New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-04-20
MxzIR CARHrON.

One Of the Mose Remarkable Cempllca.
tieps Of Oh slavery Tines-A Trae
story Of Thirty YoarS AGE.
rFrom the Louisville er-Journall
About thirty years ago there came to this.
city stranger, . young girl in her teens,
who gave her name as Lizzie Carlton.
Nothing more was known of her than that
she was accompanied hither by q young
man who was, or pretended to be, deaf and
dumb, and who left at once after aiding
her in securing situation in the establish
dressmaker OnsF0urth street, nearly Oppos-
'ite the spot where Barkcr's New York store
now stands.
Lizzie was handsome brunette, with q
wealth Of raven hair which swept the floor,
with bright expressive eyes, and, altogether,
genteel and dignifed in her general appear
ance. From her lady-like department and
close attention to the interests Of her en-
plOyer, she was soon made superintendent
of the establishment. The social lines were
not 80 strongly marked and scrupulously
guarded then as now. and hence the young
ami beautiful stranger was soon received
into the best cOmpany-forming number
of friends outside Of her business circle,
among others q Mrs. E., q prominent mem
ben Of the Baptist church, at whose house
Lizzie was q frequent visitor. She, in time,
attached herself to that church, and became
q most exemplary member.
During her visits to Mrs. E. she met Philip
Slaughter, himself one Of the pillars of the
church, whs. after living in single,blessed,,
ness for years, enjoying his wealth and
family station all alone, suddenly conceived
o tender sentiment for the young and lovely
sister. Old bachelors are considered public
property in 80 far that lively public inter-
est is always manifested in their matEmO-
NAL welfare, and hence it was not long after
the match-makers put their heads together
until the twain were made one. The mar
riage ceremony was performed at the Bap-
tist church, then standing on the southwest
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 resi-
dence Of Mr.. Slaughter, about ten miles
from the city, ON the Bardstown pike, to
partake of the usual festivities.
The honeymoon witnessed q mutual
growth of admiration between the two, and
not only the honeymoon, but several other
moons, waxed and waned, and dripped with
honey "sweeter than the hopeycOmb."
Alas that mans avarice and brutality
should break in to mar and destroy q scene
Of happiness like this!
About sunset one evening the door bell
rang. Lizzie now Mrs. Slaughter-left her
husbands bedside The was confined to his
room by asslight illness at this ime), ar
ranged her toilet, and descended to the
parlOr.
One piercing scream, that startled the
echoes and shook the rafters, aroused Mr..
was Ills astonishment and dismay when he
found his bride fainting on the hOdf, and
strange gentleman, attended by q police
man. bending over her.
''Sir," said the stranger, tthis woman is
my slave. Her name is Malinda Cass. I
am Mississippian-herei is the bill of sale.
bought her q few months before she es-
capped from my home. have been on her
track for long time, and now she must re-
The distress of this unfortunate couple
drew at once q large .concourse of their
friends, who were as much at loss what to
advise in the midst of these strange rela-
tiOns as were those most deeply concerned.
The husband, after the first parOxysm of
his grief had subsided, vowed eternal
fidelity to his wife. bond or free, and, with
the assistance of Deacon Elliott, Rev. Mr..
Buck and others, it was arranged that to
quiet matters, the stranger should be indem-
nified for the loss of his slave, and q little
party of friends met at the Gait House,
where the Mississippian received 500 for
compensation, and returned home.
But Mr.. Slaughter being rather feeble
minded and easily influenced man, was 50
beset by his relatives 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 con-
cealed beneath fair exterior. He turned
the poor woman into the street, and she
broken-hearted, went from place to place
in the capacity of a seamstress, soon after
giving birth to son. She managed to sup
port herself and child, and to bear up under
all her misfortunes until Mr.. Slaughter
married another. She at once took to her
bed, waA kindly attended by the Sisters Of
Charity and q few Of the Baptists in this
city, until she died Of a broken heart.
Mr.. Elliott went South to learn true
statement 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 was q pure Caucasian-a free woman.
She related that her mother, Portuguese,
on reaching this country, being a dark
brunette, formed the acquaintance Of
wealthy planter in New Orleans, who be-
came so infatuated with her that he took
her to his home, and to conceal his purposes
from his wife, got her consent to pass as
to assume the character of bright mulatto.
Lizzie was the offspring of this illicit
strategy, and the planter, dying suddenly, 4
and without disclosing the true character Of
his mistress (whO herself died soon after),
Lizzie, while quite child, descended to the
heirs with the other slaves of the estate;
and the estate becoming involved. she was
sold to stranger-the same who after
ward visited Louisville in search Of his
property. She further stated that the gen.
tleman who brought her here was her
halt -brOther-the son Of her mothers Sc
she fled to escape the per-
secutions Of her purchaser, who persisted
in soliciting favOrs which her womanly
virtue could not tolerate.
A few pitied and more blamed the unfor-
tunate woman for imposing herself, as they
called it, upon this community. But time
has mellowed the harshness Of the senti-
ment which was then prevalent, and made
unanimous the opinion that her story was
true in all respects. The oldest inhabitants
of Louisville now declare their belief that
she was indeed the daughter of Portu-
guese woman; that she was altogether gifted
with splendid virtues. and was tine innocent
victim Of the strategy Of her parents, and
was, of course, as much entitled to the
rights OF o free woman as any one who
walks Fourth street to-day. Her fathers
and mothers sudden death was the cause
Of all her woes; even her estensible owner
rovpk Of hor fr,,o hicforu Hauv for