American Slavery as It Is: Testimony of a Thousand Witnesses
New York, New York, 1839.
Book, 224 pages.
Rev. John H. Curtiss, a native of Deep Creek, Norfolk county, Virginia, now a local preacher of
the Methodist Episcopal Church in Portage co., Ohio, testifies as follows:--
"In 1829 or 30, one of my father's slaves was accused of taking the key to the office and
stealing four or five dollars; he denied it. A constable by the name of Hull was called; he took the
negro, very deliberately tied his hands, and whipped him till the blood ran freely down his legs.
By this time Hull appeared tired, and stopped; he then took a rope, put a sleep noose around his
neck, and told the negro he was going to kill him, at the same time drew the rope and began
whipping: the negro fell; his cheeks looked as though they would burst with strangulation. Hull
whipped and kicked him, till I really thought he was going to kill him; when he ceased, the negro
was in a complete gore of blood from head to foot."
Most of our readers are familiar with the horrible atrocities perpetrated in New Orleans, in
1834, by a certain Madame La Laurie, upon her slaves.... The New Orleans Mercantile
Advertiser says: "Seven poor unfortunate slaves were found--some chained to the floor, others
with chains around their necks, fastened to the ceiling; and one poor man, upwards of sixty years
of age, chained hand and foot, and made fast to the floor, in a kneeling position. His head bore
the appearance of having been beaten until it was broken, and the worms were actually to be seen
making a feast of his brains!! A woman had her back literally cooked (if the expression may be
used) with the lash; the very bones might be seen projecting through the skin."
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