July 14th, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/14/2011
Excellent sixteen (16) page legal manuscript being the affidavits of various Negro slaves involved in a card game that soured and ended in murder. This manuscript is from Lincoln County, Kentucky, and contains the affidavits of eight slaves, and reads in small part: “...The affidavit of Ben (a negro man slave the property of Reuben Payne ) who was introduced as a witness on the trial of Surry (a negro man slave the property of Thomas Montgomery) before the court of Oyer & Terminer. The said Ben after being charged & sworn on the holy evangelist of almighty God, Saith that on Sunday last that he was at Capt. Forbis’ that a Negro man by the name of Lew who is the property of Thomas Wilson & himself got to playing cards, that Lew won eighteen pence from him. He refused paying him stating to Lew that he owed him four & six pence and that if he Lew would pay him another eighteen pence that they would then be even as he cared nothing about the other eighteen pence. That Lew than went to the house & told Surry that he had won eighteen pence from Ben and that Ben refused to pay him, and told Surry he must pay, as Ben had borrowed the money from him to play on his account. That he Ben was owing of Surry half a dollar & gave him back the eighteen pence. That Surry refused to pay him the eighteen pence for Ben as he Lew was owing of Ben, Lew then asked Surry if he thought it was right for Ben not to give him up the eighteen pence. Surry said he did not care what his cousin Ben done, that he might do just as he pleased as he, Surry, had nothing say about their dispute. Lew then said it was a dam’d rascally peace of business and went out at the door. Surry went out after him, and Lew said by God him & his cousin Ben was trying to cheat him. Surry then told Lew it was a damn’d lie. Lew told Surry he did not take the dam’d lie from no man & went back into the porch and cursed as if he wanted to fight. Surry then told Lew if he wanted to fight to follow him & started off & went about one hundred yards from the House, that Lew started after him but was told to come back by his wife & then he turned & went back into the porch & said he did not care anything about it. Surry also came back & told Lew if he did not care anything about it that he would say no more. That in a little time they all started to go to town & went on towards town until they got about half way between Mr. Forbis’ & John Shanks’ where they stopped & some of the company set down & got to singing & after a little time they all started off towards town, that he, Ben & Mr. Heaths Jim walked on faster than the others & got before them about two hundred yards. Thaty they heard the Negroes behind them cursing each other, but thought they were in fun...Moses who belonged to Mr. Heath over took them who was then cursing, that he Ben asked him what was the matter with him. Moses said God damn it don’t say nothing to me 7 keep on until he got out to the end of the land & stripped himself. That Surry & Lew came up to where Jim & himself was that he Ben asked Surry what was the matter with Moses. Surry said he had got in a mighty passion upon the hill, & said he wanted to fight, that he asked Surry who Moses wanted to fight, Surry said he wanted to fight him, that he told Surry he should not fight as he was drunk & that Moses was too big for him. Sury then said Moses might whip him but could not scare him...Moses came up to them at the end of the land & told Surry if he wanted to fight him, to follow him. Surry said I won’t follow no dam’d Negro, that Moses said he would be dam’d to hell if he could not whip the best man on the ground...Surry than said Cousin Ben I would not give back to no damned Negro, that when Surry said so Moses run up & catch hold of Surry, that Jim & Lew jumped n between them...Moses then jerked away from him, Ben & struck at Surry twice that Jim was standing between Surry & Moses all the time... he saw Surry draw back his right arm underhandedly, & Moses directly put his hand on his belly & walked off about five steps & turned round, that he (Ben) then saw the blood running down Moses breeches...Moses stood about two minutes & said he was stabbed. Heath’s Jim then said Surry you haven’t stab’d my brother. Surry said yes he had & by God he would stab anyman that would rush on him in that sort...” Much more. Fine condition. Very unusual.
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