New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-05-04
Lizzie Carlton.
One OF the Most Remarkable Com he atiOns |
Of Old slavery Times-A True story of
Thirty Years Ago.

One of the Most Remarkable Complications
OF Old slavery Timcs-A True story of
Thirty Years Ago.
[From the Louisville Courier-JournalJ
About thirty years ago there came to this
city stranger, a young girl in her teens, WHO
gave her name as Lizzie Carlton. Nothing
more was known of her than that she was ac-
companied by young man who was, or pre-
tended to be, deaf and dumb, and who left at
once after aiding her In securing situation IN
the establishment Of Mrs. Williams, a mil
liner and dressmaker. on Fourth street, nearly
opposite the spot where Bankers New York
store now stands.
Lizzie was a handsome brunette, with n
wealth of raven hair which swept the floor,
with bright expressive eyes, and altogether,
genteel and digniiied in her general 'appear-
ance. From her lady like department and
close attention TO the interests of her employer,
she was soon made superintendent of the estab
lishment The social lines were not so strongly
marked and scrupulously guarded then as now,
and hence the beautiful stranger was soon
received into the best company-forming n
number of friends outside of ner business circle
among others Mrs. T., prominent member
of the Baptist Church, at whose home Lizzie
was frequent visitor. She in time, attached
herself to that church, and became a most ex-
emplary member.
During her visits to Mrs. H. she met Philip
Slaughter, himself one of the pillars of the
church, who, after living in single blessedness
for years, enjoying his wealth and family sta
ton all alone, soon conceived tender senti
ment for the young and lovely sister. Old
bachelors are considered public property in SO
far that living public interest is always mani
tested in their matrimonial welfare, and hence it
was not long after the match makers put their
heads together until the twain were made one.
The marriage ceremony was performed at the
Baptist Church, then standing on the south
west corner of Fifth and Green, the Rev. Mr.
Buck officiating. The happy bride and groom,
accompanied by number of their brothers and
sisters, repaired to the residence of Mr.. Slaugh.
ter, about ten miles from the city, on the Bards-
town pike to partake of the usual festivities.
The honeymoon witnessed a mutual growth
OF admiration between the two, and not only
the honeymoon, but several other moons, waxcd
and waned, and dripped with honey g sweetcr
than the honeycomb.'
Alas, that mans avarice and brutality
should break in to mar and destroy a scene Of
happiness like this
About sunset one evening the door bell rang.
Lizzie-now Mrs. Slaughter-left her hus-
bands bedside, The was confined to his room
by q slight illness at this time, arranged her
toilet, and descended to the parlor.
and shook the rafters, aroused Mr. Slaughter
who rushed down stairs. What was his aston
ishment and dismay when he found his bride
fainting on the floor, and a strange gentleman
attended by policeman, bending over her.
% Sir" said the stranger, 81 this woman is my
slave. Her name is Malinda Cass. | am a
Mississippian-her is the bill Of sale. bought
her a few months before she escaped from my
home. / have been on her track for long
time and now she must return with me-
The distress of this unfortunate couple drew
at once a large concourse of their friends, who
were as much at loss what to advise in the
midst of these strange relations as were those
most deeply concerned. The husband, after
the first paroxysm of his grief had subsidized,
vowed eternal fidelity to his wife, bond or free
and, with the assistance of Deacon Elliot, Rev.
Mr.. Buck, and others, it was arranged that, to
quiet matters the stranger should be indem-
nifed for the loss of his slave, and little
party of friends met at the Gait House, where
the Mississippian received 800 for cOmpensa-
ton, and returned home
But Mr.. s. being a rather feeble minded and
easily influenced man, was so beset by his rca-
tives that he abandoned his wife, as they could
not tolerate one in such relation as that, who
had one drop of African blood in her veins.
however concealed beneath a fair exterior. He
turned the poor woman into the street, and she,
broken-hearted, went from place to place in the
capacity of q seamstress. soon after giving
birth to son. She managed to support her
self and child, and TO bear up under all her
misfortunes, until Mr.. 5 married another. She
at once took her bed. was kindly attended by
the Sisters of Charity and few OF the Baptist
sisters in this city, until she died of broken
heart
Mr.. Elliott went South to learn true state
ment of her history but the reports there were
as conflicting as they had in the meantime come
to be here.
Lizzie Carlton persisted to the last that she
vas a pure Caucasian free woman. She re-
lated that her mother, Portuguese, on reach
ng this country, being dark brunette, formed
he acquaintance OF a wealthy planter in New |
Orleans, who became 20 infatuated with her |
hat he took her to his home, and TO conceal |
Ills purposes from his wife, got her consent to |
PASS as his servant-her appearance enabling |
Ter to assume the character of albright mulatto |
Lizzie was the offspring Of this Illicit strategy.
md the planter, dying suddenly, aud without
the true character of his mistress
who herself died soon after Lizzie, while |
quite a child, descended TO the heirs with the
,ther slaves of the estate and the estate be
oming involved, she was sold to a stranger
he same who afterwards visited Louisville in
earch Of his property. She further stated that
he gentleman who brought her here was her
lali brother. the son of her mothers seducer,
md that she fed 10 escape the prosecutions OF
Ter purchaser, who persisted in Soliciting
avors which her ~omaDly virtues could no,
olerate.
A few pitied and more blamed the unfortu
ate woman for imposing herself, as they called
!. on this community But time has mellowed
he harshness of the sentiment which was then
revalent and made unanimous the opinion
nat her story was true in all respects. The
dest inhabitants Of Louisville now declare
aeir belief that she was indeed the daughter of