New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-10
BURNING 4 NEGRO.

To he Editor Of The " Y. Tribune
SIR: cut the following extract from The C'aein-
natl Commercial which is the very first public notice
that has been taken in any form OF the awful Tragedy
that was enacted hereneither of the papers published
in this city having given the slightest account OF the
matter believing doubtless that so small an affair as
burning slave to death by way OF Thanksgiving
froc is not worth publishing
sWe are informed that the Kentucky Thanks
giving Day n couple of young men of Maysvile,
whose family connections are described as Of the
highest resI,ectabity,' were on drunken spree at
the Parker House in that place, and proractng Their
oic until very late hour after all the household had
retired to bed attempted to arouse the barkeeper 10
procure liquor, and failing In this ana succeed
ing in finding yellow man, one OF the waters asleep,
thew concluded to SET fire to him IN Order 10 dUdkeh
him With this view they took campheno lamp,
and pouring the fluid his whskers gDited It, and
the poor fellows neck and head became instantly
wrapped in intense blaze, which cOntln-
ned until the fluid was consumed The suffer
pps of the victim dreadful IN the extreme. NO
refinement of torture could have produced more ex-
crucating misery But, strange TO say death dld not
release him from torment until after the lapse OF Two
week. The poor creature was the slave Of Mr.. Ball,
keeper of the Parker House, who says "a our IN
fomant tells us that no human suffering could exceed
that Of his boy during the fortnight that he hved after
the burning. The young men, respectfully con
nected" whose drunkenness resulted in this horror are
said TO aege that they burned the negro by accident
that when holding the lamp to his face they managed
TO break il and spill the fiery fluid upon him. The
Young men are rich. They have agreed to pay MIR
Ball 81 900 for the loss of his servant. Our informant
saws that no one in Maysvie speaks of this ransac-
ton without shuCder Of horror but that no move
ment has been made toward legal investigation OF
the matter and that the high position of the par
ties implicated will Overawe any such movement: we
ask the citizens of Msysvlle, in the name OF their
honor if these things c6n be true 7"
Tie facts set forth in The Commercial are true, and
are put in the mdest fonn for it was deliberate act
of torture; Hagitious beyond all precedent, ending IN
death after two weeks OF suffering the part OF the
victim; albeit the parties were on a drunken iroIIc
and as the world goes, were quite Respectable
No examination of the circumstances had taken place.
nor will there be any the money OF the friends o the
pariez together with the official relative OF one Of
them, being amply sufficient to protect them.
They carry their heads as high as If nothing had
happened and talk about the amount they had to pay
the owner of the slave rather expensive, consider
ing il was done for a bit of fun
l. not this creditabe state Of HAs, and is 1t not
one more powerful illustration = tAe beauties OF
Slavery Can't you get some OF your Northern " d.
vines to preach in favor OF the system from thus tex
MaystOe, Jan. l, 1850. Yours, AoE"DbNN'