Cotton Comes To Harlem

Grave Digger wakes Monday morning to a call from Captain Brice, who urges him to get down to the station. Deke escaped from jail, and two cops were killed in the process. At the station, Grave Digger and Coffin Ed learn that as Deke was being transferred, a mob of his supporters showed up at the jail. The jailers got nervous and locked out the two policemen on their own with the transport vehicle. Two armed men dressed as policemen killed the cops and took Deke. Desperate to find Deke, Brice urges Grave Digger and Coffin Ed to “shoot any of these goddamn hoodlums” (89) to get the job done. Grave Digger asks if they can have Iris. The captain hesitates, but after some back and forth he agrees to let them take Iris if they can get her out on their own; however, if they get caught, it’s all on them. Grave Digger and Coffin Ed stop on the way to the jail and pick up a dress, some shoes, and some dye. At the jail, Grave Digger and Coffin Ed ask for Iris, but because they don’t have an order the jailer won’t let them through, even when they switch tactics and say they want to see the 300 rioters who were arrested.