Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-16

hearth, occupation SC He wc> va someumet
ask them 20 open their mouths thu 10 nilgnl
| see their teeth, though without gfviL onencs
sound teeth ppoapt ss s snc ns So Of ans
neaitl ana In cook they were guaranty OF
cleanliness.
Tx LARaKsr STAKEHOLDER
N the District was George Washington
Young esq, who owned sixty nine for which
ne was paid 81, ssi.S5. He was also the owner
OF me oldest slave Jerry Gordon, who claimac
70 oe ninety three years OF age re- was a hauit
VI oio slaves 10 claim TO be older than they
seSnro6 were ,s. perhaps because venerable age
- a,, tbem greater respect and Kindness and
IoI Inls reason II was the practice OF the com
mlssiopers TO test the accuracy OF their state
portsnt nnSl,ss , axen questions about the I'm
fliterate could not be Ignorant. such
as The revolutionary war, the war OF IsiS
and the like. Jerry Gordon seemed 70 have
distinct recollection or general Washing
tons War. and claimed TO be man or mature
years at the time OF the war of si2, aud there
seemed to be no reason TO doubt his statement
about his age. He was or dark yellow or
brown complexion, and must have possessed q
large Infusion OF white blood. His was. there
FORE not a case which could be cited in proof OF
The popular theory that mixture OF the blood
OF the two races results In feebieness, and pre-.
vents longevity.
paid for any slave was s1SS and the loves
slosa, the former blacksmith and the latter
Tor INFANTS. Several Old and infirm slaves were
deemed valueless, and nothing was paid for
them.
SOME PECULIAR CASES
There were several peculiar cases which
awakened not a little interest Mrs Throck-
morton fiied a claim for six slaves. Her hus-
band, who held the title, was living but had
''seceded, or gone south, while she remained
loyal, and her son was gallant Union Officer
The commissioners were constrained 70 reec
Der claim. Butthe husband, In $780, had given
deed OF trust on five OF the slaves TO secure q
oeot OF $40, and this trust Mrs. Throckmorton
had paid or. The commissioners. therefore
allowed her that sum out OF the assessed value
OF The slaves. There were other cases In which
tne husbands went south leaving their wives
pehind, out the latter could be allowed moth
ing.
Mr.. Smith Minors case illustrates the IN
happy and perpleNing condition in which the
border state people were placed. He resided In
Alexandria county, Virginia, when the war
broke out and although known 10 be Union
man be had yielded TO the persistent advice or
his friends, accompanied with limitations that
IL would not be safe TO oppose the will OF the
SOUTH and voted for secession, and sometime
thereafter removed into the District It was
not quite case OF coercion, but he was not
Tree 10 act on the dictates OF his judgment and
liberty to allow him compensation. but recon-
mended his case TO the favorable consideration
| bis claim through that body.
Mr. jacob g. Smoot filed a claim for eight
slaves under circumstances similar 10 those of
Mt Minor, and failed to receive compensation.
Under the supplemental act two or three
cases OF interest arose. Charlotte Brown had
come into the city, perhaps without the per
mission or her owner, Mr.. Marshall OF Mary
lano but he collected her wages from the
family TO which she hired herself, and ia this
way gave his consent TO her presence here
She was therefore granted certificate Of free
dom.
Emeline Wedge, her two children and her
sister, Alice Thomas. slaves OF Alexander McCor-
Gates of freedom. Mr. NJ resided In the District.
and. rev days before the passage OF the act
be removed the slaves into Maryland Just across
the line, and near his house within the District
lt was proven that they were compelled TO come
back and forth for PROVISIONS and with hts
knowledge. Also, that they attended cows
Within the District They were, therefore, lib
Grated. IL was rule OF the commission TO lean
10 the side OF freedom, and TO give the benefit
OF a doubt 10 the slave. The case OF Charlotte
Beckett and her i've children, slaves OF Mira
Mary X. Bibo. the widow OF Judge Bibb, former
~ Secretary OF the Treasury, was similar TO that
Of Mr.. McCormick'S slaves. She removed them
out OF the District few days before the pass
age OF the emancipation act, but had failed to
use her legal remedies for keeping them out;
and they were, therefore. liberated by the COM
missionerS,
There were three claims before the commits
sioneTS ef colored applicants for compensation.
Betty Robertson, colored, claimed her husband
Jonn ROBERTSON as her slave, ana was allowed
SIX hundred dollars for him. Jacob Ross COL
ored, claimed keSsah Ross and Francis Ann
Ross The claim for the former was with
drawn, and for the latter he was paid four hun
dred and thirty-eight dollars George White
colored, claimed pay Tor Louisa White and
Thomas White, and was allowed six hundred
and thirteen dollars and twenty cents. These
were cases In which, the wife In the first being
free, had bought her husband. Their children
would OF course follow the condition OF the
mother. In the other two the husband had
bought the wife and children. The commits
sioners state that they paid these claims with
special pleasure
one slave OF Gen. Robert L. Lee was liberated
under the supplemental act. and one OF ek-
s; mater Jesse ID Bright. OF Indiana.
The erect OF compensated emancipation was
acknowledged TO be great help 10 business.
especially as slaves had ceased to have any
saleable value; but emancipation at any time,
any where. and whether compensated or not
cannot fail 10 bring prosperity.