Nebraska Newspapers

    EPOCH IN MEDICAL HISTORY
Golden AflniTeraary of tha First Use of
Chloroform ai an AaicUhotia
EXPERIMENTS OF SIR JAMES Y , SIMPSON
Ilcrollecttnn * nnil'Anrcilote *
if ii Vulilo Clinrnctcr llemnrltnlitc
Imliislrv lli Otiticnirrtli
tif tlii * I3leo * < T ) %
The ntttoth anniversary of the first use of
chloruform a an anmithetiu took place Utftt
week. On tftn lng of November 4 , 1947.
ilr Jammi V. Slmrwon and his aiwlniants. Dm.
George Keith and Mathewx Duncan , Inhaled
Us fumes , and In Simpson's own graphic
words , w re "all under the mahogany In a
trice , to my wife's great consternation nml
alarm. " "Chloroform , " ald Lawsen Tail ,
"his bwn. to surgery what the motive power
of steam bis bern to the arts , manufactures
nnd coiricerce. 'By ' givingus chlorform Sir
James Simpson freed the shackles which
thereby bounded the progress of surgery so
that since th U time , what was but a rough ,
nlmost savage art. Is now one of our greatest
and most rapidly growing sclenceo , and to
him be the glory of it all. " "Ether , " said
Dr. Lander Brtmton , "Is blunt knife ,
chloroform'Is a hnrp knife. " nnd but for this
sharp knife and Its discoverer's power of
language and overwhelming arguments In Its
favor , the surgeons' lancet would have Iain
muting In Us case , Instead of relieving
thousands yearly from cankering disease.
When clilorofrom waa In Its Infancy my
father longed to nee Its effects on all around.
He had "chloroform parties. " and the guests
tried it In turn. A ntudervt who boasted that
ho could not be rendered unconscious by Us
fumes was promptly dosed before a roomful
of onlookers. To prove to him beyond denial
that ho Uad been under /.he sway of the
drowsy sirup , they proceeded , while he slept
to take off his dapper shoes ; but below the
patent leather were toeless , heelless stockIngs -
Ings , and a shout of laughter went up. "Poor
laddie , maybe he has not got his mother to
< larn for him , " said the professor. The
student fonr.il a loosened tie. a face black
with burnt cork when ho awoke , and was
happily unaware that the needleless state cf
fits outwatJly daaJHfled wardrabe had been
revealed.
Prof. Slmpscn did neb rest on his laurels.
He sought for a still abler anesthetic agent ,
nnd continued hia experiments , with several
narrow escapes of his life. Lyoni Playfalr
saved him once by Insisting that some new
compound he had found be first tried on
rabbits , which proved It a fntal drag. Ho
advocated the use of chloroform In slaughter
ing cattle. He went fishing one day with a
patient's atn. and noting the wriRglic. ? of the
worm felt In his surtout pockets for the
Inevitable panacea he carried there.
HIS EARLY STRUGGLES.
Thesn facts may serve to throw much lighten
on the character of the discoverer of the great
anesthetic. Ho was born In June. 1SU , the
s.n-cnth sen of poor parents. His father , after
failing as a distiller , liad started business
anew as a biker , w th a large family to sup
port and not much capital. Ills mother was
a practical , genial woman ol Huguenot de-
-nt. and from her Jatne * gat his sanguine
impressionable teunieranu-nf and conjuring
manners , which , with the Scottish staunch
ness of purpose , were so characteristic of his
after years. As a boy he wis sunny of tem
per , ever willing to lend his aid to slay or
business , however engrcised in the book
Rhlr-h was never out of his hand. He was
always trustful and guileless and It is told of
him that once when he found a crooked
penny under a stone and was delighting in
this windfall a wily brother raid to him :
"Maybe it's gloudmagrannie's" ( the tradi
tionary witch of Bathgate ) ; "better not touch
it , Jamie. " The small boy promptly replaced
It. but he innocently marveled how young
David had a almlMr bent coin in his possess -
s on that evening.
When only 11 , thanks to the savings of his
father an.l brothers , ho wts enrolled as an
Edinburs s.udent. Here the vehement thlnst
for acquiring divers knowledge , which bad
been noticed In him as a 4-ycor-old school
boy , increased. Genius he had. but he did
not trust to It. The key to bis success was
hi ] determination to master and fin'sh what
ever he undertook. Ho had an Intuitive
knowledge of the human soul and an apt
ness in influencing taoso around , more profit
able in IJe boiling art than any drugs.
Disappointed at not gaining a country
flurgeonsnip , he became assistant to a Dr.
Thomson of Edlnburg , and later , in 1830 , put
up hia own dooiylate in Stokbridge. , on the
north side cj Edinburg. Hero he studied ,
wrote and attended the ircor and his stub
born tenacity of work brought him Into
notice.
HIS FIRST BIG STEP.
The first big step In his upward career was
his election to a oroTwsorstiip. Prof. Hamil
ton resigned In 1S33 and Dr. Simpson pre-
Bkimed to become a caudldate. "Did I not
feet tliu best man for the chair t would not
go in flor it , " he said. The chief oojectiont )
raised were that he was too young and that
ho was unmarried. Ho pleaded that years
would euro the former objection and the
second ho promptly remedied. He wrote o
his cousin. Jesaie Grindlay. then in Liverpool ,
whom ho had long admired , asking her to
help his chances and secure one vote In hia
favor by marrying him at once. "For my
own cart , " bo said. "I do not think I will
get this chair but may bo another some day ;
but I would have in you and your presence
and good cnre more wealth , real wealth , and
much mare happiness , than m the longwt
purvo that might be within my grmt > . "
The contest over the election as a severe
on ? The young doctor ofS bad only thu
reputation ho had xvon in thu four years ho
had been a struggling Edinburgh pracci-
tioner , but the testimonials which be col
lected from men at homo and foreign schools
proved ho b. < l madu his mark and written
himself Into fame. One votu he gained by
ro-uon of bis father's trade. A councilor
who waa one of thn "uommhle company of
Baxters" was solicitor for another candidate.
"Of course none of you will support young
Simpson. Ht > is only a baker's son , " said
the maladroit canvasser. "Dodd , nun , "
answered the rioury city father , "Just be-
causu hu Ig ono I'll back him. and I'd ba
proud to see a son of mine doing us well. "
Whether it was turning bet dlct or being the
BOn of a baker we know not , but be waa
elected by a majority of one ,
Hia ability to lecture , the pithiness and
eloquence of his speech filled his classroom
to overflowing. His hicraislng renown at
tracted wealthy patients to Edinburgh , and
lu 1817 ha % a * made ono of her majesty's
physician * for Scotland.
WHERE THE DISCOVERY WAS MADE.
Thu young professor then moved Into big
ger quarters and settled In 53 Queen street ,
where thn anesthetic properties of chloroform
were discovered. Whan a student , his heart ,
always watni.ii-Hke In softness , had quallad
A\huti In thu natural course of bis profession
hu was a dally wlineha of sufferings w.jleh
moved him with an Intensity beyond mere
pity , and sut him earnestly on the aearch
far the means to conquer pain. Mesmerism
at one time seemed to him to bu a means
to gain this object. It waa In lS4ii that word
oiine across the Atlantic of the early trials
of sulphuric ether , and ha set to work with
a will to urge IU Uic. Hu was the first In
either thu old or now world to dare to ap
ply it in ubwetrlc practice. Not satisfied
w'th the latter. Jie for mouths tried on him
self various drugs , and at lait obtained a
pottle of chloroform , which had been recom
mended to him by Mr. Waldie of Liverpool.
l'i antithetic properties were undreamt of
till tbo phial ooncocted for him wax taken
iy bis own hind from the shelf in Duncan &
y.irkhart' * , bis chDmUts. This boitla the
DrJf s > r at flrst Put aalde as a. heavy un-
voiaUla-Uke liquid , but , otier drugs failing ,
no oustot it out among some papers , trieJ
nt and found 1t effectual.
To nnd an anodyne which changed anguish
Jn'o Jill the blusswlness of gltwp waa Dot only
nbat was wantoj. It required a doughty
ch mptoa to fight iu way. for It was attacked
prejudicial to health , morals
\ great writer lisa said that the true dis
coverer ta not the mm who first sayu a
thine hut lie who sajs it ao often and 10
perauttntlyh t at Uit he purauade * the
trocid It b trua. In th-a teuaa ilnj my rather
, won lfc victory and became the apostla of
inicstapala.
A GREAT INDUSTRY RESULTS.
So rapidly lnce that time has the use of
chloroform increased that the firm whlrh
msdn the first little phial for my father In
1S47 now niakt-i rrccklr three-quarters of
million doics. And other dreams of hia have
alto come ( o pae . "Possibly , " be said la
1SRS , "by Uis concentration of electrical or
olher lights , we may yet render many paris
of the body , if not the whole body sutn-
clently diaphanous for the InnpecUon of the
practiced eye of the physician " When first
the Roetgcn riy photographs of skeleton
hands appeared In the shop windows , a man
of cionce. looking at them. s Id : "How Sir
James would have rejoiced at this , and to
what TJirioiiB uton he would Immediately have
applied It. " And A cabman said to me :
"Bh , the pcety your feyther la no wi' us nee
ta mnk guld gear of these npw-fangled
things. "
Hta < i lck originality ted my father to
penetrate realms not strictly within the lines
of his specialty. He saw the ligatures uned
1 to stop the bleeding arteries after araputa-
tlorn were liable to gather foulness and
cause surgical fever To sweep away the de-
{ caylng pleco of flesh left by the ligature ,
i my father'n idea watt to pin the veins and so
restrain the bemorrhago In a moro effectual
and cleanly manner. This he called acu
pressure , and perfected it about ten years
after the discovery of chloroform. The sur
geons , especially in his own town , were an
noyed nt his trespassing on their domain.
Abroad It was adopted readily. Ho said. "I
shall be quite content if acupressure begins
to bo thought of a quarter of a century
henco. " Nevertheless , it advanced more in
ten yearn thnn did Pare's ligature In two
centuries. But the controversy and abuse
acupressure aroused and the necessity of re
ply gave the professor ample work.
Ht > loved . fair flgbt. Once he took up
the cudgels to smash the suppositions of a
previous speaker. The man rose to reply ;
ha had an impediment In his speech , and the
glow of battle died out of the professor's face.
"I forgot he stuttered , " he said. "This
gives me the advantage , but wo'll fight U
out on piper , " which , thev did.
Sir James Simpson read and wrote while
driving , traveling and waiting for trains , and
when 113 ovcrbiaked frame demanded a days'
res : In bed , he- worked at his books. About
his first paper on acupressure he said : " 1
got it written , at a country house , where I
had to sleep two or three nights , watching
a case of diphtheria. " The stupidity of a
servant kept him waiting half an hour.
When profuse apologies were offered , he
stopped them smilingly , holding up a new
novel. " 1 have gathered all the honey out
of this book. I should never b/ivo had a
chance to read it but for the man's blun
der. "
HIS DOORS OPEN TO RICH AND POOR.
His doors stood open to rich and poor alike.
Whoever was medically interesting arreated
his attention , and wealth and titles bad. to
wait if n poorer sister stood more In need of
ad\Hcc. In the height of his fame he was
abUed to see a poor woman in Stockbridge.
Her ccse Interested him. and ho returned two
or three times a day. Her husband won
dered If his small savings would meet this
great man's fee. He told Sir James his cir
cumstances and asked him for his bill. After
. telling the man his wife would live , the
I doctor handed him an. envelope and left the
house. In it was a line saying : "Your wife's
case was most interesting ; it was worui the
Inclosed ( 20) ) note to me. J. y. S. "
At this time he had the right to use nearly
all tha medical titles In Europe and was D.
C. L. of Oxford And a knight of the Order of
St. Oiaf oC Sweden. Then a turonetcy was
offered him which ho accepted because of
his friends' and brother Sandy's prideful
pleasure therein. In the midst of tha host
of congratulations that followed a bolt came
from out of the blue. For after a few
days' rapid illness his son and assistant.
David , died. His inn lid daughter , his
"darling sweet Jesaie. " could net rally from
the blow , and survived only a few weeks.
Ho met his afflictions as be had met his
honors , with calm humility , but in bis let
ters afterward such ominous words occur as
"could not sleep for sciatica , " "feeling very
weary , " "quitu knocked up after my night
in the tram. " Frequent illness began to
cripple his energies , and some toilsome pro
fessional Journeys In 1S70 proved too much
for his overwrought hcurt. Only a month
before his death he wrote : "God has made
my life successful to a degree far beyond my
desserts , and I have been ever happy In doing
the work which he haa allotted to me. " When
ho entered Edinburgh university , as he had
said forty years later , he was "an almost
friendless student. " but when he waa laid
ta the tomb the town closed its places of
business to follow his remums and gave
him such a funeral as no ouer citizen ever
bad. His wish , like many another "kindly
Scot , " was u > be burled In his own coun
try , so a grave offered in Westminster was
declined , though Mr. Gladstone said of him :
I "His death Is a grievous loss to the nation-
It is truly a national concern. "
I.A1IOK AM > I.\ni > TRY.
The south ias 3,300,000 cotton spindles.
American tools are used in South Africa.
Mexico baa now become a producer of sul
phur.
At a meeting of the city government of
New Bedford , Mass. , on November 1. pro
vision tvua made for the appropriation of
tha sum of $ : S,000 for thu establishment
of a textile school in tbut city.
Large shipments of Florida phosphate * are
being mttde ta German ports.
Harrower's knitting mill at Rockton , N. Y. ,
will soon be operated day and night.
The Wheeling Pottery company ha § at
tached electric Indicators and regulators to
Its kilns , and thu firing is now watched
In the ctllce of the general manager. The
slightest variation in tha degree of belt
and every eh-inRW in the gaa preuure Is
promptly registered on the Indicator , en
abling the manager to maintain an even
temperature from bis office.
Chicago Is attempting to wipe out tbe
provision departments in department stores ,
in accwdanco with a city by-tew which pro-
Tidea Lhtat in DO store where dry goodi
art gold fhull melt or liquor ba dlipacsed.
The Versailles. Coon. , mill property which
Includes the entire village of Versatile * , cot
tages and everything eUe ban n en acquired
by ttio Uuoasville Cotton Mill company. The
mill will 'be started into operation right '
war. |
PRINCE AMONG PIRATfcS
Captaral Off the Coast of Tancien and Sold
as a Slave in Gosr ia-
LIVED FOR YEARS IN THIS COUNTRY
A Starr of Plrncr nnil SlnrcrjIlclntril
lijr d-nrrnl Tliiiyt-r nurinir the
Knnillr Ilcunlun
During the plcjo of VlcVsburg a contraband
cams to my quarters one day and said lie
desired to obtain some Information and advice
us to what course ho should take to get to
Missouri or Kansas. He added : "General , I
cannot tell you how anxious I am to set
there , tor } bellevo my wife and two children
ara In St. Louis or Kansas City. I was
separated from them two years ago this
month , but within a few -weeks I have provi
dentially heart from them , and now , thanks
to tile good Lord , It appears to me that my
prayers will be answered In due time. " The
poor old man completely broke down with
the Intensity oC his emotions. His whole
appearance and manners and hia language
Cor he spoke good English , entirely free from
the broken Idiom of the Ignorant colored
people Impressed mo at once that he was
a persau of far more Intelligence and educa
tion than would1 be expected In one who had
passed his whole llfo In bondage. I became
Interested In him and requested him to give
me a sketch of bis life , as there was a little
leisure that afternoon , the contending forces
on each side being quiet for a , few hours.
Slid he : "I will. General , but toll me first
can you glvo me any hope of getting up
the river to St. Louis ? " I replied that I
would endeavor to procure transportation for
him and thought there would not be much
doubt about it. Then ho broke forth in pro
fuse expreialons of gratitude , and began :
STOLEN DY SLAVE PIRATES.
"My name Is Jacob Rahman , and I am
the son of Abdul Rahman. I was bora
flfty-seven years ago last May , near Dollvar.
Tenn. But before I proceed further with
my narrative I must tell you something of
my father's history. He was a native of
Morocco , from whence he waa stolen away
by a slave ship when he was IS years old.
Ho always claimed he- was a ( Moorish prince
In that country. He hid been thoroughly
educated for one of his years , according to
the education and customs of his country
and was raised In luxury , for his family were
the possessors of great wealth as well as of
rank. He and a companion went down the
harbor of Tanglera one summer afternoon
for a sail , when a squall coming up sud
denly , their boat capized. and the companion
was drowned. Father clung to the keel until
a boat put out from a ship lyin at anchor
close by and rescued him.
"On being taken aboard he was informed
that , as It was so near evening , he would
have to remain on the ship until the next
day , when he would lie sent back to the city.
He suspected nothing wrong and was
satisfied to remain. When he got up the
next morning he was amazed to flml the ship
out In the ocean with no land in view. As
he often expressed It , he was overwhelmed
with despair. "He " begged the officers of ( the
ship to send him back by the first vessel
they should meet , but his entreaties were
of no avail. The officers and crew were hard
hearted , and they only laughed at his plead
ings. He eoon learned that he waa on , a
slave ship , bound for the west coast of
Africa for a cargo of slaves. He then
realized that he was to be sold Into slavery.
He often told me of the terrible agony he
endured in thus being torn away from his
family and country , with nothing to look
forward to but hopeless bondage. Oace , In
his despair , he attempted to Jump overboard ,
but was caught by one of the sailors.
"He was then kept in confinement. The
vessel reached her destination on the
African ccast and after securing her cargo
of slaves , set sail for Savannah , Ga. On
I her arrival at that port the Africans were
sold at auction , he among the number. As
he had the dark skin of the Spanish Moor
i he readily passed for a mulatto , and as he
could not speak a word of English , he could
i not make known who he was or where ho
i was from , and if he had > been able to tell
! his story no attention would have been paid
! to It ,
SOLD INTO SLAVERT.
"He was bid off to a planter by the nme of
Johnson , In the northvsstern portion of
Georgia , near the Tennessee line. Hero he re
mained a few years , working In the cotton
Held , subjected to the hard treatment of
slaves , but never forgetting his kindred and
country or its language. He was in the habit
of talking with himself In his native tongue
when alone , so as to retain it In memory.
Ho remained here a few yt rs. when he was
sold to John Western and moved to Bolivar ,
JTenn. Mr. Western treated him with marked
kindness and permitted the governtws of hia
SCENES IN THE LIFE OF THE MOORISH PRINCE. WHO WAS SOLD FOR A
SLAVE IN THE UNITED STATES.
children to teach him also. He married a.
mulatto girl belonging to his master , who
was maid to Mrs. Western. Here I was born
and was one of seven brothers. As we grew
up our llvea passed pleasantly , for the family
were all together and wt , were happy and
contented. Our master allowed ua tbe same
privilege fur obtaining education that he had
given to father Father -as able to teach
us all the common branches of education and
we were allowed an hour each day , after our
i work was doue , for that purpose. But those
pleasant times -were soon to end. Things
aeemed to darken. Muster Western appeared
I aid and melancholy and nalked about , speak *
Ing to no one. We began to bear tbe white
talks * piking of his having met with heavy
IQJSW and that be- wan In great trouble. It
waa not long till he sickened and -took to LrU
bad. from uhlcb be aever gat up again. Wa
all helped ta lay tbe good master tenderly
d a > . for we realized our bait friend WM
sane. Mother said she knew there was
trouble coming now , for she could tee the
ahaduws on tliu wall. In a few weeks fie
administrator rzme to tha place and reported
that Mr Western bad been ruined financially
by the betrayal of others la whom he bail put
we want to give you
is ! sj tt ! & & ur
* - " W
a satisfied customer is a bigger advertisement than a whole page ad. We like to have
you for an advertisement Come and see us
= Sacs curtains
Tht\y are really Nottingham * but we
call them I'lsli Note because that's thei
design of them. It's a nice new lot of
beauties. They have button-hole edges ,
not like the old-fashioned kind , but the
very latest Ilenalnsanco effects 54
Inches wide and tt1 yards lou-g a dozou
different designs.
Some of them arc $1.75 a pair.
Some of them are ? U.OO a pair.
Some of them are $ ± 2o a pair.
Some of them are ? U.0 a pair.
Some of them arci.OO ; a pair.
Sonve of them are $3.50 a pair.
Some of them ara $3.75 a pair.
Some of them are $4.00 a pair.
Fast colors for furniture covering for
pillows beautiful patterns yard wide
and all Bagdad 25c a yard.
S3
Our window Is full of samples of new
anil artistic hall pieces. There are more
In tin * store , fome In and look , it them.
The closer you get to them the better
you'll like them.
Hanging Hall Gloss , quarter sawed
oak frame $4.50 tuwl up.
Hall Settees , quarter sawed polished
Hall Chairs oak grsen and Flemish
oak at all sorts of reasonable prices.
A complete assortment of Uall Hacks
and Hall Tables.
rygs
You can buy them for less now than
you will be able to again for years. Ex
act reproiliu-Uous of Turkish Rugs that
the present tariff raises so .iteh ill price.
We own them without duty sc do you
if you buy now. Tbei ars the genuiue
Kairio. quadruple quality.
oxrj foot $ i.oo. : :
7ixlO - . feet $10.00.
2HxO ft Hall Kilgs $2.75.
3xtJ feet ftt 52.00.
rygs
Don't believe you ever a\v any Rugs
like them wear like iron look i-ieau and
pretty splendid for dining rooms.
0x12 size $10.00.
ing samples pillows
Yard to yard and a half leu-gths a few Wo still have soiuu of thorn nut ninny
left yet at Sc , 20c and 25c. now.
Our Linoleums arc 45e and they are
lower priced than you can. buy cork and
oil Linoleums anywhere in the world.
You can Vuy English stuff > oui"tinies
fur 15c sometimes for 30c .i.'C'inlitig ro
what kind of a cuus-i-ieuce the dealer has
hut you haven't SOT linoleum after all.
Real mrk and oil Linoleum e MS mnro
than tliar to make , ours are i"c a yard
oarp@ts
We make them over relit them. We
have a special crew of workmen for
that very purpose. You will flud ours a
much more satisfactory way than the
old one of hunting for n man and tak
ing your ebanoes of getting a botch. We
take the entire rcspo'isib'lity off your
h.inds and do the wmk in a first class
manner at a very small ciwt.
Mnile from rnmnnnts of cnr .Ms. Souio
of tinIhioHt ( iiialltli'H lu tin * u ust In
tilt-so Unis. Our fiisMiuers iu liuylnjj
lot * of tliom. lx > cnnsti most anybody can
sin * the suritis to b % > made lu buying
them.
cioih stove rug- ; ;
Yard and a quarter square boat qtuiU
ity BOc.
Zinc Hltulinirvllh corner plates } 12o
porpackage. .
Also a lot of 2-yard square Oil Clotll
UNITS slightly damaged because they
were crushed lu > liiiipltir ; which wj will
close out at a very low price.
Opaque Window Shades with tlxtureJ
complete -"e each.
Once marc lot us say thnt we are car
pet men we're liable to toll you ofteii
about our carpets your frleuds will toll
you about them. too. Nothing bad
about them , though , for every carpet
boutrht here i.s bought on Its merits and
Its merits are not exaggerated.Voi
tell you exactly what you are buying ,
\Ve won't He to yon. It pays to be hon
est. You will trade hert again If you
buy hei-e once. Every dual we make
with you Is with that veil In view.
room fiamiitire
We arc In brtt-r hapi > than ever now )
ou Ued Ito.im l-'urn i tun1 Cor we have
just received n carKniil of npiH'Ial pieces
< ln"j.-i'rs or cnmplt'io sutd lu all the
up-to-date finishes.
A small ont1 olld oak at 75c grad
ing up in price to the tiLes-t parlor or
library table.
We have a new lot of them now ele
gant a trains
Some of them at $1.50
And all prices between that and $18.00 ,
14U-I416-341S
Douglas Street
his confidence , and that hia plantation aart
the slaves must be sold , for the estate waa
insolvent.
The ne\vs i-ame with crushing forcfe From
that time on we were sobbing and mourning
most of the time. The day for the auction
was fixed and the night before our family
were all together in our cabin , which was
really i comfortable house. We were all
crying as if our hearts would break. Fathrr
tried to comfort us by telling us our Father
.n heaven would not forget us , and then we
all knelt down and he prayed , and. O , such
a prayer ; seems as if I can hear him now ,
his voice coming ba k from that far away
time pleading with the good Lord that our
family might dll meet again , if not In this
land , then in the heavenly Kingdom where no
reparation could came.
THE SEPARATION .
"It was some consolation the next day
to see that father and mother were pur
chased by the fame man , Cnarles Mem In.
a planter from Natchez. Hiss. My live
brothers were sold to persona living in the
vicinity of Xutchez. while I was bid. off by
a gentleman named George Woodford of
Bowling Green , Ky. The parting scene the
next day I cant attempt to describe. We
clung to each older till the men tore us
apart , and then , saying a last goodby , I went
my sad and weary way.
"I founi my new piaster was a man of
great wealth , the owner of several tobacco
plantations -and conducting a largo business.
I determined to make myself as useful to
him is I poiBibly could , trusting thereby to
secure kind treatment from liiin. He soon
discovered that I could raid .veil and write
a good hand. He d'ld not put me in ue
fields with the other hands , but kept me
employed about his office and the mansion.
After trying mo thus for some months he-
appeared to be convinced that I was thor
oughly honest -mil faithful and made me hia
trusty attendant. After I hid been with
bim about four years I fell In love with
'i ' mulatto girl on a nelgnborhis plantation
and married her. My master thought so
much of mo that be purchased and brought
her to his own establishment , and gave
us nice quarters to lire in. I had told him
about my father and mother having been sold
to a planter living In Natchez aud my broth
ers sold to different parties in. Ibit vicinity.
One morning hu told me : 'Jake , [ am going
to start for New Orleann In a fuw > days and
snail stop a week at Natchez on my way
down the river. I dhall take you with me
and while crtopplng there you can look
around and sea If you can find out unytMng
about your parent * . '
DEMANDS HI3 EMANCIPATION.
"I was overjoyed at the thought of seeing
them again , and yet I waa afraid I would
not b able to flnd them. For thirteen years
had passed since we were separated ; but
there was hope. On our arrival ut Natchez
I Immediately Inquired for Charles Merwin ,
who bid purchased my parents , and learned
that he lived , un bis plantation , two miles
out from the clly. Thither I went , filled with
hope and dread. I really found Ml. Merwin ,
and made myself known to him. After lis
tening to my statement , to Informed me that
all my family were set free some eight or
nine years bufoie , and were.jcnt to Morocco.
He said my father claimed to be a Moorish
prince , and. with bis permission , wrote to the
emperor of Morocco a letter in Arabic , stat
ing who be WEB. how and when be waa taken
away from biL native country and that be
was now held LS a slave , and where , giving
hia owner's name and address , and asking
him to secure his releu ii and that of hia
family.
"Mr. Merwin took the letter to the Spanish
consul at New Orleans , - < v-ho forwarded it to
its dtstination. In about-Uxa.years Mr. Mer
win received a letter frora"le { ) American con
sul to Morocco , stating tHafthe emperor had
cauaed an investigation ttb''bb made , and it
was found that the statement contained In
Rahman's letter waa true that a prince
named Abdul Rahman disappeared about the
year 1787 , and bis fate was never known
until hia letter was received. He also re
ceived a communication from Henry Clay.
secretary of state , making Inquiry about one
Abdul Rahman , a slave , who claimed to have
been a prince in Tlmbuctoo , stating that the
emperor of Moiocco desired bis emancipation ,
and to have him sent home , and anking if
that could be brought about. Mr. Merwin
wrote back that bo could et Rahman and his
wife free If iho government would secure
transportation for them. After a while it
was so arrangul , and they were sent to Tlm
buctoo. In thu course of two years , through
the interc faaion and aid of the emperor of
Morocco'the rttit of the family living about
Natchez were emancipated and sent to the
sune plare. He laid father told them of an-
o'her ion , Jacob but they could get no in
telligence of hia whereabouta , and be was
left behind. This information was a dreadful
illsappo.ntmect to me. for it biniahed all
hope of ever seeing my kindred again : but
it was a satisfaction to know they ere aH
free , and that my good father waa restored
to his country and to his rights again.
THE ESCAPE OF HIS SON.
"I returned with my master to my Ken
tucky home , and lived there happily with my
family till the war came on. Master Wood-
c
ford joined the confederate army and took
| me along with him. He was in the quarter
master's department , and we were with John.
, ston's army at the battle of Sblloh. After
, serving at different places we joined General
Joe Johnston's army , which Is trying to help
, Pemberton , and is now at Jackson. A few
i days ago I met a gentleman , an old resident
of Bowling Green , who knew me and my
family well. He had just returned from a
furlough , during which ho visited his home
in citizen's dress undiscovered. While there
some of his colored people told him that the
'feds' had carried elf a lot of colored folks ,
amen them my wife and two daughters ( I
had but two children then , having burled
four ) , to St. Louie or Kansas City. From
that moment I determined to make my way
Into the union lines , and to go up the river
| If possible. In escaping through the picket
i lines of the rebels I waa shot at three times ,
and was wounded once. Here is my wounded
nrm not yet dreeaed. I have now told you
I all : and , O. sir if you will help me to get
i to St. Louis I will never cease to pray for
you. "
His appearance and manner and evident
sincerity , convinced me he was honest and
truthful. I sent him to the hospital tojjave
his arm dressed , and the next day secured
1 transportation for him to St. Louis on ono
of thu government transports , and supplying
i him with ten days' rations , bade him goodby.
Ho started on his way rejoicing , and I never
| expected to see him again.
| In 1S63 , after the close of the war , -walking
I along Fourth street In St. Lou Id one day.
, I was accosted by a mulatto man , who man
ifested a great deal of pleasure at meeting
me. Looking at bim for a few moments , I
told him I could not recall him. He then
asked mo if I did not remember Jacob Rah
man ? Then I recognized him. In answer to
my inquiry if he found his wife and children ,
he replied : " 0. yes ; I found them after a
long ssarch. They told me that word caina
back from the army to Bowling Green that
| both ray master and myself had been -killed.
I Not knowing what to do in their great dls-
| tress , but being anxious to get as far away
1 from the nar as they possibly could , they
were advised by the federals to go to Kan
sas , and they were given transportation , with
several othn-s. to St. Louis. On their arrival
| there they fell in with Mr. Wilson , at whose
, placn I found my wife , who was looking for
female help , and took them to his home and
I found places for our two girls In tbe nei ; i-
1 borhood. They were sent for and in a little
i while wo were all together It was a joyous
, family reunion. I was employed by Mr. Wil
son and wo are -vlth him yet. I assist in
cultivating the farm and brins the produce
to market. I came in with a load today aud
it bas given me the opportunity to see you
again and to again thank you for aiding me
in coming to this city. "
After assuring him it gave me great pleas-
i ure ta leara he bad been united to hia family
I again , we said goo.1 by.
MENTIONED BY ADAMS.
In looking over the memoirs of John
Qulury A Jams a few months ago I was quite
surprised and pleased to find the following
! entry in hia diary In May , 1823 :
I "Abdul Rahman is a Moor , otherwise
I called prince of Ibrahim , who has been forty
I years a slave Ic this country. He wrote two
I or three years since to the emperor of Mo-
i rocco , In Arabic , In consequence of which
1 the emperor expressed a wish to our consul
that ho might be emancipated and sent home.
His owner , residing at Natchez , Miss. , offered
' to emancipate him on condition that he
' should bo gent home by the United Sute ,
which we accordingly determined to do. He
, has now come on from Natchez with his wife
sad met Mr. Clay at Baltimore. " ( Mr.
I A llama wig president at that time and Mr.
i Clay secretary of state. ) "He came in while
Mr Southard ( secretary of the navy ) was
with me and we bad some consultation how
and when he should be dlcputched to hto
home , which , be says , U Timbuctoo , Ha
says be has left at Natchez lire sons and
eight grandchildren , one of them only four
days old when he came away all n slavery ,
and wishes they might be BicunetpjttHl and
be sent with him or to him. He says he is
90 years aid and acumen to have been the
Uwtul prince of hia country. "
This is found in volume 6 or volume 7 of
Adams memoirs. JOHN M. THAYER.
Dliflgurecneni for life by burns or acaidi
may be avoided by u lng De Wit : < W.Uh
Hazel Halve , the erett remedy for pile * and
Cor all kinds -J. intes and stia trouUc * .
i SALVATION AND BEET SUGAR
Commander Booth-Tucker Explains His
Oolony Cnre for Poverty.
THZ PROJECTED COMMUNITY IN CALIFORNIA
.V TinAcriLot nnil a Houiittir
Knuli ColoniNt nnil n. funil , to
Drniv On for tinuen -
! snry Capital.
Commander Booth-Tucker , the head of the
Salvation army in America , is preparing : to
j launch a colonization scheme la this country
I similar to that which General Booth has
put into operation In England. He purposes
removing the poverty-stricken residents of
our great cities to iMoccupled tracts of land
in the west , where they can have a chance
to win a living from the eall. He has givcd
j much time and thought to the practical
, aspects of the plan , and early la the spring
I the first American Salvation colony will be
established In California.
Booth-Tucker recently visited the slto of
tbe proposad colony , and settled the final
arrangements In preparation for tbe coming
i of the pioneers.
| "This is not a charity. " said the Salvation
I commander , in explaining the new project.
| "It is Intended as a. practical way to help the
! helpless. It will be conducted on business
i principles , and wo wlll not attempt anything
j that hao not been tested asd found to bu
i practicable. There arc * , at a conservative
estimate , 3,000,000 persons in this counlry
I who are always In actual want or on the
i verge of starvation. This Is only half tbe
proportion that obtains in Europ&in coun
tries , and yet think what an araiy of the
poor It Is ? At the same time there are mil-
1 lions of acres of fertile lad capable of sus
taining these unfortunates in a state that
nculd be one of affluence compared to their
i present condition. Thu work that the Salva
tion army proposes to do is simply that of
an Intermediary , to bring the people to thu
land and to give them a chance to work
out their own social salvjilcn. Of course
not all of thc.10 in olre need are tit for the
work we proposy to offer aj < l not all will
be accepted. Noman will be permitted to
become a colonist until It has been deter
mined to a reasonable certainty that be will
make the most of bis chance when it is of
fered to him. *
"Before I visited the we I expected thst
| most of the colaalits would be drawn from
: the great cities ast of the Mississippi , but
i I flnd that the western cities have developed
! < ? o rapidly that each now lias its own surplus
population ] , and as thece ciuuu will supply
thu working capital for tbe first colonies ,
they naturally demand that their own poor
shall receive first attention. For example ,
the colony which has already been provided
for In southern California will be recrult 3
from San Frtaeibco , nbero haa been ub-
I Bcnfcdd 525,000 to start the undertaking. "
i NOT TO RECLAIM DB5ERTS.
I The spot where the Salratica Army eora-
, matiJer will locate bis Oral colony is In
southern California. ne r the Gulf of
Monterey and within sight of Uiefamous
Hotel Del Monte and Corotuilu baach. TUe
colony will bo within a rillu bat of
PariieMH Springs and is a veritable ( uradUw ,
I so far as climate and surrouuilinse are con
cerned. Thu colon4 td are not to be let at
the hopelei > tat > k of rfvluimmg a dusort , for
1 tbu laud la moot fertile and capable of yield
ing fortv Imabuln of watuv to the acre. Tbe
1 tract comprises 500 acre * , lying between the
Salinas river and tbe Arroyo Sooo , one of iu
tributaries. It is imeranting to note that
these modern soldier * of iht ) crow will occupy
| the site of one of the oldeit Jtumit mlwloim
In California. It was known as the Soleda4
1 mlMlon and tbe old stone noumj occupied by
I thu Jeault fathen la still to be seen , a plc-
' tur Hque ruin ( binding nuar tbe center of the
I tract. An ancient lrriuing dlUh loads from
, tbe Arroyo across the l ad , the work of
I bbase wrly settlers. It will fan cleared out
1 and put ta ueu once more as won as Uiu
1 culony Is in > peratlcn.
My reasons for elt > oUnff tins particular
spot for our flrst attempt are threefold , " ex
plained f jininandur Booth-Tucker as ue
oolnted out the advaatageaja location of Ibe
soot. ' First lu the clioia.e. which 1 believe
to be one of the moat xiiuorioua Uit * wortJ.
t
Second are tne facilities for Irrigation. Tha
land slrpes easily away from the Salinas and
there is the old ditch and the ancient pump-
lug station , which can be relit ted at small
cost. Besides there is a dteim pump close
at hand from which water can always bo
secured. I am a great beilcvcr In irrigation.
It enaoles one to possess at once a maximum
of sunshine and a miximu < n of rain , tha
two requirements for successful cropa , and
there la no doubt In my mind that In tlran
Irrigated regions will possess great ad
vantages over those sections which depeuil
on rainfall. TJe third consideration Is that
we shall have close at hand a cash market
for a crop to which the climate and neil Is
( adapted and which requires extensive cultiva
tion in small tiacta for ltd success. "
TO RAISE SUGAR BEETS.
The crop to which the commander referred
and which is hoped will bring prosperity to
tae colony is the sugar beet. The Salinas
valley already produces many tons of sugar
beetd , > ind it has been selected by Claus
Spreckels as the site far hia elaborate at
tempt to ma ' California
a great sugar-
producrin state. A few miles away , on the
Salinas , the sugar king has a tract of 6,000
acres , and directly adjoining the Soledad
mission ho owns COO acres. At Watsonvlllo ,
four miles away , there is at present a beet
sugar factory , and aj Soledad. only a couple
of miles distant , Claus Spreckels will erect
his new factory , wbleh is Intended to be
the largest in the world. Hu will build a
private railway line through the valley to
make the marketing of tbe crop easier , and
has many other schemes for the improve
ment of the sce'.ion. Claus SprecktlH has
manifested great interest lu the new colony.
He 'ias contributed JI.OOO to thu scheme and
offers the Salvationists land -U a low price
for thu production cf bueta. But the promoters
meters of the scheme prefer not to ue their
fortunes to that of any one crop , though
they expect tlie sugi-r beet to be their staple.
Commander Booth-Tucker hopes thus to
benefit the peoplu who go to the colony and
the agricultural interests of the country by
aiding in the introduction of tula new
crop.
crop.HOW
HOW THE COLONISTS WILL LIVE.
The land which the Salvationists have se
cured is In a rectangular block with tuo
county road skirting it on two sides. When
the flrst twenty-five families go to the placa
next spring they will flnd fifty ten-acre farms
laid out llkq the lots in a city block , frontIng -
Ing on a new rd , which will be put
through tbe middle of the piece. On each
alternate lot a small $101) ) cottage will be
erected ready for occupancy , half t su farms
being left vacant at first. On each lot a
small plot of alfalfa , will be growing ami a
few vegetables will have been planted In
each garden.
The twenty-five families will , all have some
knowledge of agriculture , since according to
Booth-Tucker , SO per cent of tbojo who
applied to b taken into the scheme In .111
Francisco tad come originally from thu
country As only half of them had any
money at all it la safe to surnilae that they
will still be practically disiitutu when they
are put an the land.
"We will not lend to the Individual settlers
tlors , " says Commander Buoth-Tucker , "but
wu shall form them Into a mutual associa
tion ilku tbe Kayphnusen societies in Ger
many , and shall lend to the whole twenty-
live on their Joint ecuiUh ; . They will then
lend to each oti ur on nous of har.d. Tliu
remit will b that they will natch each
other , and each man will have to make Ilia
b st u e of the money lit leLeivea and Ilvu
up to ht agreement or be will not Ions
enjoy thu btneflu of tbe amoclatun.
REGIMENTS OF THE POOR ,
"In time , " said tbe commander , bia eyes
kindling. "I hope to be able W march tha
poor out of our great cities In regiments.
1.000 at a time , and nettle them on thu land ,
wbwj-e tbey can obuiu a decent living by
hard work and bring up their children away
from vtclotu oity surrounding * . This will
be a b i * ( U both to the city and the country.
V'o Jo not yropuso to gunpjrl any aeltlera In
UlfcUttij. aud He shall be careful to sift out
the scamp * and acalawaK * so far as wa tun.
It U the 'poor but bonuitt' we are striving ta
help by thU plan. It U tha greatest project
of poor relief that has been attempts ! , and
its consummation will add 100 pur cent to
the happinnw and prosperity of the country. "
If tbU colony la a BUCCUU. others of similar
nature will b started in Colorado and
neighboring state * .
The Ili-xt Lluinicnt.
"For ipralui. bruise * inJ rbdumatlnin there
Is nothing wi < ul tu I'uauiberlain'i Pa.n
Balm , ' sayi RU-hard Pas-ne Tauathapi , Cu
'I 114vo used ; hd ! jmiment for liio p. , Uva
year * and think no family sb uld keep bousa
without IU Many a , lieu zail pami may ba
saved br baring it at uuad when needed. "