J. Malachai Ford recounts that, in July 1853, "two felons, named Thomas Motley & Wm Blacklege, from Richland District, whilst on a visit to Colleton District, committed many outrages, with their ferocious dogs, upon Slaves, in that portion of the district, comparatively uninhabited by white persons, and amongst others, murdered a Slave at Parker's ferry, after inflicting the most outrageous and inhuman barbarities, hitherto without a parallel in a civilized country." Ford further states that, acting as special constable, he pursued said men "through a very Sickly country, day and night, (from which he contracted fever) & eventually succeeded in arresting them ... & delivered them to the Sheriff of Colleton District, in whose custody they remained until their trial & conviction at Fall Term 1853, and subsequent execution." He avows that he "has never yet received a compensation, not even the petty costs of a constable" for the valuable services he "rendered to the State, for the vindication of her laws, for protection of our Slave property," all "at the risk of Petitioner's life, from the malaria of a sickly country, & from desperate armed felons." Ford therefore prays that he be paid "the small sum of two hundred Dollars, which he now respectfully submits, he is at least entitled to."
Or you may view all people.
Repository: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
