a bit of talk, 1826

[George Thompson]

I don't believe I have posted this before -- I don't find it in the
archives, anyway.  It's a nice passage, and gives the impression that
the reporter was trying to transcribe what he thought was said, and not
recreating the speech according to the going stereotype of how black
people were supposed to talk.

The People vs. John Price, a yellow man. -- John Williams, (very
black,) sworn.  [He accuses Price of stealing his watch.]
        Prisoner.  May I ask the witness a few questions.
        Recorder.  Yes.
        Prisoner, (to witness.)  Did not you and I go together to
gamble, in a house at the corner of Banker-street and little Chesnut-
street?  Now speak the truth for once, and don't be swearing away my
life.
        Witness.  No.  I never gambled with you, and never saw you
until you asked me what o'clock it was.
        Prisoner.  Don't perjure yourself, I beg of you.  You can't
deny that we went up and gambled together. -- You see, gentlemen, it
was just so as I tell you; I beat him the long game and he lost; then
we played three up and three off; says he I can make out; says I you
can't; yes I can says he, and there's no use in playing it.  What'll
you bet says I.  That pin'd him, for he had no more money  So he bet
his watch. -- Well, you see he had the ace, and the jack, and
the "tray," and I had the king, and the queen, and the ten spot; he
throw'd down his ace, and I put on the ten spot; then he play'd the
jack, and I put on the queen, made one trick for me, and I throw'd on
the King and took his tray; and that fetch'd him and I got the watch.
Then he got mad and went off and took me up for stealing.
        Recorder (to the witness).  Is this story true?
        Witness.  Not a word of it.
        Verdict guilty.
        New-York American, August 12, 1826, p. 2, col. 4

GAT

George A. Thompson
Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern
Univ. Pr., 1998, but nothing much lately.