Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-22
A RELIC OF SLAVERY.

A spectator in Division No. > of the Cir.
cult Court, yesterday, witnessing the pro-
ceedings there. might have fancied that.
instead of being in a Missouri Court in
1883, he was in one in 1855. The case or
trial was the ejectment suit of George \
Bradley against Sarah Bradley, alias
Hutchinson, and the plaintiff and defend
ant were colored persons. One side of the
Courtroom was crowded with colored
people, and the principle point in the case
was the matter of marriage in this country
between colored people in slavery days.
George S. Bradley the plaintiff, is young
colored man, who seeks to obtain posses
sion of the defendants house and lot on
Charlotte, between Tenth and Eleventh
streets. He claims to be the son of George
Bradley, the colored man who was the de-
fendants husband, and who died a short
time ago. When "Uncle George" as he
was called, died. he was the owner of the
premises in litigation, and after his death
the defendant, his widow, continued to
occupy them. George S. Bradley came here
from Texas after the old mans death, and
set up q claim to the premises, disputing the
validity of the marriage of "Uncle George"
and the defendant. On the other hand, it
is claimed that the plaintiff is not legally
the heir, as his descent is involved in
doubt by the defendants counsel. Mr..
Charles W. Bradley, of this city, son OF
the late Islam Bradley, who owned
Uncle " George Bradley, was placed on
the stand, and testified in regard to the
ownership and also the other matters con-
nected with the case. Thomas J. Ford,
who IN days passed owned Sarah Bradley,
also testified. Their testimony, and also
that of Mrs. Keiser, and old resident,
formerly Mrs. James Hutchinson, was in
regard to the domestic relations of the col
ored people, and it was this testimony in
particular that sounded like evidence that
might have been given before the days of
the great civil strife. The defendant was
for years faithful servant employed in
the family of Mrs. Keiser, and that lady
testified to the excellent character of the
defendant, and also the general under
standing that Z" Uncle George was the de-
fendant's husband.
The farms of the Ford and the Bradley
family, where the colored people lived, are
near the Big Blue, not great distance
from the Independence avenue bridge.
A county officer present in Court said
that Uncle George and the defendant
were married by an old colOred man named
" Uncle" Frank Haynes, and that this old
man was a self-ordained preacher. The old
man used to preach to the colored people
but he is long since dead. The officer also
stated that +" Uncle George" he believed,
was married to a oolored woman belonging
to Judge Davenport, who had large man
sion and an extensive estate near West.
port.
Willis Bradley, who claimed that Gun
Gle George" was his father, was not IN
Court yesterday. Willis mother was q
large yellow woman named Betty Bradley,
or Betty Radcliffe, and she has been dead
about three years, Willis and his mother
were owned by John Campbell, and were
voluntarily liberated by him soon after
the commencement of the war. Mrs.
Keiser is lady well known here, and she
was the wife of James Hutchinson, vino
died several years ago. Kansas City
Times.