Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-01-13
~ lcIsHNAN'S SUFFERINGs IN
soCrH CAROLINA.
rFrou u.e View York Inlependent.l

]
We have s.s. :. /. u1fortuuats man. and heard
his stor. ami g.. .5t a; Lis wounds. His name is
James Power g., "a intelligent young man,
ab ut tvveuty-- .re l1-.- 0t age, native OF eN-
fots. Ireland 81 'Eo-cutter y trade he
went from Phi, ylph.4 go the South, and obtained
eu,plovment IN &. .u,u J.a, where be had worked
for nine months
The only opinion he ever expressed against sla-
very was that it caused a white laborer in the
south TO be looked upon as inferior or degraded
man But this was enough. The remark was
reDorted to the Vigilance Committee, composed
of twelve Inembers1 who Immediately ordered the
police to a -rest him. He seized two miles
away from wn, in attempting to escape. He was
brought Lac. and put in cell, wherehe remained
f,r three days during which time he was denied
the use Of pen and ink, and all communication
with his friends outside.
At length he was taken before the Mayor. Four
persons appeared and bore testimony to the remark
which he had made. The evidence was conclusive.
He was returned to prison, and kept locked up for
six iavs During this time he allowed only
two scanty meals day, and the food was carried
To- him by a negro. He was then taken out of
iaiI in the custody of two marshals, who said to
him.
81. You are so fonl of niggers that we are going
TO eiyo you Z niger escort
He was led through the main street amid great
crowd hooting and yelling, the marshals compel
ing two negroes to drag him through the puddles
and mudd places of the street, and Of the State
House yardt As he was taken past the State
House. three members of the Legislature, includ-
inr the Speaker, stood looking and laughing
The crowd gradually increased until it numbered
several thousand persons, headed BY a troop of
horse
After a march Of throo miles out Of the city, to
place called the Junction" the procession was
stopped, and preparations were made for punish
ment The populace cried ''brand him ~ burn
him - spike him to death =" and made threats
against his life by pointing pistols at his head,
and Gourishing sticks in his face.
The Vigilance Committee ordered him to strip
himself naked, and forced negro TO assist ID tax
ing of the clothes. \ cowhide was then put into
the negr0's hands, who was ordered to lay on thir
ty-liuc lashes. and TO draw blood with every
stroke. Our informant describes the pain Of this
| ipfctOn as exceeding in severity anything which
| he ever suffered before. His back and lower
| limbs still covered with the scars of the
wounds
bucket OF tar was then brought and two ne
| groes were ordered to rub it upon his bleeding
/ skin, and t, cover him from head to waist. His
/ hair and eyebrows were clotted with tar. After
/ this part OF the ceremony concluded, he was
! covered with feathers. His paataloons we're then
/ drawn up 70 his waist, bat he not allowed to
| put on his shirt coat lie conducted ic
this exposed CONDITION, amid the shouts of the
popuiace, to railroad train, and put on board
/ the negroes car fne engineer blew continuous
blast on ais whls lie to sgnalise the performance
| citizen OF Charleston the train, who saw
the poor fellow unhappy condition, stepped In
to neIghooring hotel, before the starting OF the
cars, and brought 4 cup Of coffee and some res
cuts 70 relieve the sufferers faintnes IL was ID
timely gift, and gratefully received but tne
! Southern chlvalry gathered around the ooatn oy
| gent 'enan, and threatened him with sum mary
vengeance if lie repeated his generosity Inc ex-
asperated crowd detained the train, and called LOT
! m.Te tar and feathers, for furtner lnuicsion
/ upon their bleeding eictim. More tar was
0roasht, bIt more folthe-s c5Cll not be found
and after fresh tar vas applied, cotton vas st1sG
upon i Instead
nen tle train started for Cnsri rieston, the mob
Haie him good bye, and told iiG that when he
tsl'asd tao est ae would receive one hun REQ
a1d thirty lsshes At every station between
COLUMBIA an Caari ,toH. tho engineer blew a
prolonged whistle, and gat cred mob to add
fresh insults to the wounded At length on
arriving, he was met by the police, conveyed to
prison and detained in bis cell for an entire week
Here ne received, for the first time, soap and wa
ter to wash on the tar, and oil to soften the sores
mob several times threatened TO break into the
prison to carry him out into the street, and make
publc spectacle of him the sccon time but he
was kep' closely confined. physician called to
see him to examine his wounds, who told him
tnat his case was mild one, comparing it with 9
man that was lying in the City Hospital from the
effects Of i've hundred lashes, which had almost
put an end to his life