The daily comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1850-1856, 1853-06-07
Mem aoptrtisemsnts.
A Card-lAdv.
New ORLEANS, Jane 3rd IS,

Ma. EoIToR-In the Comet Of the 25th
of May last, which was sent to me by
friend, and reached me or Yesterday no.
ticed an article over the signature of one
JOSHUA BEAL, relative to my having sold
him an unsound negro girl on the 18th Of
April last, knowing her to be unsound, and
charges me with fraud, and that was un-
deserving the confidence and esteem of any
honorable man or community.
am under many obligations to the citi-
zens of Baton Rouge for favors bestowed
upon me and mine OF a most delicate nature,
and it is for the respect have for them, as
well as duty owe to myself, that I OBJ
trude myself upon my friends of Baton
Rouge, on this occasion ard to repel the in
famous calrmny this miserable and un-
principled wretch tries to heap upon me,
and do this. | submit the history of this
transaction for the consideration of the
public as il took place:
About the 5th or 9th Of April last called
at the request of JosHuA BEAL at his store
where he wished to see me, II will here
remark that up to this tine do not reco-
lect having ever spoken to him, though we
had boarded together at the Harvey House
since the nth OF January lastj He re-
marked that his, wife had taken fancy to
my negro girl, and that he wished to buy
her and wanted to know how long | had
owned her, and what had caused the marks
on her neck. Ireplied that had owned
her about two years, and that had
purchased her iE New Orleans when she
was about Is years old, that she had lived
with Mrs. and Mr.. Rhodus s months, that
she had been las he well knew some 1G
months in all, about Baton Rouge, that the
marks on her neck originated from white
swelling, and that since ! owned her she
never had been laid up from sickness, ard
that while she had been hired to Mr..
Rhodus she bad been sick day or two, and
directed This attention TO Mr.. Rhodus
who could tell him more about the general
health of the girl than could, and besides
as we were comparatively strangers be
could have her examined; that my price for
the girl was 500. He remarked that he
did not believe that he would be able to pay
the whole in cash. l proposed then to take
one half cash, and that would wait Tor the
balance. | left as had to attend to my
duties in the Senate.
On the 7th of April he sent for me again
take the girl provided l would wait IL
months for $3.50 dollars, to which agreed
and the transaction here closed. This is
the whole history Of this transaction, and
ask where is thy gross fraud o. which this
poor wretch speaks.
We were entire strangers, l had never
spoken to him prior to this transaction. |
referred him to Mr.. Rhodus and am salts
fed that enquiries had been made concern
ing the girl, he and his wife had known the
girl at least for 4 months at the Harvey
House and it is well known that the girl
visited Mrs Beal every day during that
time and that too, long before be purchased
her; besides had he not every opportunity
to have her examined And was be not
free to do so? ImentiqnEd to him that the
marks on her neck ori Tied from white
swelling before the sale-was that gross
fraud? 1t may be SO considered by this
miserable green grocer. but an impartial
community will not decide it so.
purchased the negro under the full guar
antee with the marks visible on her neck
and sold her precisely to JOSHUA BEAL in
the same way.
have already iresspassed to much upon
my friends, by transaction which can be
of but little interest to any body, and l again
assure them that DO it from regard have
for the citizens of Baton Rouge. Were it
not for this, | would have treated the ar
ticle in the Comet of the 25th May, as do
its contemplate author, with silent and
sovereign eontempt-at best he is but HARM
less yiper. A LEVISON