The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-01-06
gNSLAyING A WHITE GIRL.
by the Strains OF ~ Violin. Si.
Falls.


Revelations seem TO be the order Of the
day. Memphis c;.joys an en"iabe repu
tatIOn as the hot bed OF sensations OF q
kind peculiarly her own. Tie latest de-
yelopment has caused II considerable local
excitement. The hero is Il negro Of that
shade Of darkness that he might bc felt
rs black as black felt bat, IN other
words and the heroine IL Of that scinlil.
laling pink and white complexion 30
often the theme Of the poets dream
Yesterday morning the writer, while in
the Criminal Court room, observed a
negro man on trial for assault and bate.
~ upon white woman, and learning
she had remarkable story TO relate, sue
ceedeti IN interviewing her, and WAS Well
repaid for his trouble.
Her name, she said, was Annie Ray,
and her age "a. In person she is tall and
well made, fair haired and blue eyed, and
was originally intended foI pretty wo.
man, but hard usage and coarse associa.
tlons had served 10 mar the ciIcct. Her
lauguage, accent and munucr WAS that of
the typical Southern darkcy, presenting
n contrast with her personal appearance
and fair complexion that WAS startling in
itself She had lived with The negro IA
years, and when asked who her parents
were said her mothers name was Alen-
thea Ray, and up to her tentl, year she
| lived with her parents. near Aberdeen,
Mississippi. When about that age there
came through the country n slroIiing
negro fiddler. lie stopped one night at
her fathers residence, sleeping in u little
room back Of the house, from which
strains Of music-whicli he we'll under
stood how to produce from hi. instru.
ment-issued during nearly the entire
| night. She had never in her few years
of life been outside Of her fathers iurrn,
and this WAS her first experience in the
realm Of melody.
| All night she lay awake, enchanted aud
in half ecstntic state, and ~ soon rs the
+, tlrst rays OF the morning sun pccpcd
through her window arose, and, dressing
quickly, mnde her way to tho musicians
cabin and begged him to play for her
lie did 30, relating to her meanwhile The
secrets OF the mysterious outside world
How beautiful and bright everything was
beyond the distant horiznn-n world of
song. birds aud sw eet music.
She listened enrapturcd, and his offers
to take her with him aud his violin fell
upon willing ear. Before the sun was
fairly above the tree tops they were on
their way. They Travelled steadily for
days and days, taking by paths and sleep.
ing in deserted outhouscs. They finally
arrived in Memphis, where he established
her in n hut on Alabama street, in the
Northern portion Of the city. Here he
built strong wall and locked his gate
| upon all conicrs. He established her ~
his slave and jealousy guarded her from
the prying eyes Of tho outside world.
| Before she reached her twelfth year
she was subjected To his lonthsomc en-. q.
braces. Her life, her health and her
Happiness were all wrecked in one black
moment by the destroyer.
Yet she lived on in utter ignorance of
the outside world, piniug nnd iangu;sl
ing for the unknown. Her only as,oci-
ates were few negroes, and the ONLY
place to which she was allowed to go was
a negro place of worship. Unlcttered,
unknown and uncared for by the busy
throng who hurried past her lonely pris
on, she remained the slave of this foul
tyrant. The shrill voico of the steam
whistle, the rumble Of the engine and
the sound Of the school bell reused i'm
her no glcnm of intelligence.
She knew absolutely nothing. She
was not even sensible to the horror Of her
situation. Some iden of il was awakened
however, by his own guilty conscience
and his fears of her cscnpc, which dicta.
ted the most blood .curlling threats O!
what lie would do if she attempted Ia
escape, or if she left the house withou,
his knowledge and consent
Her espnpa hOwnvcr yoo p,n,lo ,+ l,,,
She concluded 10 set him ut defiance, and
one night when he accidentally left the
gate unlocked, fled from the house. Tho
first person she met was negro gir
ahou. her own age, to whom she told hel
story and asked protection. Tho girl, b,
name America Mitchell, recognized hcl
at once as the niece OF her former mis-
tress, and, startlci: By her story, went
with her to her prison to demand an ex,
PLANTATION. When they reached the gate
it was locked, but her destroyer rushed
out mud, clutching he, ty the throat, wu.
in the net of striking a dagger to hel
heart, when the young negro girl clutched
his arur and saved her lie, arousing the
neighbors by her screams before he could
DO more.
She has sincc been living with hel
new. foiiiiti sr;aits,, h.,: always in deadl,
fear of her life. A few ,,.ys since she
applied for and received q warrant TO,
assault and battery against Zac!: Sey
mour, her seducer. He was found al
work in G confectionery. where no ha.
been employed for eleven years, and ar
rested. He is now on trial in the courts
In an interview with him he dcnict
every point Of her story in toto excep
had lived with her rs his mistress. IL
is about 50 years Of age, medium stature
stoop shouldered, woolly head, alopin,
forehead, projecting mouth, heavy lips
large yellow teeth and as black as the nc,
Of spades.
The trial il creating considerable inter
est in and around the city. Her story
incredible as it sounds, is sustained by ,
deep earnestness of manner and by othe
proofs that seem incontestiblc. - Cincin
ndG 3Tmes..Stdr.