The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-08-08
Dlnd Tom.

! Bethune, his former master, was Civ
ing concerts in New Albany, Indiana,
Tabbs Gross, negro lnan-who, by
the-by, came South about two years
ago for the purpose of purchasing
Tom2appied for papers Of guardian
ship oyer the body, upon the ground
that he was being Illegally held by
Gen. Bethune. A writ of Aabeas
corpus was granted, but before its exc
cutlon the engagement was out and
Bethuneeproceededt to Cincinnati, and,
upon arriving there, learned, for the
first time, OF this procedure. The
case was brought up before the Pro-
bate Judge i'll Cincinnati for settle
ment on the 10Th.
The petitioner in his affidavit set
forth that he was the legally appoint
ell guardian of ''Blind Tom who
was unlawfully restrained Of his free
dom and liberty by James n Bethune
Gen. Bethune filed an answer to
this IN which he stated that 'Blind
Tom was sixteen years of age, and
that hls father and mother were for
merry his property, and are now resi-
dents OF Nuscogee County, Georgia,
and, further, that Tom and his pa
rents were free, and had been for the
past three months, not only by virtue
OF the Presidents proclamation, but
OF his own free consent
The respondent, Gen. Bethune,
stated further, that the parents of
Tom had, of their own free will and
accord, entered into the following
contract with him:
MuscoGEE COUNTY, GA.-Indent,7.e
fmade the 3Oth day of May, 1865, be-
tween Mingo Bethune and Charity,
his wife, on the one part, and James
n. Bethune, OF the other part, bind.
ing their son Thomas, commonlvI
known as ''Bhnd Tom," now sixteen
years OF age. The said j. n B. to
provide him Wit all necessary sub
! slstence, and to instruct him in music,
and to provide and furnish to the said
Charity and NIingo IL good home and
subsistence, and $500 Il year, so long
as he shall retain possession of and
control the services of the said Tom,
and to pay to him $50 per month, and
two per cent. of the net proceeds of
his services.
Endorsed, tsApproved, until further
orders, by J. E. Bryant, General Su-
perintendent .of Frccdmen's Bureau,
Georgia. y
Judge Dickson, one of the petition
er's attorneys, who is evidently rank
Abolitionist, with much f,naticism,
said the object Of the application Was
to relieve this unfortunate, vet gifted
creature, from illegal restraint The
following synopsis of his remarks in
regard to '.Blind Tom" and Gross is
from the Cincinnati C1nme1'cia:
''He Blind Tom) was born sixteen
years ago, i'll Southern Georgia-thc
son of slave parents. When eight or
ten years Of age, he showed remarlla-
bic musical talents, and was soon
taken, by some one in the interest of
the master, through the Southern
States, and exhibited to large audi
ences, making Il great deal of money
for his master and those interested in
these. eXhibitions-his parents also
toiling, without pay, for this master.
He was, however, never brought across
the line separating freedom and slave
ry; and after the var commenced and
became general throughout the South,
he was not exhibited, but was kept in
continual restraint, sometimes in
swamps and cabins, while armed men
We're always at hand t6F shoot down
anybody who should interfere with
this exceedingly valuable property
Some two years since, Tabbs Gross,
of this city, who, the Court would
see, was Il man Of untaintcd African
blood, conceived the idea of going
into the rebel States, through the
lines, and purchasing, from the mas
ter, fhis boy and his parents, and
bringing them t. the North and free
dom. Tabbs Gross was himself re-
markablc man. Born IL slave in Mason
County, Kentucky, he bought his
freedom, while yet Il young man, from
his master, and, under difficulties,
| Ohtainpl tln 1.11dinanntc of ..n o4l,1.n