88


furnished the men passes permitting them to visit their wives once or twice a week. Children born to such unions
~‘~ner~
were the property of the wifetsA the father‘s o~er bad no

daim to them whatsoever4

“Uncle“ Rias used to freqŒently come to C.olu~bus with his master before the war ‚ where he aften saw “Niggers oil one d off“ at the old: slave n~rt which was located at iiat is now 1225 Broadway. Negroes to be offered foa~ sale were driven to

.	Columbus in draye s ~ like cat tie -~ by “Nawthan s~pecku lataha“,

~	And prospective buyers ~uld visit the “block“ acco~penied by

~	doctors, who would feel of, thunip, arid examin.e the “Nigger“ to

~	see if sound. À young or midd1e~aged Negro ~n, specially or

~	even well trained in some trade or out-of4h~ordinary line of

~	work, often sold tor fro~m $2000.00 to $4000.00 in gold.

~	Women and: “runty Nigger zaen~ cornn~Me d a price of from

~	$600.00 up, each. A good “breedin oi~n“, though., says “Uncle“

L~~‘ ~uld sometimes sell for as high as $1200.00.

I ~ s Body had twelve bro there ‚ e ight of whari were “big buck

~	Niggers1~ „ end older than him&e]f. The planters and “patarolers“

accorded these “big Niggers“ unu~a1 privileges ~ to the end

that he estimates tbat they “wuz de daddies av least a hunnert

bsa~d ~ t ohillun in Harris County before de ~ar broke out „
~


Sanie of these children were nscatteredN over a wide area.

Sin, according to Rias Body, who. voices the sentiment of the great ~m4crity of aged Negroes, is that, or everything, Ihich