ansgressions impelled me,
some years since to take him to New Orleans and sell him, where he
became the property of a Spaniard, who branded him on each cheek thus,
(B), which is plain to be seen when said negro is newly shaved. I went
to New Orleans again last May, where, having my feelings excited by
the tale Frank told me, I purchased him again."[252] After the master
had gone to all this trouble in the interest of the slave the latter
ran away shortly after his return to Kentucky.

[Transcriber's Note: In the previous paragraph, (B) actually
appears as the letter B, rotated 90 degrees, counter-clockwise.]

It was often necessary to sell slaves in order to settle an estate. It
was seldom possible for a man to will his property in Negroes without
some divisions becoming necessary at the hands of the executor in the
just interest of the heirs. These public auctions usually took place
on court day, at the courthouse door and were conducted by the master
commissioner of the circuit court. The following advertisement reveals
the necessity and the procedure:

SALE OF NEGROES

By virtue of a decree of the Fayette Circuit, the undersigned
will, as Commissioner to carry into effect said decree, sell to
the highest bidder, on the public square in the city of
Lexington, on Monday the 10th of March next, being county court
day, the following slaves, to wit:

Keiser, Carr, Sally, Bob, Susan, Sam, Sarah and Ben; belonging to
the estate of Alexander Culbertson, deceased. The sale to be on a
credit of three months, the purchaser to give bond with approved
security. The sale to take place between the hours of 11 o'clock
in the morning and 3 o'clock in the evening.

February 26, 1834 JOHN CLARK, _Commissioner_[253]

On the same day the sheriff of the county might appear at the
courthouse door in accordance with a previous announcement and auction
off any unclaimed runaway that had been lodged in the county jail or
hired out under his authority for a period of a year or more. The
slaves thus sold were usually fugitives from the lower South who had
been apprehended on their way to Ohio or Indiana. Although the utmost
publicity would have been given to their capture, in accordance with
the law, few of the planters of the far South seem ever to have
claimed their property. The usual legal code in this matter is shown
by the notice below:

NOTICE: A