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Show SOLD IN MARRIAGE, SOLD INTO SLAVERY AND DYING A PAUPER. The following remarkable story is told by the Chicago Tribune of a negress who, under the name of "Nellie Jones," recently died in a station house in that city. Years ago, perhaps in the early part of 1850, James Mink, a colored man, educated above the average, started a line of stage coaches in Canada, and also opened a livery stable at Toronto. Fortune smiled on his efforts, and before long he could count his gold by the hundred of thousands. He lived in a beautiful suburb called Richmond Hill, and with a wife and daughter, then about 15 years of age, was as happy as a monarch. His daughter Minnie, a prepossessing girl, was given the best education the land could afford, and at the age of 20 there were few so accomplished as she. Highly-educated colored men being few in Canada, the father conceived the notion of marrying her to a white man; and knowing that no Caucasian, under ordinary circumstances, would be willing to take a negress for a wife, the old gentleman offered as an inducement the sum of $20,000to be paid to any respectable white man who would accept the hand of his daughter. Among those who heard of the offer was one James Andrews, and Englishman, who at that time, 1857, was driving a cab at Kingston, and being possessed of a fair education and genteel appearance, presented himself before the father, and asked the hand of his daughter. He was accepted, was married the following year, and received the full amount offered by Mr. Mink. He suggested a wedding trip to his wife's home in Virginia, and, well prepared for a long tour they set out together. All went well until Norfolk was reached, and here the unfeeling husband deliberately sold his wife to a planter for $1,500, and, putting that and his original present together, sailed away to the old country. After many months the old father in Toronto was made aware of the fact that his daughter had been sold as a slave in Norfolk, and proceedings were commenced to recover her. Sir Henry Bulwer, at that time British Consul at Norfolk, was successful after infinite trouble in securing her release, returning the planter his $1,500. She reached home broken-hearted, weary, and suffering in mind and body, and for many weeks was confined to the house. As soon as she was able to move, she left home and visited Elmira, N.Y., where she remained for some time, seeming to have lost all love for home and its [unreadable line] Grand Trunk railroad pushing its way through the dominion broke up the stage line, and one misfortune after another gradually reduced the old man until there remained but a few thousand dollars. Minnie became wayward, it is claimed, and, being unusually beautiful for a colored woman, was able to get along very easily. She floated about from one city to another under the alias of Nellie Jones, finally bringing up on the West Side, taking a small cottage, and paying for it by laundry work. It was here that she died. The daughter of wealth, the slave, the pauper. Once she came to the notice of the police. It was when she was induced to "squeal" on some parties who had robbed a German of $500, and she revealed the hiding place of $200 of the stolen Sum. That, so far as known, constituted her criminal career. She was good looking, even in her old age, was very light colored, with regular features and pearly teeth. She was pleasant in demeanor, and in her conversation showed her superior education. |