The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-18
HIs BArrnn ron 11ssnrr.
stary Of the Last surviver or the Hesrs .'1n,
surrectien,, Of lao In Hentuehx.

Story o. tire Last Burvivor or the Neurs ..ln.
surroctionr Or 1880 In pkentuchy.
LEXINGTON, KY, July 18.-There is living in
Lexington an old negro, Harry Slaughter. who
Is the last survivor Of the negro "insurrection"
OF 18A0. He was born on March 10. 1918, and
grew TO be . man Of remarkable physique. He
was 0 feet 2 inches tall, weighed ola pounds,
and was considered the best man physically in
Fayette county whom he was In his primo.
In 18A9 he was owned by Miss Sidney Edmis-
ton. who had at that time one Of the most costly
residences In Lexington. Sho had a fondness
for malo servants OF gigantic proportions, and
on account OF his size no was made n dining
room man. Although we'll treated. he longod
for freedom. This lie the story he told ono day
OF his attempt to obtain II. He Is now in his
eightieth year.
Twas In my prime, going on 80 years old"
he said, when a man named Doyle came to me
and told mo that he would pilot mo across the
Ohio River for 800 and guarantee mo safe con-
duct All my family were free, tho girl to whom
l was engaged to be married was ,frceborn, and I
wanted to marry my sweetheart as n FREQ man
ana not as a slave. On q Saturday night in the
first week in August, 1s49. Doyle and forty-ivo
OF US negroes left Lexington by way Of tho
Russell Cave pike. We were armed with pistols
and bowie knives. / carried an old.fashioned
Tho movement was efterward referred to as an
Instruction but It. was misnamed. We did
to capture us. but we pledged ourselves that il
We wore overtaken by white mon and they made
an effort to capture us we would fight as long as
I'VE travelled all night that first night and
remained hidden during the day in the bushcs.
tho cornfelds through which we passed. Sum
day night we continued our travels. and we
ins, near Ruddefi's mil. Here we went Into
hiding again. but about IL o'clock that morning
was in progress, and the boys went over to tho
polling place at Ruddell's mill and told tho
up in the thicket. The men came after us. but
we bluffed them OF with our pistols, firing
to get to the Ohio River II possible, and we fed
through tho broken country into Bracken
in Ave miles Of the Ohio River.
Tho news OF our escape from. Lexington had
9sI ,asH the people n,., Of in that " section dOTnt and 1 = pSsso
was in close pursuit Of us. The men scattered
IN all 4 n SiF9s' Known an as .sSSd. one WHEN 5sm %o sSaS G,sd
the Licking River wo PLUNGED in and swan and
vuSrsan SssS's US. rh Tbo ton quickly Or I dS eSp'n Msi'e s %sd
and tied him, but l was determined they should
not take me. cried out In a loud voice;
than 20 back to slaveryv ,
unknown to me. offered $500 reward for my
safe return to Lexington. Tho mon who had
| buTTOunucu We "GTe "OThlUR U us tow Iu, 1
afterward learned. and that is the reason they
did not try to kill me. The men tried to take me.
and as fast as they would come within striking
distance I would knock them down. thought
them for hye minutes with my fists. l had
thrown my, bowie knife away for fear l might
could not capture me they called to the other
members OF their posse. fifteen in number. who
were on tho mountain. They came down.. They
were led by a great big man with a coarse
take me. One Of tho men told him tina!
they couldn't. The big man got very mad and
declared that he had never seen q negro that he
couldn't take. He made at inc, and when he
came within striking distance l knocked him
him out, but l knocked them uown as fast as
they camo to me. Finally an old gentleman
with gray hair. who was called Major by the
men, began talking to me. He said they didn't
want to hurt me. and II ! would go with him he
allow me to be harmed. l respected his age and
his gray hairs and told him that l would go with
him,
us and I was kept in Jail for seven weeks. wal
charged with being one OF the ringleaders Of the
Instruction but Madison c. Johnson. Maury
Pindell, and Judge Graves came down to Brooks
willie and interceded In my behalf, They proved
that we were not insurrectionists. but were
simply trying to obtain our freedom. Well,
was taken back to Lexington and put into Pull
liam's negro Jail. I was kept there for a month
or more. Miss Sidney had a long talk with me
and consented to let me buy myself. / immedi
ately borrowed the money and married m!
months from that day I had paid every dollar o
amount being S9s7. All the. other boys WHIT
were with me during that struggle for liberty
longer, but I thank God that 1 have lived TO
~forty-six years O free man."