Bedford Cunningham

Bedford Cunningham was an old friend and coworker of Jefferson Pinkard's in the Sloss Steel Foundry in Birmingham, Alabama. Cunningham was conscripted into the Confederate Army during the Great War. He lost an arm in Kentucky and returned to Birmingham, where he was allowed to continue to live in his cottage.

Cunningham began an affair with Emily Pinkard while Jeff was serving in Texas later in the war. Jeff discovered the two in bed when he returned home on furlough in 1916. Pinakrd eventually forgave both Cunningham and Emily.

Cunningham voted for Freedom Party candidates in the 1920s but did not share Pinkard's passionate commitment to party activities. Because of this, he was often home in the cottage next door to the Pinkards' while Jeff was at party meetings, and he and Emily took advantage of his Jeff's absense to resume their affair. Pinkard discovered them a second time and broke off his friendship with Cunningham.