Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-05-07
no. $50

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jury berry viell-dere is Massa Teer-
penning, of Little 'Sopus-know him
berr y vell-I plough for him-den dere
is Massa Trapnagan, Of our town--how
de do Massa-ah! dere Massa Topper,
vat prints de paper at Big 'Sopus-
know him too-dere is Massa Peet
Steenberg-know him too-he owes me
little mony-I know 'em all Massa
Squire did go to get Massa Lucas
to plead for me, but he gone to de
Court of Error at Albany-Massa Sam
Freer, and Massa Cockburn, said they
come to glib me good character, but
no see 'em here"
Cuff was ordered to stand aside, and
Phillis was sworn.
Plaintiff said she did not know how
old she was-believed she was 10
she looked nearer Go she lived with
Honse Schoonmaker-was brought up
in the family-she told her case pathe-
tically as possible.
"Massa Squire" said she, 81 vas
gone up to Massa Schoonmaker's lot
on Shaunguna mountain to pile brush;
den Cuff, he vat stands dare; cum by
vid de TEEN, he top his horses and say,
how de do Phillis, or as he gave it,
probably in Dutch, "ho,o gaud it init you,
shall goot, "said l; den massa, he look
at me berry hard, and say Philis, pose
you meet me in the mite, ven de moon
is up, near de barne, got sumting
to say-den say, berry well Cuff, !
vill-he went up de mountain, and !
vent home-ven eat my supper and
milk'd de cows, say to myself, Phillis
pose you go down to de barn, and hear
vat Cuff has to say. Well massa squire,
1 go, dare was Cuff, sure enough-he
told me of tings all bout love-eall'd
me venus and jcwpeter, and other tings
vat he got out Of de play house when he
vent down in de slupe to New-York,
and he ax'd me if I'd marry him be-
fore de Dominic, Osterhaut, he vat
breaches in Milton, down pom Malbro.
l say, Cuff, you make fun on me-he
say no, SPY mine =eai," / will marry you
PhilIis-den he glib me dis here as ar
nest" Phillis here drew from her huge
pocket, an immense pair of scissors,
jack-knife, and wood pipe curiously
carved, which she offered as testimony
of the promise, and which was sworn,
to as the property Of Cuff, who subse-
quently had refused to fulfil the con-
tract.
Cuff admitted that he had made a
kind of promise, but it was condition
al. 81 told her." massa squire, "tha;
she was slave and niger, and she
must wait ill the year 81, ben all
would be free, cording to the new con-
stitution-den she said, berry veil /
will wait" Phillis utterly denied the
period probation-it was, she said,
to take place" ben he got, he new cor.
duroy brooches from Cripplcy Coon,
de taylor-hc owe tree and six pence,
and massa Coon wont let him hab EN-
vidoubt de money den Cuff he ran a.
way to Varsing-I send Coon Crook,
de constable, and he find um at Shan
dakin, and he bring him before YOU,
massa squire"
The testimony here closed. The
court charged the jury, that although
the testimony was not conclusive, nor
the injury very apparent, yet the court
was not warranted in taking the Gaze
out Of the hands of the jury.
a promise had evidently been made
and had been broken; some difference
existed as to the period when the ma
trimonial contract was 10 have been
fulfilled; and it is equally true and hon.
durable, as the court observed, that in
1927. slavery was to cease in our state,
and that fact may have warranted the
defendant in the postponement but of
this there was no positive proof, and
as the parties could not read nor write,
the presents may be construed into a
marriage promise. The court could
see no reason why these humble Afri-
cans should not, in imitation of their
betters, appeal to jury for damages
in such cases, but it was advisable not
to make those damages more enormous
than circumstances warranted, but
sufficient to act as lesson to these
coloured gentry, in their attempts to
initiate fashionable in6delity.
The jury brought in verdict OF Ten
Dollars and costs for the plaintiff,
The defendant not being able to pay.
was committed to Kingston Jail, where
he now lies, martyr to his own folly,
and example to all others in like cases
offending.
The court, which was held at Budd's
Tavern, New Paltz, was excessively
crowded. Several reporters were pre-
sent. Noah's .AdUocate.
IT'S grievance that those who cry