The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1883-12-28
\ CoIored Messenger,s Clrenr

From Correspondence OF the Boston Tray.
eIIer.
Washington is a city of quaint charap.
ters. They are everywhere, even n
the most unexpected places, and, as
tuatter Of course, many of them fnd
their way into official positions. NV AL.
tention has often been brought to tile
colored messenger OF the attorney GEN.
erals office, and the other day I qdes-
toned him about his history. lie has
held the present position for MANY
years, and l doubt if there is q single
member of congresses or 81 United States
Judge IN this section OF the country who
does not know Coleman. ! will give his
history in his own words.
Said he: II was born in Forkhill
county, Va, on the old plantation Of the
Lee family, / don't know exactly how
Old | am, but I think / will be sixt,.
three some time in next March. In
lS4S Mr.. Lee, my master, sent me 10
Richmond TO be sold, as he had to raise
some money, and | was carried agay
from my wife, handcufed, and
pus in a freight car. That night /
lodged In the jail, and the next
morning I was led ont to the block.
Years before / bad been kicked in the
head by a horse, VIII ch let the ugly
looking scar which you see on nv fore
head. That night in jail | rubbed the
scar with my hands until il looked very
sore, and on auction day, when she
traders came around, they asked me If !
ever felt any effects of the wound. ]
told them that II I had q good master
guessed that | could get along wei!
enough, but that | YVES subject TO attacks
Of fits. l was appraised st q high figure.
but the Ats story cut il down consider
ably. The day when ! was led out to
he auction block there were = 500
other slaves sold. j. Erenchman named
Brant bought me at a. private sale for
800. and | was his valet a. the old EG-
change hotel III Richmond, 10Y the Bul-
lard house. for seven years, and at the
end Of that time ] had some $3.50, with
which I bought freedom for myself and
wife. | used 10 make a great deal OF
money at the EXCHANGE, and | remen-
Der that some weeks laid by rs much
as 500 III a single week, bat this of
course did not happen often.
Mr.. Brant, when he found that | was
o married man, told me that he had d
lot of "yaiIor" girls on his plantation,
and that / could easily find another
vito, but lie liked me so well that lo
bought my wife. In 1859 | bought my
wife'e sister. and paid $3.50 for her, as
she wa sickly. She hadn't been with
us long before she died, at IN expense
II $50. / had three sisters somewhere
in Louisiana or Mississippi, aud after
the war was 0vef l sent letters TO the va
rious churches in that section to be read
from the pulpits, with the hope that |
could get some information rs TO wheth-
or they were dead or alive. One Of ms
letters was read in 4 little town in Miss
issippi, when q colored woman yspned
UP agg sgd that she was one Of the Sis.
ters. / brought 1GSr here, and she il
With me now. My remaining two sis
ters died during tie Wag, or oue time
previous. | WIS appointed messenger
by Attorney General Speed, who was III
President Lincoln's cabinet, and ! have
served at this door ever since, including
tho terms of office of Messrs. Speed,
s ansberfy, Erarts , Hoar. AkernaIs
Williams, Pierpont, Taft. Deyens, Nc
Veagh aud the present incumbent, DIR
Brewster"