New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-03-23

A recent number Of the New York Albion relates
the following absurd story:

A recent number Of the New York Albion relates
the following absurd story
On Saturday afternoon poor fueiti Ee slave who
arrived three weeks ago at Liverpool from New
Orleans, slowed away in the hold OF cotton ship,
was brought TO this Office. The following is his own
plain unvarnished tale taken down as the narrative
fell from his lips:
My name is Tom Wilson. i arrived here in a
ship called the Metropolis, Captain Foster. ! am
slaye-borD /; | have been under slave bondage ever
since was born. 1 am now 45 years old / be-
longed 10 Mr.. Henry Eastman, of New York. cotton
presser. was under him for the space OF seven
years Before then belonged TO Col Birr, OF Wood
ford, Mississippi There | had wife and three
children, besides having had another child, which
died. was sold by auction by Major Bairds, auc-
uoaeer, for $500, and was taken down TO New
Orleans away from my wife and children, and
haven't seen them since. Shortly after got there
Mr.. Eastman overseer Burke, commenced to III use
me. didn't understand tying the cotton it was
new TO me, and was awkward, so | was logged.
They used TO tie me down across cotton bale and
give me 200 or 800 with a leather strap. / am
marked with the whip from the ankle-bone to the
crown Of my head Some years before was sold
from Mississippi. The oyerseer there, because re-
sisted punishment once, cut my right arm across the
muscle and then had it stitched up He did that, as
be said, TO weaken me, because was too strong in
the arm. eli @H
About year and half after had been in New
Orleans, / ran into the woods ! was followed by
Burke and pack of bloodhounds into the Badden-
rush swamp. The dogs soon caught me. They tore
my legs-and body with their teeth. Here are the
marks yet. As he spoke he turned up his trousers
leggine, and exposed formidable seams, extending up
the calf and above the knee joint Barke Che con
tinued) rode up TO me with his gun, and shot me in
the hip with IA buckshot which can be seen and ex-
amined at any time. The dogs continued to pin me
with their teeth. After that knowed nothing about
what they did TO me for about week. When got
little-strong they burned my back with red hot
ron and my legs with spirits Of tuFpentine to punish
me for escaping. They pnt an iron collar round my
I..ak -.
irons, one on each leg. Amer that was watched
very closely but one night, about week after
Christmas ran away, and hid myself under the saw
dust. in sawml pit, below New Orleans was
followed by Burke, the overseer and the dogs, but
they did not find me- crept out and ran away, for
more safety, to the Great Salt Water Lake, behind
Orleans secreting myself under the bushes and vines
There are alligators in the lake, and, as waded up
To the knees in water, the alligat0rs followed me,
gunting and believing, aud trying to get me. had
several times to climb up trees escape them but
felt safer among the algators than among the white
men. .f. I M
In the morning, at O'clock, went down to the
wharf On the road | came across some of the men
who were out watching for me, with guns and dogs.
II was just getting light began 10 whistle and sing,
and walked close by them, and they paid no atten-
tlOn to me- When got down to the wharf some Of
the eolored crew OF the American cotton ship Me-
tropolls took me on board, aud bid me away among
the bales. One OF the colored men split on me- and
there was search for me that day; but they did not
back and tortured. | was frightened, too, for the
colOred men who had befriended me. was kept ont
OF the sight of the white men, and Capt. Foster did
not know anything about it until after the men bad
been paid off at Liverpool / remained hid from
week after Christmas until about three weeks ago,
when the ship came here. During the time was
secreted | was kept alive by the colored men, who
had been so good TO me. They brought me something
to eat and drink every night. When / first landed
here was frightened at every white man passed,
and hid myself about where could, and begged at
night for bread. Twas afraid should be taken into
slavery again. did not know could not be slave
here"
With regard to the future, poor tom Wilson "
said he would be very glad OF hreman's place on
board a cOasting steamer. When IN slavery, IN
America, he had been hired out as fireman on one
of the lake steamers. He said he could do that work
very well, aud could stand any amoant OF heat
From inquiries we have made we are induced TO
a lost chapter of "Unce Toms Cabin,n is substan-
TALLY true.