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Dr. Quigless [0:00]
He turned to Boise Porter said who is that skinny coming up who is that little skinny coming up? Boise Porter who had been at church said that's the new doctor coming to town. William said oh hell he's so damn skinny he looks like he needs a doctor. You mean to tell me that's a doctor? He needs to see a doctor real soon

[0:26]
he looks like he's about to fall dead. Boise said don't talk that loud the man can hear you he said I don't give a damn if he can hear me he still looks skinny he's gonna do just like the last one was here. He's gonna have to leave town, borrow some money to get out of town. I turned to Mr. Jones you didn't tell me somebody's been here already and had to leave town. Jones said oh don't pay that any mind that guy said there was a doctor here but I don't know whether he was a doctor or not because he was afraid of blood, he didn't want anybody to disturb him after five o'clock in the afternoon. He should have to leave town, he was so irritable nobody could get along with him. I said well if I had known that I probably would've taken a second look at this town before I stopped here. Don't worry, you'll be alright. Don't worry, don't worry about it. I talked to the men that I visited his lodge, and after about two hours, we strolled on further down the street. We passed a large house. Well kept lawn and everything. And I asked Mr. Jones, who lives in that house, say oh, that's where Nat Gray N A T G R A Y lived. He's one of the barbers in town. As we passed the house, the door was wide open. And I could look back into the dining room in the house. And so several fellows sitting around the dining room table eating. About that time Nat Grey looked up and saw me he yelled out hey Jones who's the guy with you. Jones said, this is the new doctor coming to town he said here, come on and have some dinner. I remember that I didn't have $6 in my pocket. I gladly accepted that invitation to dinner period. And that is right where my friendship began with Nat Gray N A T G R A Y period. I had not arranged any boarding place in Tarboro. Mr. Jones said he had some places. He immediately thought of widow who had room for rent. We went around to see the lady she led me to take me in as a boarder. The boarding room had two meals and a room for $35 a month. I gladly accepted. I asked her about money in advance and she said oh, that'd be all right. I know you're alright. That made me feel very happy because $6 is all I had. Now my trunk was at railroad station, I wasn't so sure about where I was going to stay. So I went by and saw janitor at the railroad station asking him whether I can leave my trunk there for a few days until I found a place to stay. He said Well, you know, we have to charge a 35 cents a day storage I said I don't have much money man. He said I'll you what I'll do, I'll put it right here behind the door and won't worry about it or know about it. Let me know when you want it out of here. You come get it one night. Thank you boss. Bright and early the next morning. I went to the drugstore. And sure enough Dr. Smith came in about 10 o'clock period. I said now doctor, I'm borrowing some money to open my office. He said well we tend to that right way and said now I'll tell you what, I don't have the money myself but I know a man in town who's a very giving man, he'd greatly lend the money if I recommend you. Come on lets go, he said well I'm busy right now but I'm going to call him on telephone and tell him you coming up there. I said who is this man. He says it's Mr. Crash Johnson I said what's his mission on earth. He said well he's a merchant, he has fertilizer for the farmers. And he loaned money to them to carry the crops until the fall. But he's a good man if you try to help yourself. He'll help you. Say you know Dr. Quigless he came up the hard way. He came up, came to Tarboro just as a clerk to work in somebody else's store. And he is advanced to certain extent that he has a business of his own is very good about helping people who try and help themselves because he came up the hard way himself. So all you got to do go up there and talk to him. Because I'm gonna call him and tell him you're coming and tell him your mission in town. Here I go. Mr. Johnson's office was just on Main Street, just across the street from the town hall. Period. When I entered office, they were fellows waiting and sitting around and two colored men. I walked up to his desk and he said what are you what can I do for you? I said that I came to borrow $250 to open my office. He said you came for what? He stared at me a little bit and said what did you what did you say? I repeated I came to town I came here to borrow some money I want to open my office. I want to practice medicine in Tarboro. He said oh you a doctor. He was flabbergasted. Then he say well wait a minute lets talk this thing over. I said okay. I want to tell you about myself first. And I started telling all about myself and started telling about myself when I was a child on up, having to want to come to Tarboro. I have an older town recommendation and I came to town and you need a black doctor, a colored doctor. He said well we do need a colored doctor. I talked to him in about an hour I said well I see what I see you got a lot of people waiting for you here I can come back tomorrow to talk to you some more. I don't expect to convince you that be that I'm worthy of your attention when visitors I'll be back tomorrow. He said no no don't stop I said no you got a lot of people sitting out here. I can wait, I'll come back tomorrow. He said okay, come on back tomorrow and we talked about it. I went back the next day. Continued the story of my life for about another hour. I watched the clock and then I left again. He said okay come back tomorrow about one o'clock we'll talk some more but you're gonna do most of the talking period. I went to see him on Wednesday he said doc I believe I believe you're good man. We need you in this town all of us need you. Not only your folks but my folks too and I'm going to let you have that money. So you tell Smith to come on up here and sign a loan with you and I'll let you have that money.

[8:07]
I almost ran all the way down the street to the drugstore.

[8:09]
I saw Dr. Smith and said look, Mr. Johnson says if you come up and sign this note with me. He'll let me have the money. He said okay no worries I'll be up there. I'll be up there. Just about that time his sister called him in the back of the drugstore and I left. So next day I went around about 10 o'clock. And Dr. Smith was not in the drugstore.

[8:42]
I saw his sister and asked her where's Dr. Smith? She said he's left out he's gone to the other store he'd be back another day. I said gone to the other store. He promised me that he'd be go down there and help me sign a note for me so I can get the money to open an office. What do you mean? She said what do you mean? Do you expect him to sign a note for you to get some money he doesn't know anything about you? He may sign a note for you to get the money and you leave town the same day. I said but Mrs. Jacobs I'm here to stay. Yeah, I've heard this story before I don't believe a word of it. He's not gonna let you come back to town he isn't gonna sign anything for you. All my dreams, everything came crashing down at that instant but just about that time Dr. Cane was sitting in the corner. He said wait a minute doc. I got to go home in two minutes, will you drive me home? I said sure I'll drive you home. He had his old piece of car up there, we got in it, we started it and he said look doc. I don't have to go home for nothing but I just wanted to tell you I knew that you weren't gonna get that money. Dr. Smith's sister had been flirting with him ever since Monday, trying to persuade him not to help you. And she's went so far as to make him get out of town so he wouldn't be here this morning. In the meantime, I'd been to two or three drugstores in town, I met the owners of the drugstores. And I talked with them. And, of course, I hadn't said anything about trying to borrow money or anything. But all of them stated that they were very grateful to have me in town and would help me in a way that they could. So when Dr. Cane asked me, What was that, what was I what was I going to do now? I said, well, doc, I hate to obligate myself to anybody. Now, not even to, I didn't want to obligate myself to Dr. Smith, but that was the only way out. And he just so much tried to persuade me to get here. I just knew he would go on through with his promise. And I say as to his sister down there. I didn't, Dr. Smith doesn't know me. And I didn't know him. But Dr. Smith does know one of the vice presidents of North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company, who is well is a good friend of my family down in Mississippi and who know me. And who has told Dr. Smith all about me and my family. So I said to Mrs. Jacobs. He said Mrs. Jacobs he said, why would he do a thing like that? Say he doesn't know you he doesn't know a thing about you? I said yes, but he knows that Mr. Clark, who is the vice president of North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company, who knows my family knows all about me. I said you know he's leaving me in quite a mess. I'm out here depending on him. And by the way, that $6 had gone on down to 3 about that time. Dr. Cane said, What are you going to do now? I've seen other, called the other drugstores in town. I've talked to all the other pharmacists, the owners, the men who owned the drugstores. But I told Dr. Cane that I could get some money from somebody else. I said somebody will lend me the money, but I don't want to be obligated to a lot of different people. I say I told him I did not want to be obligated to to Dr. Smith, however, he assured me that he'd be able to help me out. And let me swing [Inaudible] now. No car, $3 in my pocket, eating the littlest food, sleeping in a bed. She'd be looking for money at the end of the month.

[12:58]
What are we gonna do now? He said, well, I wouldn't want you to get obligated to anybody else.

[13:07]
But I'll tell you what you do. Come on, drive me on down here to Mr. Danson's store. I said who is that who is Mr. Danson? He said he's a merchant over in east Tarboro where all of the colored folks live, all the colored people. He's a merchant. And I know quite well, he'll help you.

[13:30]
He knows all about you, he knows all about Ms. Jacobs. And he knows why nobody will help you. She wouldn't let him help anybody. And everyone was just mean as hell. So I told Dr. Cane again. I say I don't want to be he said what is he gonna get out of it? He has a grocery store. I say but the drugstore people are really gonna get something out of my presence because I'd be sending them all the prescriptions. He said, Well, don't worry about that. He'd be glad to help you. If you don't want to be obligated to anybody else, it's alright to be obligated to him. I told him well, I wouldn't go down I hadn't seen Mr. Danson, hadn't talked to him I didn't know him. I told him I will not go down and ask this man to help me and I haven't seen haven't said a word to him don't know anything about him. And he doesn't know anything about me. I say but I feel very badly about this thing because Mr. Smith does know me. He does know people who know me know know my family. He responded with to leave you out here like this. Think it's terrible thing. Anyway, he insisted we go down to see Mr. Danson. But I had something else in mind. I decided I'd high foot it back over to see my classmate, Dr. Williams in neighboring town and try to get some help from him. I went back to, I went back to see Dr. Williams and explained the situation to him. He said, well, you know, bruh, buckwheat, that's what he called me, I realized that you are in quite a predicament. However, in as much as you are going to practice medicine in Tarboro, I think you should look about over there and see if you can find somebody to help you over there. Now in the event, you can't get any help anywhere else, I might be able to lend you 25 or $30 bespoke you try over there again. Now in the event that you can't get any help, otherwise, come over here and see me. And I'll try to recommend somebody who may be able to do something for you. I know you realize the fact that I haven't been here too long myself. And a fella should have some cash money in order to look out for emergencies. You should have some cash money when you came here. And you wouldn't have been in this predicament. I say but you know, personally, I was promised all kinds of help by a man whom I thought I could rely on. And because of his sister, I'm left swinging out here without any help at all. No way to get started. He said well, I tell you, I repeat the best thing for you to do is to go back there, you'll be able to find somebody in Tarboro who will help you. After all, you know, Quig you have my sympathy. I returned to Tarboro and went to Dr. Cane's house. He said what did Dr. Williams tell you? I said he just come right down, you know, gave me all sorts of excuses. And ended up coming right out right and refusing help. What are you gonna do now? I said well, I had talked to the other drugstore proprietors. I said just as bad as I hate to do it, I think I'll just have to go to them. And have them advance me enough money to open my office. Dr. Cane said, well, I know you hate to be obligated to anybody. Suppose we try to get some help right here in Tarboro. I know man who would probably be able to help you. Who would that be? I asked. I'm thinking about Mr. Danson, who is Mr. Danson. He's a colored merchant who is very much concerned about the health of our community. I'm quite sure he will be willing to go to the bank for you and sign a note for you. I said well now I just hate to do that, because after all, Mr. Danson has a grocery store. He will not be benefited by my having come to town. But on the other hand, Dr. Smith would be benefited every day by the prescriptions that I would send to his drugstore. He said don't worry about that. Come on. Let's go on down and see Mr. Danson. I said I'm not going and asking this man to help me. I said I had been rebuffed by somebody who was supposed to know a little bit about me. And I do have some pride even if I don't have any money at all. Well, he insisted. Come on. Just grabbed me down there. I'll ask him to help you. We went to Mr. Danson store and Dr. Cane had me go ahead and call him out. Dr. Cane explained the situation to Mr. Danson he replied I can understand the situation. I can understand why Dr. Smith didn't help you because I know his sister very well. I'd be glad to go on and sign a note for you so you can get all need is $250? I'd be glad to do that. However, I would like for you get Mr. Pattillo and bring him down here. I know he would be glad to co sign your note. Who is Mr. Pattillo? He's a school principal. And he would do anything to help our town period. Well, that didn't sit well with me either. But Dr. Cane insisted on Mr. Danson calling Mr. Pattillo to come down. In due time he came to Mr. Danson's store and we all discussed the matter for awhile he said well, I'd be glad to help you. Mr. Danson suggested that we go to Mr. Johnson's office the next morning and I said, I think this is a sorry way to get a doctor to town.

[20:08]
I don't see how in the hell they would expect me to send them prescriptions. After being rebuffed as I had by Mrs. Jacobs period. Mr. Pattillo spoke up and said I'll help you on one condition. That condition is that you will go right ahead and send prescription to Dr. Williams' drugstore. I reluctantly agreed to send prescriptions to the drugstore. Next morning we went to Mr. Johnson's office at 10 a.m. Mr. Danson spoke to Mr. Johnson, quote Mr. Johnson. This man has come to Tarboro open his office and practice medicine.

[21:09]
However, he had been fooled. Dr. Williams sent him up here to talk to you

[21:15]
with an understanding that if you talk with Dr. Quigless here, Dr. Williams would come up and sign a note to help him borrow some money. Now, Dr. Williams left town, left this man out here. And if he doesn't get some help, he will have to leave our little town. Now comma if he leaves Tarboro and spread the word that the people in this town can not be dependent on for help, we will never have a chance to get a doctor here. Mr. Pattillo and I are willing to co sign a note so this man can get $250. Mr. Johnson said that's all I want to hear. Give me the telephone over here. He called a security bank and asked for Terry. Quote. Tell Terry to get on this phone pause Terry I'm sending this doctor down there his name is Dr. Quigless. I'm sending him down there. He wants to borrow $250 from the bank. I was signing the note along with C. M. Danson and Pattillo. They didn't have the money, give them some blank notes for me to sign, send them on back up here. He turned to me and said doc, you done get this money and take care of what whatever bills you have, get these notes signed and bring them back up here to me tomorrow morning. I said thank you sir. At the bank Mr. Terry asked how do you want the money? You want it in cash? You want a check? What? I said I want to deposit the money. He deposited $250 to my account and gave me some blank notes to have filled out. I went my merry way. The next order of business was to find a building suitable for me to open an office. That is the first time I went to Nat Gray for help. Quote Nat, I've been able to borrow enough money to open my office. Now all I have to do is find a suitable place for my office period. He spoke of several locations near the center of town. But most of them were up in town where all the white businesses were. And he was doubtful as to whether the white businesses would allow colored doctors to locate close to them period. He say oh yeah, there's one place we could get probably get, there's a fish market down that's at the foot of the river bridge left vacant and nobody's been able to make any living down there. And I know three or four people who failed when the place was operating in the fish market period. We went to look the place over and there was a one story stucco building located at what I would call the foot of Main Street. You see, Tarboro was situated on the bank of the Tar River. The main street of the town began at the river and extended in the southwest direction for about roughly one mile period. Main Street was criss crossed by about 20 streets going east and west. There were around 10 streets, running parallel to Main Street.

[25:46]
Three on one side of Main Street, and seven on the other side of Main Street period. There was some paving down Main Street, if I remember correctly, there weren't any curb and gutter. Just about 1/3 of those streets were paved. Same way, asphalt Middle Street, no curb and gutter. Now to return to the fish market build. It was a one storey stucco building. With the entrance facing Main Street period, there had been there had been a plate glass window on either side of the entrance door. Both windows had been knocked out and the open spaces were bolted up. The front door was nailed shut. There had been a pane of glass in the front door however that pane of glass had been knocked out. We pried the front door open and went inside to find the ceiling sagging, the floor sagging, and the plaster falling from the walls on all sides.

[27:14]
It was a dismal mess. But I felt that I could possibly turn it into an office provided I could get some help to clean it up, put some windows in, put a little paint on the walls. We found out later that the building belonged to the town. The next stop was the town hall to see if it was possible for me to rent the building. The clerk at the town hall looked up and saw us well what can I do for you boys? I told him that I was interested interested in renting the old fish market building to open my office. He said, oh we don't want to bother renting that place. Every time we rent it, somebody will stay in three or four months, go out of business, leave on us rent. I say but I said to him, but I'm here to stay. He said that don't make no difference we not going to rent anybody. So Mr. Johnson's office right across the street from the town hall, I stepped over his office, well he saw me coming and said doc, what's the trouble. What's going on, what's the matter. I told him I want to rent that old fish market down the river. But they refuse to rent it to me. He said who did. I said the click over at the town hall he said they weren't going to rent it anymore because everybody left on the money and left it all torn to pieces. He's not going to fool with it anymore he's going to tear it down. He said give me that phone again. He picked up the receiver. Turned the hand crank on the phone. Somebody answered quote number please. Unquote, Quote, 599. I think that was the phone number at town hall. Mr. Johnson, quote, Joyce, pause, get George Earnhardt on this phone. George E A R N H A R D T. He was the town clerk. I said get George Earnhardt on the phone. There was short pause. Then Mr. Johnson said George this doctor came over here to rent that building down on the river front, let him have a bill to rent it to him, you're not gonna charge him any rent for six months. Have somebody fix it up and let him pay for it at rate of $5 a week. Up to it right away because he needs a place to open his office. Unquote. I went back over to the town hall. Mr. George Earnhardt was very gracious period. I told him that there was no lock on the door., we had to pry the door open to get in inside the place. He had somebody hustle around and give me a padlock to lock the front door. The next day, I found a comment by the name of Mr. Robert Walston. W A L S T O N. Who came in and surveyed the wrecked place.

[30:34]
And made a list of the lumber, glass, cement, etc. that he would need. Presented the list to the town, and the building material was there that afternoon period. I was able to open open my office in five days period.