The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-10-31
LIZZIE CARLTON.
TRUE STORY OF THIRTY YEARS AGO.
From the Louisville Courer-Journa1.

! y
TINS city stranger, young girl in her
Teens, VINO gave her name as Lizzie Carl
ton. Nothing more was known of her
than thai she was accompanied thither by
young man who was, or pretended to be,
deaf and dumb. and who left at once after
aiding her ID securing a situation in the
establishment of Mrs. Williams, mil
liner aad dressmaker, on Fourth street.
nearly opposite the spot where Barker's
New York Store now stands.
Lizzie was handsome brunette, with
wealth of raven hair that swept the
floor. with bright, expressive eyes, and,
altogether, genteel and dignifed in her
general appearance. From her lady-like
department and close attention to the in
terests OF her employer, she was soon made
superintendent of the establishment The
social lines were not so strongly marked
and Scrupulously guarded then as now,
and hence the young and beautiful stran
ger was soon received into the best COM
pany-torming a number of friends OUT
side of her business circle, among others
a Mrs E, prominent member of the
Baptist Church, at whose house Lizzie
was frequent visitor. She, in time, at
all exemplary member.
During her visits to Mrs. f. she met
Phillip Slaughter, himself one of the pill.
lars Of the church, who after living in
single-blessedness for years, enjoying his
wealth and family station all alone, soon
conceived a tender sentiment for the
young and lovely sister. Old bachelors
are considered public property IN so far
that lively public interest is always
manifested 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 GER
emouy was performed at the Baptist
church, then standing on the corner of
Fifth and Green streets, Rev. MIR. Buck
officiating. The happy bride and groom,
accompanied by number of their broth
ers and sisters, repaired to the resi- deuce
of Mr.. Slaughter, about ten miles from
the city, on the Bardstown pike, to par
take of the usual festivities.
The honeymoon witnessed a mutual
growth of admiration between the two,
and not only the honeymoon, but several
other moons waxed and waned, and drip
ped with honey "sweeter than the honey
comb"
Alas that mans avarice and brutality
should break in to mar and destroy u
scene of happiness like this
About sunset one evening the door bell
rang. Lizzie-now Mrs Slaughter-left
her husbands BEDSIDE Che was confined
to his room by a slight illness at the time,)
arranged her toilet,and descended to the
parlor.
One piercing scream, that startled the
echoes and shook the rafters, aroused Mr.
Slaughter who rushed down stairs. What
was his astonishment and dismay when he
found his bride iaintipg on the floor, and
strange gentleman, attended by police
man, bending over her.
Sir" said the stranger, "this woman is
my slave. Her name is Melinda Cass. l
am a Mississippian-here is the bill of
sale. l bought her 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 con
cerned. The husband, after the first par
oxysm 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 Identified Tor the loss Of his slave, and
little party of friends met at the Gait
House, where the Missssi ppian received
800 for compensation, and returned home.
But Mr.. S. being rather feebleminded
and easily Influenced man, was so 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
f concealed beneath fair exterior. He
: turned the poor woman into the street,
and she broken-hearted, went from place
to place, in the capacity of seamstress
soon after giving birth to son. She
managed to support herself and child
and bear up under all her misfortune
until Mr.. S. married another. She a
once took to her bed, was kindly attended
by the Sisters of Charity and a few Of tht
Baptist sisters in this city, until she dice
c of broken heart.
Mr.. Elliott went South to learn true
statement of her history, but the reports
there were as conflicting as they had il
the mea ltime come TO be here.
Lizzie Carlton persisted to the last tina
she was pure CAucasian-a free woman
She related that her mother, Portuguese
on reaching this country, being darl
brunette, formed the acquaintance of
wealthy planter in New Or, cans, who be
4 L.. 4 hot IN fN,
her to his home, and 10 conceal his pur
poses from his wife, got her to consent t.
pass as his servant-her appearance en-
abling her to assume the character of
bright mulatto. Lizzie was the off prin