Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-07-04

empowering me to draw upon them, if
necessary, to the extent of $4,000. The
sale took place in the public square and
was attended by fully two thousand peo-
pie, drawn there by descriptions of the
girls comeliness and rumors of the effort
that was to be made to save her. The
best people of the town were there, and
a number of strangers from Boston, New
York and Philadelphia were also pres
ent, curious and hOrrOr-stTicken. But
one man appeared to bid against me, a
squat-fgured, broad -shouldered, thick
necked, bullet-headed Frenchman, from
New Orleans, who, was told, made it
his business to attend the sales of young
girls and purchase them for fate worse
than death. Eliza, when placed upon
the block, seemed ready TO drop for fear
and shame. The auctioneer began his
work by pointing out her beauties, con-
Guiding with:
"'What am offered for herr
"'Five hundred cried.
"The New Orleans man raised my bid
800; bid 500; he $500; l 5000; he
81 900; l $1,100; he $1,000. When l
raised his last bid to 81 300 the Louisi-
aHian turned to me with an angry look
and said:
"'How high are you going to bid?'
"'Higher than you, Monsieur | re-
piled.
"He turned away and bid 81, ,325. l
raised the bid to 1880. He, after some
hesitation, made it 81 ,335. l again went
him one better, and made it Sl,400.-
Once more he turned to me and asked:
"'How high are you going!'
"'NOne of your business; but you
haven't money enough to buy this girl.
after my bid of Sl,4O0 both the
Frenchman and bid slower, both being
resolved to have the call when the ham,
mer fell, The aqetiQneer grew impa-
tient and rayed and cursed, crying
"Give, give
Finally he dropped his hammer, and
tearing open Eliza's waist:
Look, gentlemen he cried. "WhO
is going to lose a chance like this?-
Here's a girl fit to belong to king
"'Too badr What a shamer ran
through the crowd at sight of this indig-
nifty.
"In the midst of the excitement the
Frenehman bid Sl,450 and $l,475.-
Then there was another lull. IL seemed
to madden the auctioneer, and exposing
still more of the beautiful slave, he
asked:
"'What's the next bid?'
"Again there was a murmur of dis
gust, which deepened into roar, When
it died away my contestant bid Sl,4S0.
The hammer quivered, Eliza and her
aunt, who was standing by my side,
gave me look of anxiety and anguish
shall never forget.
"'Are you all done? cried the auction
eer. Once, twice, three-$1, ,4S5- So So
85-85-S5-and I'm going to strike this
girl off in one minute. Once, twice,
three-times and sold
aThe hammer fell and the girl was
mine. An instant later she tQttered
back into the arms of her aunt in a deep
swoon.
"'She is yours, young man. said the
auctioneer, and you got her cheap
What are you going to do with her?
"'Free her, sir and my answer awoke
a cheer, which, rising to a Kentucky
shout, rent the air.
"As soon as they could be made ont
handed Eliza the papers which formally
set her free. Four days later / took her
to Cincinnati, where she became a MEM
Der of the family of Gamaliel Bailey.
Under his care she received a finished
education, married well, and to-day is a
charming matrOn of sixty-fve. Only
members of her immediate family know
the history of her early years, so you
will understand why l did not give her
full name"