Gladys Kincaid (II)

DESCRIPTION: Gladys is on her way gome from work in the hosiery mill when "the negro... did this awful deed Too horrible to tell" (i.e. rape and murder). Miller, the alleged perpetrator, is hunted down and shot; his body is displayed
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1952 (Brown)
KEYWORDS: abduction rape homicide death punishment
FOUND IN: US(SE)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Brown/Belden/Hudson-FrankCBrownCollectionNCFolklore2 297, "Gladys Kincaid" (1 text)
ST BrII297 (Full)
Roud #4114
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Gladys Kincaid (I)" (subject)
NOTES [106 words]: To tell this song from Gladys Kincaid (I), consider this opening stanza:
Come all of you good people
And listen if you will
Of the fate of Gladys Kincaid
Who worked in the hosiery mill.
Although this murder inspired two ballads (this one and one in Henry, neither widespread), the editors of Brown were unable to determine anything about the story behind the ballad.
A correspondent who signs herself "Amanda" tells me the murder took place in Morganton, North Carolina. Her grandmother apparently knew Gladys Kincaid, and sang one of the songs (probably this one).
This is item dF42 in Laws's Appendix II (Gladys Kinkaid I is dF41). - RBW
File: BrII297

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