The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-06-18
SOLD INTO
Bartered His Master for 81 o and Es-
capped With the Money


One of the most successful negro
Spectators on the Peninsula in the
forties was a nan named James Hub
bard, who lived upon his own estate
near Yorktown, writes John Stewart
Bonner in McClure's Monthly. He was
accounted one of the wealthiest men
IN those parts. He was a man Of pow
erful physique and coarse manners.
His hair and eyes We're intensely black,
and his complexion so swarthy that he
would have suffered by comparison
with many of the human chattels he
dealt in.
About the veal 1916 James Murder. a
young man, last in the male line OF one
of the old ~colonial families, died sud
denly, leaving his large estate SO in
Volved that it was necessary to sell
everything to satisfy his creditors.
Among his slaves was a body-servant
called Mack" who was nearly the
same age as his diseased master. The
two had been reared together from in
fancy. The slave had enjoyed the same
advantages as the master, and through
association With the best society of
many countries had acquired an ease
of manner and f1uency of speech which,
combined with his handsome person,
would have made him an ornament to
any circle. There was little negro
blood in his veins. and he would have
passed as a white man anywhere. He
was held in high esteem by all of Muir
der's friends.
1t was therefore determined that in
the sale of Murders slaves MackS should
be saved from the hands of the specu-
latQrs. and a number Of gentlemen at
tended at the court house in Williams
burg prepared to pay a large price for
the young negro. James Hubbard was
also there, n he sWOre an oath that
he would have that negro" if it cost
him his fortune. For Hubbard had a
tw0fold grUdge to crafty. Many a
time before, the Williamsburg men
had prevented him from securing a
"~bargain:" and he was very bitter
against them also because of the social
Ostracism which his business had
brought upon his family. The result
wa that Mack was knocked down to
Hubbard for a price seldom paid for a
slave in Virginia. A few days later
Hubbard started south with a band of
tohIIS q Will IT'LL dS d
bOdy-SerVant.
On their arrival at New Orleans Hub
bard soon disposed of his negroes to
good advantage, but, either because he
could not find a buyer at the high fig
ure he had paid or because he had ia
ken a fancy to him, he retained Mack
in his personal service. Mack had
some money of his own. and. as a
matter of pride as we'll of business,
II,,I1o~l I~o-~aJ I;~o ILL., n crn~+1n~~o~
and also above him much liberty.
Keeping carefully out of his masters
way,Mack f~requented the various fash
ionable saloons and gaming houses,
where he easily passed as a Virginia
planter, and contrived to form a On
siderable acquaintance among the fast
set of the day. He was walking the
street one evening with one Of these
aoquaintances, when his master passed
by on the opposite side. "See that boy
over there?" said he, carelessiy, indi-
eating Hubbard. Il brought him down
here with me, but he's got so indie
pendent that I've got to sell him"
"What will o a k for him."
why he ought to bring me fifteen
hundred quick, but III take a thousand
if it can be arranged quietly"
In less han twenty-fOur hours they
had come to terms, and Hubbard was
sold by his own slave. The papers
were regularly made out and trans
ferred, and h money paid over, Mack
only STIMULATING that the buyer should
take his property quietly.
When Hubbard was seized, OF course
there was trouble. He fought like a
wildcat, but was finally overpowered
and taken from the fashionable hotel
where he was staying, amid h jeers
of his quondam friends. He appealed
to the law: but not until three we'll
known citizens of Williamsburg, prop
erly fortified with papers OF Identified
ton fri the authorities. made the
long tri~ to New Orleans was he re-
leased. The trial cos him thousands
of doll. and consumed a great deal
of time. Meanwhile Mack. we'll sup
piled with money by the sale. a got
beyond pursuit Large rewards were
offered for his apprehension. and the
best detectives We're employed. but
without avail. He was never traced
beyond the wharf where he took pass
age for the north. He is supposed,
however. to have gon to France where
he had lived during his former mas