The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-08-09
a Family Of slaves Mt Liberty.


1t will be reco!lected by many persons in
this place, that coored man, named Tabs
Gross, was here sometime in June last, So
Letting aid to purchase the freedom of his
daughter. When he came here he was al
most discouraged for it was necessary that
the money should be raised before a certain
time, and he had not enough, then, by almost
5000. The assistance he received here was
generous, and gave him renewed courage =
and day or two since letter from him was
received with the gratifying INTEL sence that
the remaining SUE had been obtained, and
that he had been enabled to redeem his daush-
ter from life Of slavery.
A narrative of the efforts Of this man to
secure the freedom of himself and family
would be interesting The main facts which
have come to our knowledge are these -
Tabbs Gross, his wife and two children,
we're owned by man living in Maysville.
Nv. Iii, master offered to sell to Tabs the
whole family for half their estimated vane
and allowed him the time to 90 and earn the
money. They were together valued at $4,000,
and Tabs must raise half that sum. lie
Joined California train across the plains,
and lost his first wages of 500 through the
dishonesty of his employer. He then went
into the mines, and dug out and returned to
Kentucky with 1900, which gave freedom
to the family, save the daughter Before he
could earn the money to buy her, his old
master died, and she could be bought on.v bv
the payment of her full value. By the kind
ness OF friend that sum was reduced to $500
If paid before a specified time, too brief for
him to earn the money, and hence he was
driven to the necessity of mploring assist
snce from humane and charitable persons at
the North. In the course of his wanderings
he came to St. bloomsbury. and we have tho,
it right, since the news was received that his
efforts had been successful, to communicate
these facts, which are not only interesting in
themselves, but may encourage those who as
sisted this poor but persevpring and Chris
tian man, to other and similar acts of chart
y.
ACCIDENTS BY LIGnTNING-Last Sun.
day AFTERNOON as Mr.. Graves and our>elf
we're sittin. in the front room OF his tavern
at East Rando ph, a stream of lightning
struck the chimney OF the new part of the
building. passed through the root, tearing
Oft an hundred shingles or so. and shivering
one Of the raircrs entirely to spIinters. II
then divided, one stream passing oil at the
n. W. corner OF the main building, ard the
other passing nearly through the center 0!
the old part ot the h"n-o. In the "nrrot II
hrst made An attack on the point of bayO
net on nIted States mu>ket, but did the
gun no other damage than to SPLIT off piece
of the breech. From this it found its way
down a stove pipe to the bed room below
directly over the bar room. In this room il
ripped up the floor and carpet, tore off the
plaster, as it did also in the barrOo and
Post office, and pts>iny out at the side of the
house, took off some 80 feet of clapboards
1t gave the entire building general shak
ing. Mr.. Webster. who was sitting liz hi:
chair in house near by. was thrown to the
floor. and Mr.. Graves little boy. who was in
the piazza IT the tavern, was knock down
and his hand. which happened to be resting
on the caves spout, and was much IN ured
When We lett. IT look ed like the hand OF a
corpse. Probably it will recover soon.
This was a smart warnin. to US and others
to put up conducting rods on our buildings
A harm containing hay. in the vicinity of
East Randolph, was struck and burned
Also, a hOr>e-bArn and she'd near Ran.
dolph Center, belonging to the widow Hlb
bard
A barn and hay, belonging to Mr. Gaylord
we're burned the same dav, in Brookfield
supposed to have been set on fire by matches
IN the hands Of poys.-.Iontpelier Repository
A BLOODY TEAGEDY-We learn that
two neighbors in Strailord, MIR. Bacon and
Jehiel West. were enemies 20 each other
Is they had had some difficulty. One day
last week, Bacon was crossing Vests field
OF grass on foot West went to him with a
r'tchtork in his hand and ordered him to 60
oack. Bacon retused-altercatiOn ensued.
Finally, West strurk Bacon with the fork
stale, whrreuDon Bacon drew knife and
stabbed West three or four times in his breast
or abdomen. West then forced the tines of
the fork through barons body. They stood
IN this position until Mr.. Vests wife parted
them! 1t is thought by the physician that
both will die .IIe that Lo,.E ~. h-..h.. :.