Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-10-20

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childdurlng the evening while her
mother attended church. Mr.. Brooks
had property in the West Indies, and
he frequently spoke of going there 10
live, and he asked Mas gieif she would
like to go with him and take care of
his child. The girl said she did not
like to leave her mother, but Mr..
Brooks persisted in asking her. and
frequently, she says, begged her mother
to allow him to take her to the West
Indies. One evening Maggie's mother
went to church, and Maggie went to
Mr.. Brooks house to play with his
child. The family had prepared to
start for a new home on Mr.. Brooks
plantation. The children played to-
gether for several hours, or until Mr..
Brooks was ready to start. Then Mag.
gle started to go home. Near the door
she was seized, her hands were bound.
and she was dragged back into the
room. Quicker than she could think
what would happen to her, she was
enveloped in coarse bag, with Sits
in 1t for breathing places. The top
was tied, and she was thrown into a
corner. That night the family left
the city and started for Hayti, Mr..
Brooks kept hold of the bag, and
when any one asked him what he had
ini it, he said be was carrying favor
lite dog. Not once during the trip to
the sea coast was the bag united, or
Maggles bonds taken off. Without
delay passage in a sailing vessel was
taken, and not until the vessel was
outside Of the port was the bag opened.
From that time the girl was slave.
The girl remembers but little of the
voyage. A few weeks after she was
stolen she found herself one OF more
than a hundred persons working on a
plantation. She was told it was in
Hayti She lived with others in a
cabin on the plantation, and was called
Maggie Brooks. She picked cotton
and tobacco until she was big enough
to do harder work in the fields. There
was whipping post ON the plantation,
and she says that some Of the welts on
her body were made while she was
strung up to it. Once, she says, she
was shot in the shoulder, and once in
the log Her master wanted to kill
he; once, but her mistress prevented
him Save that some days brought
whipping, one day was like another.
and until short time ago she had no
hopes of being free again.
The first time anybody told her to
try to escape was on board the vessel
that brought her to New York. She
says that her mistress has sister liv.
log in this city, and she prepared
short time ago to visit her. Maggie
was then taken into the house as nurse
for the babe, and when her mistress
st1rted she was taken along She was
frequently i'll treated on the voyage,
and a colored man, who wore a white
apron and cap, as she describes him,
told her to escape as soon as she was
ashore. On the day that the vessel
arrived, she says, she asked her mas
ter to allow her to attend church on
Sunday, because she had not been in
side of a church for nine years, aud
she wanted to hear a preacher.
THE idea of yourgoing to church,
he said. There's no God but me,
and no heaven but what | give you
What? I'll beat you half TO death
for your impudence.
The girl raised her hands to ward
of the blow, but was knocked to the
floor Of her mistress stateroom. Her
master had picked up a chair and
struck her with it on the head, bruis-
ing her forehead, cutting her lips and
knocking out eight of her teeth. Then,
she says, he took a cowhide and beat
her numerically, and when he was
tired he gave the whip to one of his
children 10 use on her body. A dress
was thro En over her head so that her
cries could not be heard. But the
captain, she says, heard of the beat
ny, and threatened to have her mas
ter arrested as soon as he landed, and
her master offered to give the captain
money if he would not say anything.
Her story Of her wanderings in New
York begins on Friday last. She says
that the vessel arrived on Friday al
ternoon. just as she was going ashore
her mistress became angry and struck
her in the face. She fell on the pier,
and several men who stood near pick
ed her up and seated her on boS.
She saw her master and mistress jump
into a carriage and drive away. and
aiterward an m. p, u as she describes
New York policeman, told her to go
to the Bethel, on Sullivan street, and
said that she would be sent for when
needed. He directed the way, she
said, and gave her five cents for car
fare. But she lost the way, and late
in the afternoon found hers4lt down
town. She asked a newsdealer il he
knew any good colored folks living
near by, and he directed her to Mrs.
jackson, the wife Of the jlnitor Of the
building at IL Barclay street She
found the place and told her story.
Her lips were bleeding and she could
hardly stand.
II didn't know anything about her,
| Mrs. jackson said, but she was q
poor eolored girl. and | couldn't turn
her away.
Her wounds were dress and then she
was asked to sit at the table and eat
some supper. The girl shook her
head and said No, no, no ca
there. | elt here, sitting down on
tho door. But she was picked up anC
placed at the table. That eyeninl
| Mrs Jackson's two daughters visiteC
the Rev. L. Nee. Stewart in his study
| in the rear OF the African Methodist
Episcopal church in Sullivan street
and related the girls story to him
he promised to help her. On Sunday
| last the girl entered the study. Mrs
Jackson had put her in a seventh
avenue car and told the driver where
to drop her. She told her story again
and said she wanted to go to Nashville
- For God S sake help me to get there,
she said, as the preacher hesltatod.
-" Come hers to night and take that
seat he said. IN help you.
The girl was in the seat at the 2p
pcinted time. and after the regula
services the pastor related her stor!
to the congregation aud appealed for
contribution to aid her. Somebod.