The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-01-06
ENSLAvING A WHITE GIRL.
Enchanted by the Strains of Il Violin. She
Falls.

Enchanted by the Strains of u Violin. She
Revelations seem to be the order of the
day. Memphis enjoys an enviable repu-
tation as the hot.bed of sensations of a
kind peculiarly her own. The latest de.
velopnent has caused considerable local
excitement. The hero is negro of tn t
shade of darkness that he might be felt
as black as black felt hat, in other
| words; and the heroine is of that sclntll-
la,ing pink and white complexion so
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 a white woman, and learning
she had remarkable story to relate, sue
| ceeded in interviewing her, and WAS we'll
repaid for his trouble.
Her name, she said, was Annie Ray,
and her age "a. In person she is tall and
we'll made, fair haired and blue.eyed, and
was originally intended for pretty wo-
man, but hard usage and coarse assocIa-
tions had served to mar the effect. Her
language, accent and manner was that of
the typical Southern darkey, presenting
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 Alea-
thea Ray, and up to her tenth year she
lived with her parents. near Aberdeen,
Mississippi. When about that age there
came through the country q strolling
negro fiddler. He stopped one night at
her fathers residence, sleeping in little
room back of the house, from which
strains of music-which he we'll under
stood how to produce from his instru-
ment-issued during nearly the entire
night. She had never in her few years
of life been outside of her fathers farm,
and this was her first experience in the
realm of melody.
All night she lay awake, enchanted and
in a half ecstatic state, aud as soon as the
first rays of the morning sun peeped
through her window arose, and, dressing
quickly, made her way to the musicians
cabin and begged him to play for her.
He did 80, relating to her meanwhile the
secrets of the mysterious outside world.
How beautiful aud bright everything was
beyond the distant horizon-a world of
song. birds and sweet music.
She listened enrapturcd, and his offers
TO take her with him and 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-raths and sleep
ing in deserted outhouses. They finally
arrived in Memphis, where he established
her in hut on Alabama street, in the
Northern portion of the city. Here he
built strong wall and locked his gate
upon all comers. He established her as
his slave and jealously guarded her from
the prying eyes of the outside world.
Before she reached her twelfth year
she was subjected to his loathsome em-
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, pining and anguish'
ing for the unknown. Her only associ-
ates were a few negroes, and the only
place to which sue was allowed to 60 was
negro place of worship. Unlettered,
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 voice of the steam
whistle, the rumble of the engine and
the sound of the school bell reused in
her no gleam of intelligence.
She knew absolutely nothing. She
was not even sensible to the horror of her
situation. Some idea of it was awakened,
however, by his own guilty conscience
and his fears of her escape, which dicta-
ted the most blood curdling threats of
what he would do if she attempted to
escape, or if she left the house without
his knowledge and consent.
Her escape, however, was made at last.
She concluded to set him at defiance, and
one night when he accidentally left the
gate unlocked, fled from the house. The
first person she met was a negro girl
about her own age, to whom she told her
story and asked protection. The girl, by
name America Mitchell, recognized her
at once as the niece of her former mis-.
tress, and, startled 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 and, clutching her by the throat, VAS
in the act of striking dagger to hel
heart, when the young negro girl clutched
his arm and saved her lie, arousing the
neighbors by her screams before he could
do more.
She has since been living with heI
new-found friend, but always in deadly
fear of her life. A few days since she
applied for and received warrant tol
assault and battery against lack Sey'
nour, her seducer. lie was found al
work in a confectionery, where he ha:
been employed for eleven years, and ar
rested. He is now on trial in the courts
In an interview with him he deniec
every point of her story in toto except he
had lived with her as his mistress. HI
is about 55 years Of age, medium stature
stoop shouldered, woolly head, slopint
forehead, projecting mouth, heavy lips
large yellow teeth and as black as the ac'
of spades.
The trial is creating considerable inter
est in and around the city. Her story
incredible as it sounds, is sustained by ;
deep carnestness Of manner aud by othe
proofs that seem incontestiblc.-C Cfncsn
matt Tmes.,Har.
4 Silent Partner.