Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-04-17
From the ST. Louis Evening News, Aprlls.
THE ORIGINAL DRED SCOTT A RESIDENT
OF ST, LOUIS SKETCH OF HIS HISTORY

VI oAs AVVAp -ohEASA VI MO aAoAVAA'
The distinguished colored individ.
ual who has made such noise in the
world in the case of Scott VS. Sanford,
and who has become so tangled up with
the Missouri compromise and other
great snbjects-Dred Scott---is res
ident, not citizen Of st. Louis. He
is we'll known to many Of our citi-
zens, and may frequently be seen pas
sing along Third Street lie is an
old ldinhabitant, having come TO this
city thirty years ago.
Dred Scott was born in Virginia,
where he belonged to Capt Peter
Blow, the father Of Henry T. Blow
and Taylor Blow, Of this city. He
was brought by his master TO ST Lou.
is about thirty years ago, and in the
course Of time became the property
Of DR.. Emerson, u surgeon IN the ar
my, whom he accompanied on that
trip to Rhode Island and Fort Smell
ling, on the ground Of which he based
his claim to freedom. The wife OF
DR.. Emerson was formerly Miss. San
ford, and is now Mrs. Chafiee, wife OF
Hon. Mr.. Chafoe, Of Massachusetts.
He has been married twice, his first
wife, by whom he had no children,
having been sold from him. He has
had four children by his present wife,
two boys both dead, and two girls,
both living. Drcd was at Corpus
Christi at the breaking out of the
Mexican war, as tho servant Of Cap
tain Bainbridge, whom he speaks OF
as "good man.
On his return from Mexico he ap-
piled to his mistress, Mrs. Emerson,
then living near Sc. Louis, for the
fering ID pay part Of the money
down, and give an eminent citizen OF
st. Louis, ON officer in the army, as
security for the payment Of the re-
mainder. His mistress refused his
proposition, and Drcd being informed
that ne was entitled TO his freedom
by the operation Of the laws regu-
lating the Northwest Territory, forth
with brought suit for il. The suit
was commenced about ten years ago,
and has cost Dred $500 in cash, be-
sides labor to n nearly equal amount,
IL has given him a heap o trouble,
he says, and if he had known that
il was gwine TO last so long, hc
would not have broughtit. The suit
was defended by Mr.. John Sanford,
as executor of Mr.. Emorsons will
Dred docs not appear. TO be at all
discouraged by the issue Of the cele-
bratod case, although IL dooms him
to slavery. He talks about the affair
with the case Of veteran litigant,
though not in technical language, and
is hugely tickled at the idea Of find
ing himself parsonage of so much
importance. He does not take on
airs, however, but laughs heartily
when talking of " dc fuss dey made
dare in Washington, bout dc ole mig
ger
He is about 55 years old we should
think, though he does not know his
own age. lie is unmixed African
bleod, and MS black as q peice Of char
coal. For two or three years past he
has been running at large, no one ex.
ercising ownership over him, or put
ting any restraint upon his move
ments. II be werc disposed 10 make
the attempt, he could gain his free
dom at a much less cost than even
one tenth Of the expense of the fa.
nous suit, he will not do so however
insisting on abiding by the princi
pies involved in The decision Of The
SUBTLE declares he will stick (
his mistress as long as he lives
His daughters, Eliza and Lizzy
less conscious about the matter
took advantage of the absence q
the restraint on their movements, 9
year or two since, to disappear, and
their whereabouts remain mistery
Dred, though illiterate, is not ig
norant. He has Travelled considera.
bly,, and has improved his stock o.
strong common sense by much in
formation picked up in his journey
ings. lie is anxious to know who
owns him, being ignorant whether
he is the property of Mr.. Chaffee
or Mrs. Sanford, though we presume
there is no doubs that the former i:
his real legal owner. He seems tired
of running about with no one to look
after him, while at the same time ht
is slave. He says grinningly, thai
he could make thousands of dollars
if allowed, by travelling over the
country and telling who he is.