Summary

Affidavit of Bill W. House (299-303) — While doing research for his Watson biography, Lucius discovered Bill House’s affidavit that described Watson’s death. Bill’s affidavit claimed that Watson raised his gun with “intent to kill,” which is why the men killed Watson (300). Using this information for his book, Lucius said House’s account “raises more questions than it answers” (301). Self-defense did not seem like a reasonable defense granted Watson never fired at the men. In preparation to file claim on Chatham Bend, Watt Dyer requested to review Lucius’s initial manuscripts. Dyer was particularly taken by Watson’s accomplishments as a cane planter, discovering “the huge new agriculture in central Florida” (302). Dyer shared Watson’s sugarcane story with United Sugar Associates, a corporation interested in Watson’s story for profit reasons. They offered to subsidize Lucius as he wrote the...