The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-07-27

ing tnelr son InomaS, commonly
known as "Blind Tom" now sixteen
years ofage. The said J. A. B. to pro.
vide him with all necessary subsis.
tence, and to instruct him in music,
and to provide and furnish 10 the said
Charity and Mingo good home and
subsistence, and $500 year, so lohg
as he shall retain possession OF and
control the services Of the said Tom,
Ond to pay him $50 per month, and
two per cent. Of the net proceeds OF his
services"
Indorsed: "Approved, until further
orders, by J. e. Bryant, General Su-
perintendent of Freedmen's Bureau,
Georgia" -.-e ..'
Judge Dickson said the application
was to have this unfortunate, yet
strangely-gifted being, Relieved from
Illegal festraint-unfortunate, because
he can scarcely see; because he is al
most an idiot, and because he has been
born in slavery. Hewas born sixteen
years ago, in Southern Georgia-the
son of slave parents. When eight OF
ten years Of age, he showed remarka-
bic musical talents, and was soontak-
en-, by some ono in the interest of the
master, through the Southern States,
and exhibited TO large audiences, max
ing great deal of money for his mas
ter and those interested in these exhi-
bitions-his parents also. toiling, with
out pay, for this master. He was, how
ever, never brought across the line
separating freedom and slavery and
after the war commenced and became
general throughout the South, he was
not exhibited, but was kept in contin-
ual restraint, sometimes in s#amps
and cabins, while armed men were all
ways at hand to shoot down any body
who should interfere with this exceed
ingly valuable property. Some two
years since, Tabbs Gross, of this city,
who, the Court would see was man of
untainted African blood, conceived the
idea of going into the rebel States,
through the lines, and purchasing,
from the master, this boy and his
parents, and bringing them to the
North and freedom. Tabb Gross was
himself a remarkable man. Born
a slave in Mason county, Kentucky,
he bought his freedom, while ye. a
young man, from his master, and un-
der difficulties, obtained the rudiments
of an education. Some time since he
took a panorama of Uncle Toms Cabin
to London, and made large sum of
money. He was the Barnum Of the
African race.
He conceived the idea of exhibiting
this boy for the joint benefit of the boy
and himself; and got letters from pro-
mincnt citizens, and applied to the
military authorities at Nashville to
pass through the lines, but was refus-
ed, and managed to 60 through with
out authority. He found the master
at Macon, and entered into negotia-
ton with him. The master asked $780,
600 in gold for the one-half profits of
the boys services for five years. This
was beyond his figure, and he return
ed home. But, after the rebellion was
crushed, he again visited Georgia, and
finally entered into q contract with
the master, who was lawyer and a
planter, at the above-named rate
paying $1,000 down, the other pay
ments to run through some time. He
then got permission for all the party
to cross the lines, but from evidence
of disposition to avoid the con-
tract, declined, under advice, to pay
the second installment until the party
should reach Louisville, where he ten
dered Mr., Bethune $4,000, but the lat
ter declined to receive 1t. The boy
was subsequently brought to New Al
bany, Indiana, and there letters OF
guardianship were granted to Tabbs
Gross, and a habeas corpus would have
been granted there, but for the fact
that Mr.. B. took the boy away before
the writ could be granted.
1t was contended by Judge Dickson
that there was no law of the State Of
Georgia authorizing any such contract
of indenture as that referred to, and
that, looking to the interest ofthe boy,
the Court could never give him to q
man who had lived for years on the
unrequited toll of his parents, and who
believed that he and his parents, and
all his kind, were mado to work end
lessly, without pay, for the white man.
1t was contract made by poor, igno-
rant negroes, somewhere drifting be-
tween slavery and freedom, wholly in
competent to make contract with
this domineering, chivalrous master,
who, as they charged, all his life neg
lected the rights Of this boy-and also
violated his duty to his country; al
ways has been, and now is, seces-
sionist. and refuses even now to take
the oath of allcgiance-while his sons
were officers and soldiers in the rebel
army, now paroled. They had no
status that this Court was bound to re.
spect. One condition should accom-
pany the order under which the custo-
dy Of the boy was given to any party
namely, that in the exhibitions here
after to bo given by this strange crea-
ture, q careful account should be kept,
and the larger part Of the receipts be
returned to the Court for the bentit Of
the boy and his parents-and the guar
dian should give bonds.
Judge BARLEY stated the dcfensc.--
The allusion made by the opposite
counsel to political questions were mat
ters entirely foreign to the issue, in
troduced, he thought, rather to preju-