"DICK BEESLY",MURRAY YOUNG AND CHARLES ANDREW BOLDEN.
Physically, Dick was hardly up to the ordinary stature of slaves, but
mentally he had the advantage of the masses; he was too sharp to be kept
in Slavery. His hue was perfect, no sign of white about him, if that
were any advantage.
From Dick's story, it appeared that he had seen hard times in North
Carolina, under a man he designated by the name of Richard Smallwood. He
was a farmer, living near Wheldon. One of the faults that he found with
Smallwood was, that he was a "tough, drinking man"--he also charged him
with holding "two hundred and sixty slaves in bonds," the most of whom
he came in possession of through his wife. "She," Dick thought "was
pretty fair." He said that no slave had any reason to look for any other
than hard times under his master, according to what he had seen and
known since he had been in the "institution," and he fancied that his
chances for observation had been equally as good as the great majority
of slaves. Young as he was, Dick had been sold three times already, and
didn't know how much oftener he might have to submit to the same fate if
he remained; so, in order to avoid further trouble, he applied his
entire skill to the grand idea of making his way to Canada.
Manfully did he wrestle with difficulty after difficulty, until he
finally happily triumphed and reached Philadelphia in a good
condition--that is, he was not sick, but he was without
money--home--education or friends, except as he found them among
strangers. He was hopeful, nevertheless.
Murray Young was also of the unmixed-blood class, and only twenty-one
years of age. The spirit of liberty in him was pretty largely developed.
He entertained naught against Dr. Lober, of Newcastle, but rather
against the Doctor's wife. He said that he could get along pretty well
with the Doctor, but, he could not get along with Mrs. Lober. But the
very idea of Slavery was enough for him. He did not mean to work for any
body for nothing.
Andrew Bolden was still younger than Charles Murray, being only eighteen
years of age, but he was very well grown, and on the auction-block he
would, doubtless, have brought a large price. He fled from Newark. His
story contained nothing of marked importance.