The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-11-22

Scientific Acknowledgements Trial.
The principles upon whl,h p. A. Browne. ESQ.,,
in his Tsichologia Mammalian, founded the dlstiuc-
top Of three distinct sps les Of men, have bssa lately
recognized and successfully maintained by Professor
r. w. Gibbes, Of Columbia College, South Car Dina,
one Of the most distinguished sthnologists Of the
present time, in trial befoe Judge Whittier, when
female, who had been held for thirteen years Is
negro slave, liberated up the ground that she
was an Indian The reporter Of the Soutton Pctrio
says:--
Bone fourteen years ago Mr. Darby, OF Chez
ter district, purchased giri called Lucy, who was
carried TO that neighbOrhood by o man named
Thompson, said TO have been seen in Washington,
D. c., as late - 1861, practising law. The girl had
the looks Of an Indian, but was sold to him -
negro. She ran away repeatedly, telling her play
mates that she was Indian. Some three or four
yean ago she was lodged In jail In Columbia q .
runaway, and advertised. Her owner came for her,
and was required to show his bill Of SALE which
not considered altogether satisfactory. Several cit
Gems were impressed by the girls appearance, and
advised the jsiler not to give her up, as she evi-
Ssntly ~. an Indian H. he applied to Governor
sand suit, and let tho case DO decided BY IN sp-
peal to evidence. Governor Naming also, upon
coming into Office, expressed an interest in the
After long delays by the party claiming her, to
prOrue evidence, the case tried At the late term
Some three years since, old Cherokee chief visit
ed Columbia, upon hearing that an Indian girl was
tribe was on the way from North Carolina to Ar
kansas, an Indian girl, about four years old, was
stolen from his party that great distress was caused
70 her parents; that she was the child Of his sisters
daughter, and that her name was Lutse; that he
came to Columbia with the hope of seeing Lutse,
and that, as soon as he laid eyes on her, his heart
rejoced 10 the face OF his sisters daug htcr
that this girl IL Lut.se, and she is much like her
mother, Is Ler mothers sisters children like her
mothers sister.
Toe chiefs name is InsIuskie The old man re-
moved eight years ago from Arkansas, and now
lives In North Car0lins. He was y ca Jtain under
Gen. Jackson, at the battle Of the Horseshoe Bend
where he commanded one hundred and thirty war
riors, and fought with much distinction. Commis
sOns read fiom several chiefs Of tribes now in
North Carolina, stating that girl named Lut SO
was stolen from one OF their party about fourteen
years ago. commission was read Of the ex ANNA
ton Of Mrs. Carter, the wife Of man who pur
cyased the girl from Thomps,n and sold ner to
Darby.
In this she stated that, learning from her children
that the girl said she was an Indian she called her
no and questioned her about 1t, WHEN she said NO."
she Was not Indian, but her mot er was negro.
This was offered as evidence. and strange to say
admitted. Rus it had the opposite effect Of what
was intended. As 1t was clear that among her play
mates tee girl told the truth, and to her master
mistress she evidently had been taught to say other
wise. Evidence was brought forward that she had,
for fourteen years. been 10 Chester In possession Of
Darby, wof king AZ negro, and 50 considered. a.
though called "DaIby's Indian"
The most striking testimony adduced in the ease,
was that by distinguished talen led and scientific
townsmap, DR.. r. D. Gibbes. This is not only mine,
but the opinion OF Others. he understands the ana
tony Of our races as well as know my multiplica-
ton table. As proof Of my declaration, he was put
upon the stand and called udon to explEin the eth
biological distinction Of races. He was asked to
point out the characteristics OF the Indian and
gro, which ne did very infinitely and fully, and In
manner to bring conviction to the whole assembled
crowd. He exhibited cast Of IN Indian skuu--an
sboriginal-said TO be from one in the Academy Of
Science in Phladelphis, from noun in Ohio. He
explained oil its characteristics, and then called up
the old chief and interpreter and showed the iden
tity with their heads. He then compared It and
their heads with tina. Of Lucy, and established them
all as Of the same type.
He them handled negro skull, and dem onstrsted
clearly the pecularities, and showed BY comparison
the marked difference between them. He explained
the prominent differences in the anatomical struc-
ceediDgy interesting account Of the distinction in
the HAIR Of the Caucasian Indian, and negro races.
He stated q very curious fat, ss resulting from
microscopical observation that in the muatto cross
sometimes hairs Of both, but never monerel hair;
that no amalgsmated hair existed that as often
the mulatto had straight hair - kmky. He stated
the microscope revealed that the hair OF the white
race was, when tranersely divided oval that Of the
Indian circular ana tnaJ Of the negro eccenrlcaly
elliptical, with fattened edges; that Of the negro
was not hair, but wool, and capable Of being feed;
ternal tabe, while in the negro it wasin tie ep der
mis-, or scales covering the shaft Of the hair.
In confederation of hia statement that both white
and negro hair were sometimes found in TIE same
head, singular case was mentioned In my hearing,
BY Dr. w. He stated that he once attended half
breed Indian and negro, who had straight Indian
hair; he WINS i'll. and had his head shaved and bis
tered On his recovery, when his hair grew out, it
was negro bair-crisped and wiry.
These are very curious facts, and of much impor.
tance in the distinction of races.
The counsel Of the plaintiff proposed and insisted
on DR.. Gibbes to give the facts as to the hair Of
grades Of blood but he said he had not examined
by the microscope any but the half breeds. IL is
to be hoped that full investigation will be made of
this subject, and the fasts publAhed.
On the whole, the evidence set forth by Doctor
Gibbes was extremely interesting, and developed
some facts never heard Of before. There has been
but one opinion expressed in relation to it.
The jury decided in favor Of the girls being In
dian, and she left Columbia next day with the old
chief, on her way to Arkansas, to he parents and
friends Gov. Means was so convinced that the girl
was Indian, that he was heard to say that II toe
case was decided sgainst her he would buy her and
set her free. This feeling seemed to pervsde the
community, and it is more than probable that, had
the case been decided against her the citizens would
have freed her.