The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-15
THE LAST NEoRo SLAVE.
IN servttude for ~ Years After the
CHARACTERIZATION.

From the Chattanooga Times.
Bristol. Tenn, Feb. L-It may seem in
credible that a man should live in a
state Of seTitude in this land for more
Than quarter Of a century after the
emancipation OF the negroes by the war:
but Anderson Whitaker, an old negro Of
scott county. Virginia. can verify the
ruth Of the statement that at least one
-sgro did not avail himself Of the procla-
nation Of freedom. but remained in a state
4 ssrvitudsIin the death OF his old master
n 1sss-a period OF more than twenty
eight years after he might have been euI-
ttvating his own vine instead Of that OF
another.
The story has been brought out in a law
suit in the circuit court of Scott county.
and which is now pending by appeal In
The supreme court OF state. The tale
has in it an element Of the pathetic-a
5imple-minded negro's faith and the per-
fdy Of the beneficiary OF his ufe's toll:
10 illustrates the simplicity of the negro,s
character and the abiding confidence in
de ole marster' exhibited by many. OF
them TO this day.
Anderson Whitaker was a slave owned
oy an old man named Nathan Whitaker
in Scott county, Virginia When the close
Of the war manumitted the negroes old
man Whitaker was an invalid. confined to
his bed most Of the time by a severe form
o. inuammatory rheumatism, and Ander-
son was his body servant and nurse The
old man did not want 10 give up his old.
trusted and faithful nurse, and he pro-
posed 70 Anderson that if he would re-
main with him just as he was during the
lest OF MS NE that he (Nathan) would
give nm house and some land and
other property when he died. Anderson
was a simple and trustful young darkey.
reared IN the back woods, knowing moth
ING else out to obey ''de naarster." and
knowing nothing Of the world and its
Ha had a comfortable home. plenty N
ett and wear. and he concluded to forego
Lne sweets Of freedom and remain as he
was until the old masters death, which
might be expected at any time. since the
Old man was quite feeble and had long
oeen afflicted with rheumatism. so he
remained at the old home, working lust
as ne psd done all his life. nursing his
tnVald master, doing the chores about
me house. and when he could leave the
house working on the farm.
IN August. 1888 old man Whitaker died.
ana Anderscn's long period Of servitude
vas ended. He had grown TO be quite an
Oldham, and fully expected TO have enough
from the old mans estate to keep him in
7 had never occurred to him 70 doubt
That the contract in which he so inplic-
sly replied would be violate But Ander-
sonlearned, just as many another has
done, when it was too late to be Of any
benefit to him, that promise and perform
ancs. sometimes lie very far apart
ltideveloped after the old mans death
that-the contract or engagement under
which Anderson had spent the best part
of~hJs. life in the service OF another was
not in writing; and either through for
getfulDess or design Nathan Whitaker did
not carry cut his promise to his former
slave. When the will was opened and
read, Anderson found that ne had been re.
membered. indeed, but not to the extent
that he had expected. for all that the will
gave him was an old horse worth perhaps
go. 30 house, no land. no remunera-
ton for his more than quarter Of cen
tury's toll and care for his oldmaster
and he found that now IN his old age he
must start in life 10 earn his daily bread
~ such work as he could find to do
Tbs old man brooded over the matter
for long time and at length related his
troubles TO Capt j. Harvey Wood, a WELL
known lawyer OF this section. who under
took to recover for the old darby the
wages he had 50 laboriously earned He
entered suit in the circuit court of Scott
county against the heirs Of Nathan Whit
srker to enforce the contract under which
he old darby had spent most Of his life
and the case was on trial at the last term
Of the court On various technical pleas
the case was thrown out of court at the
cost of the complainant II was urged
that verbal contract.could net bind where
real estate was concerned, and that An
derson Whitakers claim was barred by
Zthe statute of limitation anyway. Ander-
son has the cost to pay and thus was poor
sr than ever. His attorney, however was
so well satisfied of the Justice of the old
mans claim that he applied TO the SUI
pFeme court Of the.state for an appeal to
that tribunal and the appeal was granted
The case will be heard at the supreme
court at Wytheville in June next, and
there are strong grounds for the belief
that the decree of the lower court will be
reversed and the old darby will be allow
ed some remuneration for his care of his
Old master
Anderson Whitaker is probably the last
Of his race in the United States to OBJ
tain his freedom; for he was virtually a
slave until August, 1898.
WAS IT ALL A DREAM