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Title
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Charles Roberts - NY-CYP3, NY-MUSIC2
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Identifier
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NY-CYP3, NY-MUSIC2
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Subject
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African Americans--History, African Americans--History--To 1863, Artisans
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Source
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Parker’s New-York Gazette; or, The Weekly Post-Boy, #1008
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Date
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April 29, 1762
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Trade
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Cypherer, Musician (Fiddler)
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Gender
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Male
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Enslaver
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John Holt
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Home Location
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[New York City], New York
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Events
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1. Formerly enslaved in New Haven
2. Self-emancipated from John Holt
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Item Type
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Advertisment
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Notes
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Pretends to be Free #201
Individual also known as German
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Transcription
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Five pounds reward, run away on Monday the 12th instant from me the subscriber, a Mulatto Servant man named Charles, and known by the name of Charles Roberts, or German. He is a likely well set Fellow, 28 or 30 years of age, and about 5 feet 6 inches high, and has had the Small- Pox. He has a Variety of Clothes, some of them very good, and effects to dress very neat and genteel, and generally wears a Wig. He took with him two or three Coats or Suits, a dark brown or Chocolate coloured Cloth coat, pretty much worn, a dun or Dove coloured cloth, or fine Frize, but little worn, and a light blue grey Summer Coat of Grogam, Camblet, or some such stuff, a Straw coloured Waistcoat, edged with a Silver Cord, almost new; and several other Waistcoats, Breeches, and Pair of Stockings; a blue Great Coat, and a Fiddle. His behavior is excessively complaisent, obsequious, and insinuating; he speaks good English smoothly and plausibly, and generally with a cringe and a smile, he is extremely artful, and ready at inventing specious pretences to conceal villanous Actions or Designs. He plays on the Fiddle, can read and write tolerably well, and understands a little of Arithmetic and Accounts. I have reason to believe some evil minded Persons in town have encouraged and been Accomplices in his villanous Designs; it is probable he will contrive the most specious forgeries to give him the appearance of a free man: I have already been informed of a Writing he has shown for that Purpose and by which means he has imposed upon many people; who may all be easily satisfied he has no legal claim to freedom, even from slavery, nor any pretence, but by the very law which he is my servant for 40 years, as the record of the court at New Haven will witness. At that place where the former Owner of the said Slave lived, he was guilty of various Crimes and Felonies, for which he was several times publickly whipped, and only escaped the Gallows by want of Prosecution. When he became my servant I intended to have him shipped to the West Indies and sold him there, and kept him in prison till I should get an Opportunity, but on his earnest request solemn Promises of his Good Behavior, and seeming Penitence I took him into my Family upon trial, where for a Time he behaved well and was very servicable to me. Decieved by his seeming Reformation, I placed some Confidence in him, which he has villanously abused; having embezzled Money sent him to pay for Goods, borrowed money and taken up goods in my Name unknown to me, and also put on his own Account, pretending to be a Freeman. By this villanous proceeding I suppose he has collected a considerable Sum of Money; I am also apprehensive that he has been an Accomplice in some of the late Robberies commited in and near this City. Whoever will take up the said Servant and bring him to me or secure him in some of his Majesty’s Gaols so that I can have him again, if taken up in the City of New York shall have Five Pounds reward and greater, if taken up at a greater Distance. Any persons who take him up are desired to be careful and to bring him before the Magistrate, and have him well searched, leaving all the Money and Goods found upon him except the necessary he has on in the Hands of the Magistrate, and to be very watchful against an Escape, or being deceived by him, for he is one of the most artful of Villains. John Holt.
