington County there was also a negro sheriff,
Winslow by name. Mr. Lynch does not mention him, but according to
the testimony of H. B. Putnam, a carpet-bagger, Winslow was
"nominally" sheriff, but his bondsmen ran the office; the
sheriff, tho he could read and write, was "incompetent to take
charge of his office," which was worth $10,000 or $15,000 a year
legitimately, and, according to a white Democrat, about $100,000
by other means.[228] Scott of Issaquena, whom Mr. Lynch mentions,
testified before the Boutwell committee, and so far as can be
judged by that testimony he was a man of fair intelligence, tho
according to the testimony of one of his own race, not endowed
with rash courage.[229] The testimony of another carpet-bagger,
with reference to Holmes County, is interesting, tho it does not
show whether the sheriff-elect was white or black. He was
probably not Sumner, as this man never served in the office. This
carpet-bagger said that the sheriff of the county having died and
this man elected to fill the vacancy the successor arranged to
have the witness assist in making the bond. "Other gentlemen
hesitated to go on the bond unless I would go there and be
responsible for the running of the office." The man was prevented
from taking office so nothing came of the arrangement. On the
whole such first-hand material as I have been able to find does
not uphold Garner ent