Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-01-31
a white Girl Nearly sold into slavery.

One Of the most revolving. and al the same time,
touching It has been lot TO witness
occurred yesterday IN the AuctIOn Store OF Mr.. n
Vicne, on ST. Louis street. The estate Of Mr. Ben
venutO Duran lately deceased, consisting chiefly OF
slaves, TO be sold, for the benefit u creditor
The negroes were brought up, Is usually the case
one by one, and exhibited to the bystanders, before
being put The hammer. On the presentation OF The
third, advertised Madeline orphan quareroon
aged bout nine years." every one present was horrl-
fled behold paraded before them lovely girl, DELI
cately formed white the purest OF the Clrcassian
race her face buried in her hands, and her slender
frame convGlsed with sobs. There pause OF
some minutes. The crowd could not realize that one
Of their own race could be thus led up among negroes
to be passed into life long bondage. Amusement
was succeeded by indignation, several gentleman
set about iHquiring TO the manner IN which the
child had been thrust into such degrading associa-
tOnS.
Dir. Duran, it seems, was Spaniard by birth !;
was some years since in affuence in this city but
latterly, his circumstances declining; he moved from
the First to the Third Municipality, where he kept a
email grocery store and struggled through compare
tive poverty. None Of the negroes knew anything
of the early history of the girl, except one old man.
who said her mother was white woman, who dying,
when her child yet but an infant, Mr.. Duran took
the orphan in charge TO rear adopted child.
This was when he IN prosperity. For some
years after the death of the mother, lady IN the
habit of visiting DIR. Duran's house regularly TO see
The child, and continued her visits uniii hOOut
time be moved into the Third Municipality. since
when four five years ago, she has never been seem
Whether this lady was u relative or friend of the
mother interested in the fate Of her offspring, the
old man knew not: did he know who the lady
was or whence she came.
Upon this information, the sale stopped, and
Madeline taken possession of by Mr. Charles
Lovenskiold, to whose humane exertions in her be-
half she is perhaps indebted for her liberty. MIR. l..
has kindly installed her in his own family, and will
bring her up as member of 1t, If the law does not
defeat his benevolent intentions. The girl, though oil
late years minglng almost exclusively with the ne
groeS Of Mr. Durans household is intelligent beyond
her years. speaks both French and Spanish 1uenty,
and understands English
The affair speedily obtained public notoriety in the
lower part of the city, and created an Intense excite
ment Several free persons of color interested them
selves in the case, and in few hours collected among
their own class nearly two hundred dollars, to buy the
girl out of The estate and bestow upon her her free
dom. This was not permitted, however, and from
present there is little probability of her
subsection the degradation of being included in the
cha,tels of the succession. Mr.. Duran has left no
heirs, and dying niestate, his property escheats TO
the State after satisfaction of the creditors. There
is but one creditor, and his feelings deeply
affected yesterday as those of any person present.
Mr. Loyenskold and Others who have taken the girls
cause in hand however, have determined upon en-
tire publication Of the girl and if il be practicable
will bring the case before the courts in such manner
that jury shall pass upon her blood.-N. o. Della.