Washington telegraph., 1849-09-26

Jones at New orleans, ara many Others
whose names l do not now recollect
were to keep supply on hand to buy
negroes, horses and other property. The
old agent informed me of the extent of
the party their wealth, power, and num-
ber, which was represented to me to be
about 400. One of the necessary qualili-
cations to become good member, was a
willingness to swear lie to save anoth-
er members life; any member refusing to
do so, was dismissed, penalty, silence er
death. About the first of May last, /
called to McLaughlin's on my way to
Galveston; / asked Mclaughlin for a
horse to ride the trip, he told me that he
would loan me horse until could find
one and that was poor rogue if l
could not find horse. | started from
McLaughin's soon in the morning and
soon found large bay horse hobbled with
a grass rope; L turned Mclaughlin
horse loose and started on the other
horse. / never felt so reckless in my
life-now started on the bold ocean, re-
gardless of consequences; l am sorry that
the owner of the horse was so i'll able TO
spare him, the horse was the property of
MIR. VIM. Cole, living at Round Top,
on the Brennan and LaGrange road
is regarded as an honest man, has a help
less family dependent on his exertions for
support; | rode the horse to Houston
and sold him for fifteen dollars U learn
the owner has got the horse again) /
then went to Galveston, where 1 met Mr..
Agery and MIR. Ford, 1 went to inform
them, that MIR. johnson and Smith, alias
Boren and Sapp were to be there shortly
with two negroes, remained there eight
days, when Boren and Sapp came and
brought Mercer Hills boy Joe. The
next day Mr.. Agery wrote me bill of
sale purporting to be from William H.
Rice, of the town of Gonzalas, county of
Gonzalas, to William Smith. ] object
ed to take the bill of sale under the
name of Smith, but the negro did not
know my true name when l left home; l
| did not know that [ was to take the boy;
in fact, was only sent to inform Agery
that the negro or negroes would come.
At the urging request of Mr.. Agery,
started to New Orleans with the negro,
| and Agery promised to start the next day.
When l arrived at New Orleans, |
stopped at Robertson's boarding house,
and, so far as [ know good man. The
next day MIR. Agery arrived and stopped
at another place; he then sent me to sell
the negro, but the police kept such a
watch, Mr.. Agery thought best to send
me up to Natchez encouraging me by in-
forming me he had sold many and that
the people of Natchez were so eager to
buy young negro men that they would
scarcely ask my name. Encouraged by
SO smart man as MIR. Agery. with a
tongue we'll fitted for green boy of
eighteen years. I consented to go, but
| when | learned the amount of cash he
could start | was near backing out. |
was satisfied that Agery was afraid of
himself and would not be seen except in
a certain portion of the city. When the
time arrived for me to go. six dollars was
all the cash we both had, barely enough
to pay our way deck passage (rather low
for negro trader) arrived at Natchez
in the night and went to Mr.. Whites
tavern (under the hin.t The next day l
offered the boy for $3.50 to Mr.. Wilson,
he said if he liked the boy when he talked
with him he would give me my price.
Imagine my dear reader my feelings, my
my life depended on single word and
that word to come from a simple and
perhaps faithless negro all Texas, yea, all
the money in the United States would
poorly pay those moments of anguish.
Just as | dreaded, and expected, l was
betrayed in few moments; | was waited
on by officers; my bill of sale asked for;
my name my residence. and thousand
other questions, and a polite invitation
to walk to the court house; my face,
my actions, all embarrassed, soon told
the tale for me. l was informed had a
stolen negro, [ cursed the fates. l cursed
| the den OF thieves; ah, there is the voice
that spoke-quick as thought-those
cursed, cursed wires stretched on those
poles-oh my God my feelings, I could
now see what disobedience to my dear
parents had done for me-my father,
little did you think your son would come
to this.-oh my mother am glad you
are gone to your peaceful grave-thls
would break your heart-your son pub
lished to the world a thief. Heaven
spare me and Heaven preserve all young
men from such fate-from the court
house to the Jail-reader did you ever
hear the lion roar; did you ever feel the
earth quake; were you ever in storm at
sea; well, it all is nothing compared with
my feelings when the bolt was turned
and an inmate of the prison walls. l
passed sleepless night, miserable, past
description-ruined. ruined. ruined The
next day 1 called for paper and wrote
20 Texas, the letter was intercepted,
though did not know it. / looked for
assistance; (sworn to assist each other to
break open prisons. if detected.) Surely