Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-09-01

issue OF the JOURNAL in relation to tt
outraged which an unprotected whit
boy named ]. W. Ellis has been subjec
ed to the control and management of
negro man for the past nine years, wi
most probably be the cause of brinf
ing all the facts to light connecte
with this burning shame.
Yesterday morning the youth cam
to this Office and stated that he was j
search of employment He had pre-
viousiy come to the office on Saturtla
| night and made the same statement
Not knowing that he was the identities
John Ellis whose history we had hear
and whom We had for some days..bee
anxious to see. we told him to ca
again on Monday morning, when tn
gentleman who has control of the bus
mess department of the Office woul
be in and would give him an answe
as to employment. He accordingly
came the second time as stated.
During the conversation which W,
had with him, and while answering on
Questions, his manner created the i'm
preston that he aUas afraid to state al
the facts connected with his history
In reply TO the question had b,
seen the article in the JOURNAL of tn,
day before concerning his relations t.
Joseph @. Hill, he replied that Hill
had read the article to him on Sunda,
night. He said that Hill, after read
ing the article to him, asked him il
any of it was true, and that he haG
told Hill that none of it was true. He
then said to us that the statements il
the JOURNAL we're untrue that Hill
had never whipped him that he,
Ellis, had never done mental service
for Hill and that he had never nursed
Hills children.
He stated that his mother died on a
Saturday, and that on the Monday
following Hill took him down to
Major Mann's office. who was then
Judge of Probate. and that Major
Mann placed him under Hills control.
He was then asked to explain what
he meant by being placed under Hills
control, to which he replied that he
meant that Hill had charge of him
that Major Mann told Hill he must do
a good part by him. He afterwards
denied that Hill had ever exercised
any control over him.
When led to speak of the question
of race and color, he said that he
thought there was no difference De-
tween a white man and Degro, except
that the negro had black skin; that
Hills being black made no difference
to him; that he had as soon live with
Hill as with a white man. In the
course of the conversation he retracted
all this.
He further stated that he did
not desire to leave Hill, that
the only thing in connection with
the matter that now troubled
him was the fact that Hill had told
him on Sunday night that he wanted
TO give up the house, and that he,
Ellis, did not know what to do with it.
He afterwards took this back, and
said that he intended to send for his
cousin to come and take charge of his
louse, and that be did not want to
'tay any longer with Hill. The only
ime he showed any feeling was when
etracting the views he had expressed
Is to the equality of white and black
neil. He further stated that Maj.
Mann was his guardian up to the time
hat Mai. Mann went out of Office, and
hal during that time Hill paid rent to
Maj. Mann, and Maj. Maun gave him
some money. He further said
hat since Maj. Mann left, Hill had paid
.ent to no one. He s1id that Hill
bought all his clothes for him, and
gave him money when he wanted it.
The youth was told that if he wanted
20 make any corrections as to the state
nents contained in the JOURNAL that
ne should have the privilege of doing
10. He replied that he did not want
20 have anything to say about it, that
Hill said he was going to reply to the
article through the calumns of the Star.
Late last evening he brought to this
office the following card with the re-
quest that it be published this morn
ing. The handwriting in the body of
the card is different from that of the
signatures:
This is to certify that the article
which appeared in the Sundays JOUR
NAL. of An gust 9th, 1876. is utterly
untrue, which refers to j. O. Hill, who
has ever been my best friend for the
past nine years. am now nearly
twenty one years old will be in Mo-
vember next. He has always been
kind to me- He never whipped me in
his life, nor allowed the same to be
done, nor asked me to do Homework
of any kind. What done was of my
own free will. The schools he sent
me to was Mrs. Bradley's and The
Oxford Orphan Asylum, which I at
J
and aunts in the comfy of Brunswick
whom I visit often, and if Hill had
treated me as is reported, I would
have reported him tC them. He has
paid the expenses of my house and lot,
also of mother and myself. When l
am ready will manage my own affairs.
I do this in justice to Hill and his
wife. I love them both.
Very respectfully,
JOHN W. ELLIS.
As will be seen above. the boys own
statement leaves no doubt as to the
relation that existed between him and
his negro master Hill. His concluding
declaration, if it was his own honest
sentiments, would be sufficient to show
to what degradation his servitude had
L.o,~bt h;,o ,Vba foot 10 uuHapiablA