Original subtitles

IN ORLANDO, BILL HENDRICKS,

PATRON OF THE FLORIDA KU KLUX KLAN

SAID HE AND HIS AMERICAN CONFEDERATE ARMY

WILL BEAR ARMS

IF THE SUPREME COURT OUTLAWS SEGREGATION IN THE SOUTH.

HENDRICKS SAID THAT HIS REBEL ARMY HAD MOBILIZED IN AND --

ANSWER ME THIS.

HOW DO YOU TELL THE TRUE STORY OF SOMETHING

THAT HAPPENED 60 YEARS AGO,

WHEN NO TWO PEOPLE CAN AGREE ON EXACTLY WHAT OCCURRED?

WHEN THE PLAYERS, LONG DEAD, LIVED IN A WORLD

THAT BARELY RESEMBLES OURS?

SO MUCH TIME HAS PASSED.

SO MANY SECRETS TAKEN TO THE GRAVE.

WHAT YOU DOIN' HERE?

HOW DO I MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND WHY THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED

IN MY LITTLE HOMETOWN ON THIS SUNNY SUNDAY MORNING...

I DIDN'T TREAT YOU LIKE THIS!

CAME TO BE ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS CRIMES...

YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF.

* WADE IN THE WATER *

IN 1952, LIVE OAK, FLORIDA, WAS A SLEEPY LITTLE PLACE

ON THE BANKS OF THE SUWANNEE RIVER.

AROUND HERE, COTTON USED TO BE KING.

NOW MOST FOLKS MADE THEIR LIVING

GROWING TOBACCO AND PINE TREE.

* THE WATER *

* TELL YOU JORDAN RIVER IS CHILLY AND COLD *

* NOT GONNA TROUBLE THE WATER *

* IT CHILLED MY BODY BUT NOT MY SOUL *

BUT MAKING A LIVING WAS FOR THE WEEK DAYS.

SUNDAYS WERE FOR CHURCH -- WHETHER YOU WERE BLACK...

* AMAZING GRACE *

...OR WHITE.

AND THERE WAS CERTAINLY A RACIAL DIVIDE.

WITH TREMENDOUS SEGREGATION SO THAT BLACKS AND WHITES

WERE ENTIRELY SEPARATED.

YOU KNOW ALL OF THIS.

JIM CROW LAWS WERE SUPPOSED TO MEAN SEPARATE BUT EQUAL,

BUT EVEN I COULD'VE TOLD YOU --

AND I WAS JUST 10 YEARS OLD THEN --

IN REALITY, IT WAS SEPARATE AND UNEQUAL.

1952, LIVE OAK, FLORIDA, WAS LIKE MOST SOUTHERN TOWNS,

ON THE SURFACE IT APPEARED THAT EVERYTHING WAS NICE AND SWEET.

ON THE SURFACE.

* BUT NOW I SEE *

AND SO, ISN'T IT JUST A LITTLE IRONIC

THAT THE WORST THING TO EVER HAPPEN IN LIVE OAK

HAPPENED IN ONE OF THE ONLY PLACES

OPEN TO BOTH BLACKS AND WHITES --

THE OFFICE OF DR. LEROY ADAMS.

WITHIN MINUTES, THE POLICE WERE THERE

BECAUSE THE POLICE STATION WAS ONE BLOCK AWAY.

WHAT THEY SEE LEAVES THEM AGHAST.

THEY SEE DR. ADAMS LAYING IN A POOL OF BLOOD.

AND HE HAD TWO GUNSHOTS IN HIS BACK.

THEY DID NOT NOTICE THE OTHER TWO BULLETS

THAT HAD BEEN FIRED AT THE TIME.

AND CLUTCHED IN HIS HAND, WAS $100 BILL.

NOW YOU'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND,

IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT NO ONE, I MEAN, NO ONE,

HAD EVER SHOT A PERSON IN COLD BLOOD IN TOWN

IN RECENT MEMORY, THIS WAS DOC ADAMS.

JACK SPURLOCK.

HE WAS LIKE SANTA CLAUS.

DR. ADAMS WAS EVERYBODY'S FAMILY PHYSICIAN IN TOWN --

BLACK AND WHITE.

IT WAS KIND OF UNHEARD OF IN THE 1950s IN THE SOUTH.

HE WAS NOT ONE OF THOSE DOCTORS

THAT HAD TO COLLECT MONEY. "PAY ME WHEN YOU CAN."

HE DOCTORED ON PEOPLE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK,

SEPARATE WAITING ROOM, SEPARATE TREATMENT ROOM,

WITHIN IN THE SAME BUILDING.

KNOCK, KNOCK. WHO'S THERE?

BANANA. BANANA, WHO?

KNOCK, KNOCK.

HE WAS KNOWN AS "THE SHOT DOCTOR."

HE HAD SOME INTO TOWN IN 1945 AS A NEW PHYSICIAN.

HE WAS WIELDING PENICILLIN WHICH COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE.

ORANGE YOU GLAD I DIDN'T SAY BANANA?

TAKE A DEEP BREATH NOW, BIG GUY.

IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND TODAY THE KIND OF POWER A MAN HAD

WHEN HE COULD PREVENT A CHILD FROM DYING

BY JUST GIVING THEM A SHOT.

"ANTIBIOTIC" WASN'T A WORD WE'D USE MUCH BACK THEN,

BUT "MIRACLE" WAS.

HERE YOU GO.

DR. ADAMS WAS A SAVIOR.

DR. ADAMS WAS BELOVED BY ALL, BLACK AND WHITE ALIKE.

AND ON TOP OF THAT,

DOC ADAMS WAS PRACTICALLY FAMOUS.

HE JUST GOT ELECTED TO THE FLORIDA STATE SENATE

AND EVERYONE SAID IF HE PLAYED HIS CARDS RIGHT,

HE COULD BE GOVERNOR SOMEDAY.

THE POLICE SPEAK TO THREE WOMEN

WHO HAD BEEN IN THE COLORED WAITING ROOM.

ONE OF THEM HAD COME IN IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE GUNSHOTS.

THE OTHER TWO WOMEN HAD ACTUALLY SEEN A WOMAN ENTER.

THIS LADY WAS APPROXIMATELY 5'2" TALL.

SHE WAS A LITTLE OVER MEDIUM WEIGHT.

WELL, SHE'S DARK-SKINNED,

YELLOW DRESS, TAN HANDBAG, TAN SHOES.

THE WOMEN HAD HEARD AN ARGUMENT

CENTERED AROUND A MEDICAL BILL.

SHE SAID, "I WANT TO PAY MY BILL.

HERE'S $100. I WANT A RECEIPT FOR IT."

AND THE DOCTOR THEN SAID, YOU KNOW,

"GODDAMN YOU, WOMAN, I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU."

AT THAT POINT, SHE HEARD THE FIRST GUNSHOT,

AS DR. ADAMS TRIED TO TURN AROUND AND EXIT THE DOOR,

THERE WAS A SECOND GUNSHOT.

AND THEN, ANOTHER SHOT TOWARDS HIS BACK.

AND AFTER A PAUSE...

THE FOURTH SHOT.

THE THREE WOMEN SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO IT WAS.

IT WAS A COLORED WOMAN,

BUT IT'S A SMALL TOWN. EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY.

THIS WAS THE SEPARATE PART OF SEPARATE BUT EQUAL.

YOU LEARNED TO HAVE AS LITTLE TO DO

WITH WHITE FOLKS' BUSINESS AS YOU COULD.

YOU DIDN'T PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITION TO KNOW EVERYTHING.

SO TELL US WHAT HAPPENED HERE.

YES, I WAS SITTING RIGHT OVER THERE IN THE TRUCK.

A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE GUNSHOTS,

HAROLD MUSGROVE, A TEEN SITTING IN A PICKUP TRUCK,

SAW A WOMAN WEARING THE SAME OUTFIT THAT WAS DESCRIBED.

THE WOMAN APPEARS TO BE NERVOUS.

SHE WALKS BACK AND FORTH, PEERS INTO DR. ADAMS' OFFICE,

THEN SHE WOULD WALK BACK TO HER CAR.

THE TWO KIDS WERE JUST SITTING IN THE CAR.

STOP IT.

IN THE CAR ARE TWO CHILDREN.

ONE ABOUT 7 AND THE OTHER WAS A LITTLE GIRL.

THEN MY MA AND PA CAME OUT. THAT'S ALL I SAW.

ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT THOSE DEPUTIES

MUST HAVE WONDERED WHAT WOMAN IN HER RIGHT MIND

WOULD BRING HER CHILDREN ALONG TO A MURDER?

THE DESCRIPTION OF THIS MYSTERIOUS PERSON

WASN'T SO MYSTERIOUS.

WHEN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS HEAR HOW FINELY DRESSED

THIS LADY IS AND ON TOP OF THIS, THEY HAVE THE $100 BILL,

THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON THAT IT COULD BE.

AND THAT IS RUBY McCOLLUM.

EVERYBODY KNEW RUBY McCOLLUM.

SHE WAS JUST ABOUT THE LAST PERSON

YOU WOULD EXPECT TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS KIND OF MESS.

SHE'S THE RICHEST BLACK WOMAN IN LIVE OAK.

HOW YOU DOIN', RUBY?

I'M FINE, OFFICER. HOW MAY I HELP YOU?

RUBY IS PREPARING A BOTTLE FOR THE BABY.

AND HER OUTFIT DOESN'T MATCH THE DESCRIPTION

OF THE WOMAN AT THE CRIME SCENE.

THEY ARE STRUCK BY THE NORMALCY OF THE SCENE.

SO THEY ARE CONFUSED AT THIS POINT.

NOW, HOW MAY I HELP YOU?

SO, ON THIS SUNNY SUNDAY MORNING,

NOTHING WAS AS IT SEEMED.

BUT THAT WAS THE WAY THINGS WERE IN LIVE OAK.

APPEARANCES WERE DECEIVING,

AND THE TRUTH WAS OFTEN TRAPPED UNDER LAYERS OF SECRETS.

ON A SUNNY SUNDAY MORNING IN 1952,

SOMEONE SHOT LIVE OAK, FLORIDA'S

BELOVED DR. LEROY ADAMS DEAD RIGHT IN HIS OFFICE.

FOLKS IN THE WAITING ROOM SAID THEY HEARD HIM ARGUING

WITH A WOMAN OVER SETTLING A BILL.

AND THE POLICE BELIEVE THAT THAT WOMAN

WAS NONE OTHER THAN RUBY McCOLLUM,

THE RICHEST BLACK WOMAN IN TOWN.

WHAT IS IT, SONIA?

HERE'S THIS WOMAN APPEARING TO NOT KNOW ANYTHING

ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO DR. ADAMS.

SO THE POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR EVIDENCE.

SEARCHING HER PURSE,

ONE OF THEM FINDS A ROLL OF 18 $100 BILLS.

BACK IN THOSE DAYS,

THE AVERAGE WORKER MADE $2,000 A YEAR.

SO THE $1,800 THAT RUBY CARRIED IN HER PURSE

WAS AN ANNUAL SALARY.

THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO COULD PAY A DOCTOR BILL.

SO WHAT THE HECK WAS GOING ON HERE?

WHO KNOWS WHY RUBY DID WHAT SHE DID NEXT?

COME ON.

MAYBE SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS PROTECTING HER FAMILY.

MAYBE SHE THOUGHT SHE'D FIND A SYMPATHETIC EAR.

RUBY, DID YOU KILL DR. ADAMS?

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I DID RIGHT

OR WHETHER I DID WRONG.

I DON'T KNOW.

AND NONE OF US WOULD EVER HAVE A CHANCE TO FIND OUT.

ALTHOUGH THE ANSWER IS CRYPTIC,

THEY HAVE, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES,

AN ADMISSION OF GUILT.

IT WAS INCOMPREHENSIBLE.

BLACK PEOPLE DIDN'T DARE LOOK TOO LONG AT A WHITE PERSON

LET ALONE HURT THEM.

WE WERE ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH HOW THAT WOULD END.

EIGHT OR NINE YEARS BEFORE, THIS BOY, WILLY HOWARD,

ALL HE DID WAS SEND A CHRISTMAS CARD

TO A WHITE GIRL, AND HE WAS BROUGHT TO

THE EDGE OF A RIVER BANK BY THREE WHITE MEN

IN FRONT OF HIS FATHER.

BOUNDED, GAGGED, AND THROWN INTO THE RIVER.

MAMA.

MAMA!

THE RIVER WHERE THEY THREW THAT BOY?

THAT WAS THE SUWANNEE RIVER, AND LIKE I SAID,

THAT RIVER RAN RIGHT THROUGH LIVE OAK.

SO, OBVIOUSLY, THIS WAS A BIG FUSE

LEADING TO A HUGE BOMB.

AND THEY HAD TO SOMEHOW DEFUSE IT.

NORMALLY, IF SOMEONE HAS COMMITTED A CRIME,

THEY WOULD TAKE THEM TO THE SUWANNEE COUNTY JAIL.

BUT IF YOU CARRIED HER TO SUWANNEE COUNTY JAIL,

SHE WAS GONNA BE DEAD, DEAD, DEAD SHORTLY.

AND A LYNCHING WAS NOT SOMETHING THE LAW

IN LIVE OAK WANTED.

I'D LIKE TO SAY IT WAS BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE

LYNCHING WAS AN AFFRONT TO OUR HUMANITY,

BUT KNOWING WHAT I KNOW NOW,

I SUSPECT THAT THERE WAS MORE TO IT THAN THAT.

IT WOULD'VE MADE NATIONAL NEWS.

AND LIVE OAK WOULD'VE BEEN PUT UNDER THIS MICROSCOPE.

NORTHERNERS COULD COME DOWN DIGGING DEEP

INTO THE SOUTHERN SOIL TO FIND OUT

THE SUBTERRANEAN AFFAIRS,

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THEY DID NOT WANT --

OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE.

SO THEY WHISK HER ABOUT AN HOUR AWAY

TO THE STATE PENITENTIARY IN RAIFORD, FLORIDA.

THOSE FOLKS HAD TO BE VERY CAREFUL,

BECAUSE SITTING IN THAT BACKSEAT

WAS THE RICHEST BLACK WOMAN IN THE COUNTY,

THE ONE PERSON IN LIVE OAK WHO KNEW ALL THE SECRETS.

WHAT YOU GONNA DO WITH THAT?

NOW, NOW, NOW, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.

I KNOW I GOT THREE...

RUBY, WHERE MY LIGHTER?

RUBY McCOLLUM GREW UP IN ZUBER, FLORIDA,

AND HER PARENTS WERE FARMERS AND THEY WERE REALLY

INTERESTED IN HER GETTING EDUCATED.

SHE WAS SMART.

SHE EXCELLED IN MATH.

SHE HAS A LOT OF AMBITION.

RUBY KNEW SHE WANTED TO HAVE ONLY

THE FINEST THINGS IN LIFE.

WHEN SHE WAS JUST 19 YEARS OLD,

RUBY JOHNSON WAS SINGING IN CHURCH AND CAUGHT THE EYE

OF SAM McCOLLUM.

HE FELL FOR HER RIGHT AWAY AND PROPOSED THEN AND THERE.

SHE SAID, "I'M GOING TO MARRY SAM BECAUSE I SEE A WAY

TO HAVE A BETTER FUTURE WITH SAM."

SAM McCOLLUM HAD A THRIVING BUSINESS.

HE WAS A FARMER.

HE HAD THE LARGEST TOBACCO ALLOTMENT IN SUWANNEE COUNTY.

***

AND THEY ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF JUKE JOINTS,

WHAT THE COMMUNITY CANNOT SEE

IS THE INVISIBLE SOURCE OF INCOME.

ALL RIGHT, NOW.

LET'S GET THESE BOLITA NUMBERS CALLED

TO FIND OURSELVES A WINNER.

74.

SAM McCOLLUM WAS IN THE BOLITA BUSINESS

MAKING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A WEEK.

BOLITA IS NUMBERS.

87.

PLAYERS WOULD PAY MONEY FOR A CHANCE TO HIT

A SERIES OF NUMBERS DRAWN FROM A BAG.

47.

HOWEVER, IT WAS AN ILLEGAL GAME.

33. HEY, IT'S ME! I WON! I WON!

ALL RIGHT, NOW, MISS LADY.

RUBY McCOLLUM IS A SMART WOMAN AND AN EXCELLENT BOOKKEEPER.

SO, SAM AND RUBY ARE IN BUSINESS TOGETHER.

IN RUBY, SAM HAD FOUND A WIFE WHO WOULD HELP HIM

RUN HIS NUMBERS GAME LIKE A REAL HONEST-TO-GOD BUSINESS.

HOW WE LOOKIN'?

WE LOOKIN' REAL GOOD, BABY.

DOUBLE WHAT WE BROUGHT IN LAST YEAR.

YOU KNOW I LIKE THAT.

AND IN SAM, RUBY HAD A HUSBAND WHO FED HER AMBITION.

AND VERY SOON, THEY HAD AMASSED A SMALL FORTUNE.

BUT THEY COULDN'T DO THIS ON THEIR OWN.

DURING THIS TIME,

FOR A BLACK MAN TO RUN AN ILLEGAL GAMBLING OPERATION

WOULD'VE REQUIRED HELP.

HOW COULD SAM McCOLLUM POSSIBLY OPERATE?

THE ANSWER'S VERY SIMPLE, HE PAID LAW ENFORCEMENT.

NOW IF WILLY HOWARD WAS DROWNED

FOR NOTHING BUT SENDING A NOTE TO A LITTLE GIRL?

YOU MIGHT WONDER WHY WAS RUBY, SAM'S BOOKKEEPER,

AND AN ACTUAL THREAT TO SOME POWERFUL PEOPLE,

STILL ALIVE?

THERE WERE RUMORS THAT RUBY McCOLLUM

KEPT A LITTLE BLACK BOOK,

WHICH RECORDED ALL OF THE PAYOUTS

TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THEY COULDN'T FIND IT.

THEY DO NOT WANT HER LYNCHED,

NOT LONG AS THAT BOOK WAS OUT THERE.

WHO CAN SAY?

YOU'LL COME TO SEE THAT THE SO-CALLED FACTS

IN THIS STORY OFTEN SEEM MORE LIKE FABLES.

SAM WAS IN CHURCH WITH HIS OLDEST DAUGHTER, KAY.

A DEACON CAME, TOLD HIM THAT HIS WIFE HAD SHOT DR. ADAMS.

AND HE KNOWS RIGHT THEN AND THERE

THAT THEIR LIFE IS OVER.

EVERYTHING IS GONNA COME CRUMBLING DOWN.

YOUR WIFE DONE KILLED THE MOST LOVED, RESPECTED

WHITE MAN IN THIS COUNTY,

YOU GONNA GET YOUR NECK STRETCHED, TOO.

ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS FOR HIM TO PACK UP AND GET GONE

BEFORE EVERYONE FIGURED OUT

WHY RUBY'D DONE WHAT SHE'D DONE.

AND THAT IT ALL LED BACK TO THEIR SILENT PARTNER

WHO STAYED IN THE SHADOWS.

KAY, BABY, I NEED YOU TO HELP YOUR SISTER GET HER THINGS.

OKAY? I NEED YOU TO HURRY UP NOW.

OKAY, WE GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE.

RUBY McCOLLUM WAS ON HER WAY TO JAIL FOR KILLING

DR. LEROY ADAMS.

RUBY'S HUSBAND SAM KNEW HE HAD JUST A VERY SHORT TIME

TO GET THEIR CHILDREN OUT OF TOWN AND SOMEWHERE SAFE.

SAM McCOLLUM SECURED ALL THREE CHILDREN.

LOADED UP SUITCASES FULL OF HUNDRED DOLLAR BILLS.

AND DRIVES AS FAST AS HE CAN

TO HIS IN-LAWS' HOUSE IN ZUBER, FLORIDA.

OF COURSE LAW ENFORCEMENT WANTED TO TALK TO SAM McCOLLUM

TO FIND OUT WHAT HE KNEW.

HE AGREED TO MEET THEM IN LAKE CITY THE FOLLOWING DAY.

BUT BEFORE HE CAN DO THAT,

HE HAS A HEART ATTACK AND DIES.

NOW, SAM DID HAVE A BAD HEART,

BUT WHEN ONE DAY A MAN

IS RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE FROM THE LAW

AND THE NEXT DAY HE DIES OF NATURAL CAUSES,

LIKE WITH SO MANY OTHER PARTS OF THIS STORY,

PEOPLE START TO WONDER.

THEY SAY HE HAD A "HEART ATTACK,"

OR HE OVERDOSED ON HIS HEART PILLS.

I DON'T THINK SO. I DON'T BUY IT.

I DON'T HAVE ANY PROOF.

I'M SPECULATING JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE,

BUT I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK THAT SOMEBODY GOT TO HIM.

AND THEY KILLED HIM.

WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN?

THEY'RE WITH YOUR PEOPLE IN ZUBER.

THE CHILDREN WILL BE JUST FINE, MISS McCOLLUM.

I'LL MAKE SURE OF IT.

RUBY TALKS TO RELEFORD McGRIFF, A FAMILY FRIEND

WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A LAWYER AND WAS ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE

THAT SHE WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO SPEAK TO, UM,

THROUGHOUT THIS ORDEAL.

AND IT WAS TO RELEFORD McGRIFF THAT RUBY TOLD

THE ENTIRE STORY --

HOW SAM AND RUBY HADN'T BEEN ALONE IN THE BOLITA BUSINESS.

THEY HAD A PARTNER.

AND THAT PARTNER WAS NONE OTHER THAN DOC ADAMS.

SIX YEARS EARLIER, RUBY HAD FALLEN ILL.

RUBY?

AND SAM HAD CALLED THE NEW DOCTOR IN TOWN,

THE ONE WHO MADE HOUSE CALLS IN THE BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS.

THIS HERE DR. ADAMS.

THE ONE I TOLD YOU ABOUT.

SOON, DOC ADAMS TOOK CARE OF ALL THE McCOLLUMS.

HE WOULD EVEN DELIVER RUBY AND SAM'S

SECOND DAUGHTER, SONIA.

BUT THAT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING.

DR. ADAMS FAMILY IS AN OLD SOUTHERN FAMILY FROM BACK

SLAVERY TIME.

BIG LAND OWNERS IN HAMILTON COUNTY.

RUBY.

BETTER THAN MY MAMA'S.

WELL, THANK YOU.

AS TIME WORE ON, THOUGH, HIS FAMILY HAD NOT BEEN

AS PROMINENT.

AND THEY WENT BROKE.

SAM, LET'S TALK US SOME BUSINESS.

DR. ADAMS WAS A SHREWD MAN.

AND HE KNEW WHAT HE WANTED, AND WHAT HE WANTED WAS POWER

AND MONEY.

RUBY AND SAM McCOLLUM HAD SOME TREMENDOUS WEALTH,

UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME,

THAT WEALTH COULD BE TAKEN AWAY AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE.

YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING MIGHTY GOOD HERE.

MIGHTY GOOD.

I THINK YOU AND ME CAN HELP EACH OTHER.

HE BECAME THE GO-BETWEEN THE McCOLLUMS

AND ALL THE WHITES.

HE DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE NO PERMISSION.

HE DIDN'T HAVE TO ASK BECAUSE HE WAS DR. ADAMS

AND HE WAS WHITE.

"I'M YOUR BOSS NOW."

AND BECAUSE OF THIS,

DR. ADAMS IS ABLE TO FINANCE

HIS INDEPENDENT POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.

IT WAS A DANGEROUS GAME HE WAS PLAYING.

SURE, THE MONEY HE WAS TAKING IN FROM THE BOLITA RACKET

WOULD HELP HIM START POLITICKING,

BUT THE SOURCE OF THAT MONEY CAN NEVER BE KNOWN

TO THE GOOD WHITE CHRISTIAN VOTERS OF FLORIDA

WHO HATED GAMBLING.

DID SOMETHING GO WRONG WITH THE NUMBERS, RUBY?

ONE HAS TO WONDER,

COULD THERE HAVE BEEN AN ARGUMENT ABOUT THE TAKE?

HOW MUCH ADAMS WOULD GET,

HOW MUCH THE McCOLLUMS COULD GET.

IT WASN'T THE NUMBERS.

AND IF IT WASN'T ABOUT BUSINESS,

IT MUST'VE BEEN ABOUT SOMETHING PERSONAL.

GOD! GOD! GOD!

HELP, SOMEBODY! SOMEBODY, PLEASE HELP ME!

RUBY WAS KEPT AWAY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS

SUPPOSEDLY FOR HER OWN SAFETY.

GUARD!

GUARD!

ONE DAY, HER ATTORNEY CAME IN AND FOUND HER LYING

IN A POOL OF BLOOD.

SHE HAD A MISCARRIAGE.

GUARD!

SHE WAS THREE MONTHS PREGNANT.

I NEED A DOCTOR OVER HERE!

AND AS SHE LAY IN THE BLOOD THAT JUST HOURS AGO

FILLED HER WOMB...

RUBY?

...RUBY REVEALED HER DARKEST SECRET.

IT'S DR. ADAMS' BABY.

SHE'D BEEN CARRYING DOC ADAMS' CHILD.

GUARD!

AND NOT ONLY THAT,

THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME SHE'D BEEN PREGNANT BY HIM.

DOC ADAMS WAS DEAD.

SHOT BY RUBY McCOLLUM, THAT MUCH WAS CLEAR.

BUT THAT'S RIGHT ABOUT WHERE CLARITY ENDED.

BECAUSE, YOU SEE, BACK THEN IN LIVE OAK,

KEEPING SECRETS WAS OFTEN CONSIDERED

THE POLITE THING TO DO.

IN THE SOUTH,

THERE ARE TWO THINGS -- ONE, WHAT IS NON,

AND ONE IS WHAT IS TALKED ABOUT.

AND WHAT EVERYONE KNEW AND NO ONE TALKED ABOUT

WAS THAT RUBY HAD ALREADY HAD ONE CHILD BY DOC ADAMS.

NOW RELEFORD McGRIFF COULD HAVE DEFENDED RUBY IN COURT,

BUT AS A BLACK MAN IN 1952, HE WAS ALL TOO AWARE

OF HOW A JURY MIGHT REACT TO THAT.

SO, HE BROUGHT IN A WHITE LAWYER TO HEAR RUBY'S STORY.

HOW DID THIS ALL HAPPEN?

IT STARTED FIVE, SIX YEARS AGO NOW.

SAM McCOLLUM WAS ALLEGED TO BE HAVING AN AFFAIR

WITH A SCHOOLTEACHER IN SUWANNEE COUNTY BLACK SCHOOLS.

RUBY WAS AWARE OF THIS, BUT SHE IGNORED IT.

YOU KNOW, I MARRIED SAM BECAUSE I THOUGHT HE'D BE A STEP UP.

IN THE END, HE TURNED OUT TO BE LIKE ALL THE REST.

MY -- WHOA, HE DONE VOMIT ALL OVER, MISS RUBY,

RIGHT THERE NOW, BOY, YOU AIN'T GONNA LIVE THIS ONE DOWN.

NO MORE WHISKEY FOR HIM. HEY, RUBY!

RUBY, COME IN HERE FOR A SECOND!

NOT ON MY FLOOR!

GO ON GET SOMETHING TO CLEAN IT UP NOW.

NO!

WOMAN, I SAID CLEAN IT UP.

NO. YOU CLEAN IT UP.

COME OVER HERE.

RUBY, GET YOURSELF OVER THERE. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? STOP IT!

YEARS EARLIER, SAM AND RUBY HAVE A FIGHT.

RUBY WILL NOT BE SUBSERVIENT TO SAM.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT HE BEATS HER UP PRETTY BADLY.

RUBY DIDN'T MARRY SAM SO SHE COULD BE LIKE

ALL THE OTHER GIRLS SHE KNEW.

SHE WANTED A PARTNER.

AND NOBODY EVER ACCUSED RUBY McCOLLUM

OF NOT KNOWING HER OWN WORTH.

THEN WHAT HAPPENED?

DR. ADAMS CAME BY THE HOUSE WHEN SAM WAS AWAY.

WELL, GOOD DAY, RUBY.

GOOD DAY, DR. ADAMS. HOW MAY I HELP YOU?

THOUGHT I'D STOP IN, CHECK ON YOU IS ALL.

WELL, I'M FINE. THANK YOU.

SAM'S NOT IN RIGHT NOW.

WHAT WAS THE TRUE NATURE OF THEIR COMING TOGETHER?

RUBY WAS A VERY PROUD WOMAN IN HER OWN RIGHT.

SHE WAS NOT STUPID.

AND SHE WAS NO SHRINKING VIOLET.

I BELIEVE AS FAR AS SHE WAS CONCERNED,

SHE WAS ENTITLED TO BE WITH THE HIGHEST RANKING PERSON

SHE COULD POSSIBLY BE WITH.

I BELIEVE THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY THAT THIS INTELLIGENT,

SUCCESSFUL, BLACK WOMAN WHO WAS MARRIED

WOULD HAVE CHOSEN TO BE WITH DR. ADAMS.

AND TO IMPLY THAT IT WAS AN AFFAIR,

IT'S LIKE THIS NOTION THAT, YOU KNOW,

SHE HAD AS MANY RIGHTS AS, HE DID.

FROM THE BEGINNING OF SLAVERY IN NORTH AMERICA,

BLACK PEOPLE WERE PROPERTY.

THOSE SAME NOTIONS WERE PERPETUATED

ALL THROUGH THE JIM CROW ERA.

THERE WAS AN IMPLICIT UNDERSTANDING THAT

WHITE MEN HAD THE RIGHT TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANTED

WITH BLACK WOMEN.

WHO STARTED WHAT?

WHO MADE THE FIRST OVERTURE?

WE'LL NEVER KNOW.

BUT, FOR ME, I HAVE TO WONDER DOES IT MATTER?

IN A WORLD WHERE A WOMAN CAN'T SAY "NO,"

WHAT COULD A "YES" POSSIBLY MEAN?

IT WAS LIKE IT WAS HIS RIGHTS TO DO IT.

NOTHING SHE COULD DO ABOUT IT.

NOTHING HER FAMILY COULD DO ABOUT IT.

HOWEVER IT MAY HAVE STARTED, RUBY TOLD RELEFORD McGRIFF

AND HER WHITE LAWYER THAT IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG

FOR THINGS TO TURN UGLY.

DR. ADAMS WASN'T THE MAN EVERYBODY THOUGHT HE WAS.

HE SURE HAD A TEMPER ON HIM.

I'D SAY, "NO." AND HE'D JUST TAKE IT.

WE KNOW FROM NOTES THAT SHE WROTE TO HER ATTORNEYS

THAT HE HAD BEAT HER AND RAPED HER FOR YEARS.

FOR HIM, SEX WITH RUBY WAS A WAY OF

CEMENTING THE RELATIONSHIP.

IT WAS A WAY OF GETTING CONTROL OF HER.

IT WAS A WAY OF GETTING CONTROL OVER HER MONEY.

DR. ADAMS IS A SHOT DOCTOR.

AND SO HE TOOK FULL ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

SHE STATED THAT HE WOULD GIVE HER ONE SHOT

TO MAKE HER SICK AND ONE SHOT TO MAKE HER WELL.

PROBABLY THE SHOTS THAT HE GAVE HER

WERE EITHER COCAINE OR HEROIN.

ADAMS WAS ALL ABOUT CONTROL.

AND WHEN SHE ASKED HIM, "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?"

HIS ANSWER WAS, "IT TAKES A LITTLE OF THAT

FOR YOU SOMETIMES."

A FEW YEARS LATER,

RUBY GAVE BIRTH TO LITTLE LORETTA, DOC ADAMS' CHILD.

IT MUST'VE BEEN A SLAP IN THE FACE TO SAM.

CERTAINLY WAS KNOWN THAT LORETTA WAS LIGHT-SKINNED.

DADDY, DADDY. HEY.

BUT LIVE OAK WAS A WHISPERING TOWN.

IT DID NOT SPEAK THESE TRUTHS.

I LEARNED LONG AGO THAT IT IS FUTILE TO TRY

TO MAKE SENSE OF SOMEONE ELSE'S MARRIAGE.

ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS RUBY AND SAM STAYED MARRIED

AND STAYED IN BUSINESS.

I ASKED HIM TO FIX ME

SO I WOULDN'T HAVE NO MORE BABIES BY HIM.

AND HE SAID NO.

HE HAD ME COMMITTED TO BRUCE'S NEGRO MENTAL HOSPITAL.

IF SHE DIDN'T CONTAIN HERSELF AND BEHAVE AND DO

AS HE TOLD HER TO DO,

THAT HE WAS GOING TO HAVE HER SENT TO A MENTAL INSTITUTION.

SO, SHE WOULD GO AWAY, SHE WOULD REST,

AND THEN SHE WOULD COME HOME.

AND THEN IT WOULD NOT BE LONG BEFORE SHE WOULD BE

ON THE DOORSTEP OF HIS OFFICE ASKING TO SEE HIM

OR ASKING FOR A FIX.

AND IT JUST CONTINUED TO SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL.

NOW, I'M NOT CERTAIN, BUT NEAR AS I CAN FIGURE,

BY THIS TIME, SENATOR ADAMS ALREADY HAD HIS EYES

ON THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION.

RUBY AND THE BOLITA MONEY HAD SERVED THEIR PURPOSE.

IT WAS TIME FOR HIM TO START PUTTING DISTANCE

BETWEEN HIMSELF AND THIS UGLY CHAPTER IN HIS PAST.

RUBY, WHY DID YOU KILL DR. ADAMS?

TELL US WHAT HAPPENED.

I WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO GUNS.

RUBY, WHY DID YOU KILL DR. ADAMS?

I WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO GUNS.

SAM AND DR. ADAMS.

RUBY FOUND OUT THAT SHE WAS PREGNANT

WITH DOC ADAMS' SECOND CHILD.

I WANNA GET RID OF IT.

YOU TAKE CARE OF IT, OR I'LL FIND A DOCTOR WHO WILL.

YOU AIN'T KILLING NO CHILD OF MINE.

YOU KILL MY BABY,

AND I'LL KILL YOU.

THEN ONE DAY, IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE MURDER,

SHE OPENED HER BILL FROM DR. ADAMS' OFFICE.

THERE WERE RUMORS THAT ON THE BILL WAS $116

FOR A D.N.C. WHERE THE UTERUS WAS SCRAPED CLEAN

PERFORMING, EFFECTIVELY, AN ABORTION.

BUT IF INDEED THAT'S WHAT THE BILL WAS FOR

AND RUBY NEVER DID SAY EXACTLY WHAT WAS ON IT,

IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN RUBY WHO WAS THE PATIENT.

DOC ADAMS HAD REFUSED TO INTERFERE

WITH RUBY'S CONDITION.

SO THEN WHO MIGHT HAVE UNDERGONE THIS PROCEDURE?

WHAT IS THIS?! WHAT IS THIS?!

YOU AND YOUR TWO-BIT WHORE ARE HAVING A BABY?!

YOU THINK I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER WOMAN?!

CALM DOWN?

CALM DOWN? GET OFF OF ME!

YOU GOT NO REASON. YOU AND YOUR WHITE MAN!

YOU GOT NOTHING TO SAY NOW.

I'LL TELL YOU THIS MUCH.

YOU AIN'T' GONNA HAVE ANOTHER BABY BY THAT MAN.

IF YOU DO, I SWEAR, I'LL KILL YOU.

SO RUBY WAS CORNERED.

EVERY DAY THAT BABY GREW INSIDE OF HER,

SHE GOT CLOSER TO BEING KILLED...

BY ONE MAN OR THE OTHER.

AND THEN THERE WAS THE NOTE SCRAWLED

ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BILL.

WAS IT THE THING THAT PUSHED A DESPERATE WOMAN

OVER THE EDGE?

DID YOU WRITE THIS?

"SAM, YOU KEEP THIS GODDAMN WOMAN OUT OF MY OFFICE.

SHE'S GONE CRAZY AS A BAT."

GET OUT OF MY OFFICE.

DOC ADAMS HAD RAPED HER, ADDICTED HER TO DRUGS,

FORCED HER TO BEAR HIS CHILDREN,

AND WHEN SHE BECAME A POLITICAL LIABILITY,

HE WAS CASTING HER ASIDE,

AS THOUGH SHE WAS NOTHING.

WORTHLESS.

THE JURY FOR RUBY McCOLLUM

CONSISTED OF 12 ALL WHITE MALE JURORS,

MOST OF HIM HAD BEEN PATIENTS OF DR. ADAMS.

THIS TRIAL SHOOK THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE SEGREGATIONIST SOUTH.

HERE WAS A BLACK WOMAN

TAKING THE STAND IN HER OWN DEFENSE

AGAINST BEING RAPED BY A WHITE MAN

AND BEING FORCED TO HAVE HIS CHILD.

DID MRS. McCOLLUM HAVE RELATIONS WITH LEROY ADAMS?

OBJECTION! YOUR HONOR,

WE ARE NOT HERE TO DISGRACE THE LEGACY

OF THE LATE DR. ADAMS.

YOUR HONOR, THIS GOES TO THE HEART OF OUR CASE.

SUSTAINED.

"IS DR. ADAMS THE FATHER OF YOUR CHILD?"

"OBJECTION." "SUSTAINED."

"DID DR. ADAMS EVER BEAT YOU?"

"OBJECTION." "SUSTAINED."

SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO ANSWER 37 TIMES.

THE JUDGE SAID, "THIS TRIAL WILL BE DONE FAIR

AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW."

WELL, IT APPEARS THAT IT DEPENDS ON THE DEFINITION OF FAIRNESS

AND WHOSE LAW.

AND THIS SILENCING OF RUBY,

KEEPING HER FROM TELLING HER SIDE OF THE STORY,

HAS LED TO SPECULATION THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING

EVEN MORE DUPLICITOUS GOING ON,

LIKE MAYBE RUBY DIDN'T SHOOT DOC ADAMS AT ALL.

I HAVEN'T FOUND ONE BLACK PERSON IN SUWANNEE COUNTY

WHO BELIEVES SHE DID IT,

AND NEVER DID BELIEVE IT.

THERE WERE RUMORS IN SUWANNEE COUNTY,

ESPECIALLY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY,

THERE WAS A LAW ENFORCEMENT MEMBER HIMSELF.

WHO SHOT DR. ADAMS OVER THE BOLITA OPERATION.

THEM BLACK LADIES SAID WHAT THEY WAS TOLD TO SAY.

THESE PEOPLE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY.

MS. RUBY WAS A WEALTHY WOMAN, WEALTHY HUSBAND.

"WE'LL TAKE EVERYTHING THEY GOT."

EVERYTHING BASED ON MONEY.

BUT IN THE END, IT'S ALL JUST TALK.

IN THE KILLING OF DR. ADAMS,

THE TRUTH IS AS MURKY AS THE WATERS OF THE SUWANNEE.

SHE WAS FOUND GUILTY AND SENTENCED

TO THE ELECTRIC CHAIR.

RUBY McCOLLUM SPENT 18 MONTHS SITTING IN JAIL

WAITING TO BE EXECUTED.

HER LAWYERS FOUGHT TO GET A NEW TRIAL AND WON.

BUT WHEN THAT SECOND TRIAL WAS GETTING READY TO START,

THE STATE OF FLORIDA RULED

THAT RUBY HAD DETERIORATED MENTALLY.

SENDING RUBY TO THE ELECTRIC CHAIR

WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE SENSATIONAL.

IT WOULD HAVE ATTRACTED MORE NORTHERN PRESS.

SO THEY FOUND A QUIETER WAY TO DEAL WITH RUBY.

NO, NO, PLEASE!

NO, PLEASE!

SHE WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE IN A MENTAL INSTITUTION.

SHE WAS GIVEN A CONSTANT INJECTION OF THORAZINE

AND OCCASIONAL ELECTRIC SHOCK THERAPY.

YOU DON'T NEED A TREE TO LYNCH A PERSON.

YOU'LL BE FINE.

YOU CAN JUST RUN THEM INTO THE GROUND.

* WADE IN THE WATER *

* WADE IN THE WATER, CHILDREN, WADE *

LIVE OAK IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PLACE NOW.

BLACK PEOPLE NOW HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE

THAT THEY'RE SECOND CLASS CITIZENS,

BUT MY DADDY TAUGHT ME

"DON'T GET TOO CLOSE TO WHITE FOLKS."

AND I'M NOT FULL OF HATE.

I JUST FEEL I'M WISE.

SO WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE THE RICHEST BLACK WOMAN IN TOWN

IN A TIME WHEN BLACK PEOPLE WERE BARELY CITIZENS?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE POWER

WHEN THAT POWER CAN BE TAKEN AWAY

IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE?

AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO DEFEND YOURSELF IN A COURT OF LAW

WHEN YOU AREN'T ALLOWED TO SPEAK?

IT AIN'T JUST ABOUT RUBY McCOLLUM.

IT'S A REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL THE OTHER THINGS

THAT BLACK WOMEN HAVE GONE THROUGH IN THIS COUNTRY,

EXCEPT SHE MADE A CHOICE THAT SHE WAS GONNA END IT

ON THAT SUNNY SUNDAY MORNING IN LIVE OAK, FLORIDA, IN 1952.

* GOD'S GON' TROUBLE THE WATER *

* JUST FOLLOW ME DOWN TO JORDAN'S STREAM *

* GOD'S GON' TROUBLE THE WATER *

* WADE IN THE WATER *

* WADE IN THE WATER, CHILDREN *

* WADE *

* IN THE WATER *

* GOD'S GONNA TROUBLE THE WATER *