y and I want to get an answer from you and then I shall
know how to act and then I will send to you all particulars
respecting my starting to come to your house. Mr. Still I should
be glad to know whare Abraham Harris is, as I should be as glad
to see him as well as any of my own brothers. His wife and my
wife's mother is sisters. My wife belongs to Elson Burdel's
estate. Abraham's wife belongs to Sam Adams. Mr. Still you must
not think hard of me for writing you these few lines as I cannot
rest until I release my dear family. I have not the least doubt
but I can get through without the least trouble. So no more at
present from your humble servant,

JOHN B. WOODS.

* * * * *

ARRIVAL FROM NEW ORLEANS, 1857.

JAMES CONNER, SHOT IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BODY.

James stated to the Committee that he was about forty-three years of
age, that he was born a slave in Nelson county, Ky., and that he was
first owned by a widow lady by the name of Ruth Head. "She (mistress)
was like a mother to me," said Jim. "I was about sixteen years old when
she died; the estate was settled and I was sold South to a man named
Vincent Turner, a planter, and about the worst man, I expect, that ever
the sun shined on. His slaves he fairly murdered; two hundred lashes
were merely a promise for him. He owned about three hundred slaves. I
lived with Turner until he died. After his death I still lived on the
plantation with his widow, Mrs. Virginia Turner." About twelve years ago
(prior to Jim's escape) she was married to a Mr. Charles Parlange, "a
poor man, though a very smart man, bad-hearted, and very barbarous."

Before her second marriage cotton had always been cultivated, but a few
years later sugar had taken the place of cotton, and had become the
principal thing raised in that part of the country. Under the change
sugar was raised and the slaves were made to experience harder times
than ever; they were allowed to have only from three to three and a half
pounds of pork a week, with a peck of meal; nothing else was allowed.
They commenced work in the morning, just when they could barely see;
they quit work in the evening when they could not see to work longer.

Mistress was a large, portly woman, good-looking, and pretty well liked
by her slaves. The place where the plantation was located was at Point
Copee, on Falls River, about one hundred and fifty