Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-02-10
GSsnep Ytmulta,sronslp' at aalo,
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1853.

pers TO show that he was citizen, he went
on to Washington city, where he arrived
the second day of April, the same year, and
put up at Gadsby's Hotel. Soon after he
arrived. he felt unwell and went to bed.
While suffering with severe pain some
person came in, and seeing the condition
he was in, proposed to give him some med.
icine, and did So That is the last thing
Of which he had any recollection until he
found himself chained to the floor of vii.
liam's slave pen in this city, aud hand.cul.
fed. In the course of few hours, James
III. Burch, slave-deaer, came in, and the
colored man asked HIM TO take the irons of
from him, and wanted To know why they
we're put on. Burch told him il was none
of his business. The coIored man said he
was free and told where he was BORN
/ Burch called in man by the name of Eb.
enezer Rodbury, and they two stripped the
/ man and laid him across a bench, Rodbury
holding him down by his wrists. Burch
whipped him with paddle until he broke
that, aud then with cat-o'nine tails, CIV
ing him hundred lashes, and he swore he
would kill him il he ever stated to any one
that he was free man. From that time
forward the man says he did not commune
cate the fact from fear, either that lie was a
free man, or what his name was, until the
last summer.
He was kept in the slave pen about ten
days, when he, with others, was taken out
OF the pen in the night, by Burcb, hand
cufled aud shackled, and taken down the
rtt LIP nd IN II h
mond, where he, with fnrty-eight others,
was put on board the brig Orleans. There
Burch left them The brig sailed FOR New
Orleans, and on arriving there, before she
was fastened to to the wharf, Theophlus
Freeman, another slave dealer belonging
IN the CITY of New Orleans, and who in
ISIS bad been a partner with Burch IN the
slave trade, caue to the wharf aud recev-
ed the slaves as they were landed, under his
direction. This man was Immediately ia
ken 10y Freeman and shut up IN his pen III
that city. lie was taken sick with the
small pox Immediately after getting there,
aud was sent to Hospital where he lay
two or three weeks. " hen he had sulfi-
cienuy reco' cred to leave the hospital,
freeman declined to sell him to any person
IN that vicinity, aud sold him to Mr.. Ford,
who resided IN Rapides parish, Louisiana,
where he was taken aud lived little more
than year, and worked as carpenter,
working with Mr. Ford at that business.
Ford became involved and had To sell
him. A Mr. Tibaut became the purchas-
er lie in short time sold him to Edwin
Eppes IN Bayou Beouf, abou, one hundred
and thirtNmiles fromihe mouth Of Red Riy
er, where Eppes has retained him on cot
ton plantation since the year 1913.
To go back small step IN the MARIA
tive, the man wrote letter in June,
lsil. TO Henry B. Norlhrop, Of the State
of New York. dated aud postmarked at n.
Orleans, stating that he had been kldnap-
ped aud was on board a vessel, but was un-
able TO state what his destination was; but
requesting Mr.. ~ to aid him in recovering
his freedom, if possible. Mr.. n. was una
BILE to do anything in his behalf in conse-
queuce of not knowing where he had gone,
aud not being able to find any trace ofhim.
His place of residence remained unknown
until the month of September last, when
the following letter was received by his
friends
BAYOU BEoUI. Aug. 1852.
Nr. IFm. Puiy or 4Hr Lc,Ois Parker;
GENTLEMEN 1t having been a long
tine since have seen or heard from you,
and not knowing that you are living, 1t is
with uncertainty that write to you but
the necessity of the case must he my ex-
cuse. Having been born free ust across
ba l
know me and | am here now slave. l
wish you to obtain free papers for me, and
forward them TO me at Marksyille, La, Pas-
ish of Asoyelles, and o6lige.
Yours,
SOLOMON NORTHROP.
On receiving the above letter, Mr.. n. APP
Piled to Gov. Hunt, OF New York, for such
authority as was necessary for him to pro-
coed to Louisiana, as an agent to procure
the liberation OF Solomon. Proof Of his
freedom was furnished TO Gov. Hunt, by at-
idayits of several gentlemen, Gen. Clarke
among others. Accordingly. ia pursuance
of the laws of New York, Henry b. Nor
tarop was constituted an agent to take such
steps, by procuring evidence, retaining
counsel, &c, as was necessary to secure
the freedom of Solomon, and TO execute all
the duties Of his agency. He left Sandy
Hill, in New York, on the 18th of Decem-
Der last, and came to the city of Washing
ton, and stated the facts of the case TO Hon.
Pierre Soule, of Louisiana, Hon. MIR. Con-
rad, Secretary of War, from New Orleans,
and Judge Nelson, of the Supreme Court
of the United States, aud other gentlemen.
They furnished Mr.. n. with strong letters
to gentlemen residing in Louisiana, urging
their assistance in accomplishing the object
of restoring the man TO freedom.
From Washington Mr.. n. went by the
way Of Piusburg aud the Ohio aud Mlssis-
sippr Rivers, 10 the mouth of the Red RIy-
er, aud thence up that river to Marksvllle,
IN the parish of Ayoyelles, where he EN-
ployed Hon. John p. Waddill, an eminent
lawyer of that place, and consulted with
HIM as TO the best means of finding and OBJ
tanning possession of the man. He soon
ascertained there was no such man at
Marksyille, nor in that vicinity. Bayou
Beouf, the place where tie letter was dated.
was iwenty-three miles distant, al its near
est point, and is seventh miles in length
For reasons which it is unnecessary to give,
the very prosidential manner in which the
residence of the man was ascertained, can
not now be given, although the clrcumslan-