Black Abolitionists' Activism in Lowell
Document 24a

A Dred Scott Case in Lowell! --Two Servants held in bondage claiming liberty! A smart mulatto girl,   

whose father was her mother’s white owner, sues for her rights!

   A case of extraordinary interest, involving as it does some nice points, some new and some rendered famous in the Dred Scott case, has been pending in this city for several days, but has been kept so still that no daily paper has got hold of it.  

   The case, as stated with apparent truthfulness, and at their own unbiased instance, is briefly this:--

   Jesse Cornwell, a rich planter in Mississippi, had a smart favorite slave named Betsey, who was employed in the confidential labor of housekeeper, and with whom he cohabited. The result of this cohabitation was a daughter, who is now 24 years old, smart, capable, intelligent and good-looking. Her name is Caroline. Cornwell, on his death-bed, six years since, requested his friend, Dr. Lewis Keyes, to take charge of his effects, including a considerable sum of money; and especially charged him, as soon as he could arrange so to do, to take the woman Betsey and his and her child Caroline to a free State, and there see them comfortably located. For this special service Keyes was directed to take $5,000 cash, $4,000 of which was to be equally divided between mother and daughter, and $1,000 to be retained for his own services.  

   Instead of performing faithfully this last dying re-quest, it is alleged, Keyes immediately on the death of Cornwell, took the mother and daughter, and hired them out at $100 a year each, for a period of six years, when he finally brought them with him North, arriving in Lowell in the latter part of May last. They have been here with Keyes’ family, under strict surveillance, since that time. 

   On Saturday last the mother and daughter appeared before Isaac S. Morse, Esq., to whom they made a complaint, and told their story. Mr. Morse in their behalf instituted a suit against Keyes for the recovery of the money given by Cornwell, and also for their six years’ labor. 

   Keyes was arrested by Deputy Sheriff E. L. Shedd, and held to bail in the sum of $6000. It is unnatural to suppose a father, who, according to the testimony of both mother and daughter, never struck or caused to be struck a blow upon either of them, would consign his own child to the ownership of a man who has since, according to the same authority, flogged them both unmercifully, the marks of which the mother still bears.

   We have seen and conversed with both mother and daughter at the house of the private family with whom they are now stopping, and we were impressed with the truthfulness of their story. The mother is a smart, intelligent woman, of about 45 years. The daughter, as before stated, is of prepossessing appearance, intelligent and modest, and among other acquirements, is a good dress-maker.