Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-01-31
From the Taunton Beacon of Liberty
Read this FreemeR Of MasSachuSeet'


From the Taunton Beacon of Liberty.
Read this FrGemeR Of massachusetts.
Rucus Hathaway was born in Freeton, and
brought up there until he was fourteen. He was
then put out by indentures to BraziIIa Crane Esq
of Berkeley, until he was twenty one years DID,
In this genteman's family, he received the com
mon school education, and at the expiration of his
apprenticeship took his departure to seek his for
tune in the world. He was first employed in the
packets running from New York to Providence, in
which he remained some two years, and since that
time has followed the seas, and visited in the course
of his voyages, the four quarters of the globe. He
was thirty eight years old the third day of last
June.
About two years since, last October, Mr. Hath
away shipped on board the schr. Rowena, Charles
IS. Williams Of Berkeley, master, from Dighton,
Mass, to Wilmington, North Carolina. Afera
passage of fifteen days, they arrived at Whining
ton. When they got to the bar at Cape Fear, or
New Inlet, so Called pilot came on board, and
Capt. Williams asked him, whether they took up
any of the free colored people or not The pilot
said he did not know whether they did or not
They went IN opposite the village, and anchored
in the stream, and lay there till the next morning
and about nine O'Clock hauled in side the wharf
At ten, an officer came down ard asked Capt. W.
how many colored men be had on board He ans
wered one. The officer took paper Out and read
it over. Hathaway was unable to understand
what is was, but at the close, the officer told the
| Captain thai he must have his cook and carry him
to Jail. Hathaway understanding that he was re-
ferred to, asked the officer fthere any bed in
the Jail, and was answered that there was. Hath
away said he had rather carry his own bed, and if
he did not want it, he could put it outside. The Of
fcer conserving, Hathaway took his bed and was
conducted to the Jail. When he got to the mil
the turnkey was absent. They waited twenty min
utes, and the officer went after the turnkey. He
soon found him: and Hathaway was TUNED into
an upper room, through several trap doors, where
| he found eleven others imprisoned for the same
cause that he was. Some of them were from Bos-
ton, Portland, Bath, Providence and Newport and
their captains came to see them in the Jail. Whilst
there, woman about "a years of age was sent tc
the Jail to be whipped. She was brought into tho
same room with these twelve men, stripped stark
naked, her head mutiled and her hands
tied tight together Each wrist was tied to the end
of stick passed under the joints of her knees Sc
as to keep her in a standing posture, and prevent
any use of her hands or feet. She was then laiC
down on her side, and the officer with stick
: There called paddIe] about two feet aud hal
long and four or five inches broad at one end ant
shaved down at the other for handle, and punch
ed full of holes at the broad end inflicted twenty
two blows upon her naked bottom, taking hi!
weapon with both hands, and turning the yonns
woman over once during the operation. Eevel
blows on each side. The blood run freely, ant
was probably drawn at every blow. Her Shrek
were in great measure smOthered by her muf
, filler.
f After the whipping was over the officer turnet
to the prisoners-F'There, said he, "boys, vol
) will have something to tell of when you ge
home"
The woman was then put into a close 70 ON il
the jail, without any thing to eat until she was lie
Ham fno Il 'bOr
) however, with Hathaway, contrived to give SOM
things sent by their captains through CRATE in thu
room door.
The women had been hired out and the whip
ping was procured by the person who hired her
When her owner beard of it, he called tn lear
from her why she had been whipped. She said thu
man who hired her told her to do something. Sh
said she would as soon as she could He told he
if she did not, he would start her. She made ans
, wer that her master did not require her to d.
u such things. This was considered impudent an
V she was sent to he punished.
The next day man was sent to receive twent
blows of the same weapon. Mr. Hathaway doe
S not know what his offence was.
o Mr. Hathaway remained in goal fifteen days, re
ceiving as his daily fare, one sea bscnit and NV
fl slices Of boiled pork, and paid the chvarous Stat
It his entertainment. The oficersen colored VIC
If man on board the vessel to do the cooking, Will,
y Hathaway was in goal, for whose services b
c charged fifty cents day, which, with other fee;
: Capt. Williams paid.
e When the vessel was ready to sail Capt. W
l. came up to the goal and on payment of all charg
d es, Hathaway was duly delivered over to him.
e Capt. Williams took freight Of lumber to Ric
IS mond, Virginia, and when he was about to sail, tn
Is people desired that he would return and take AT
ID other But the Captain ntimaed that he had see
If as much as he desired Of the manners and custom
,r Of Wilmington, North Carolina.
\, Mr. Hathaway is now Il resident of Dighton,
l. the Ninth Congressional District of Massachusett
Of Aud it was to protect men in his situation and eli
l. cumstances from such atrocious wrongs, and me
n like Capt. Williams from legaIized plumber, tn,
TT Mr. Hoar was sent 10 South Carolina. And it
to continue this state OF things that Texas
II sought to be annexed, and Mr. Polk was cIecte
~ President.
in We commend to the Democracy of Dighon
IN take this matterinto their consideration, and sho
III us If they can, how they subscribing the int
b, ests Of Liberty and Equal Rights by supportir
or the TexasPolk party.