"American Civilization Illustrated" - Mortimer Thomson, (Q.K. Philander Doesticks, P.B.) - New York Tribune

Description

The popular humorist often used the undercover ruse in his work for The New York Tribune. In this instance, he posed as a client to visit a number of New York's purveyors of the "black arts" to expose their scams. The series preceded his pose as a slave buyer to cover the Butler auction in Savannah.

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Media History

The reporting was intended for these media types: Newspaper, Book

Pamphlet Review - "Great Auction-Sale of Slaves at Savannah, Georgia" - Atlantic Monthly

1859-09-01

"What Became of the Slaves on a Georgia Plantation: A Sequel to Mrs. Kembel's Journal?" - Mortimer Thomson - Pamphlet reprint

Great Auction of Slaves at Savannah, Georgia

1863-01-01

". . .Leaving the Race building, where the scenes we have described took place, a crowd of negroes were seen gathered eagerly about a white man. That man was Pierce M. Butler, of the free City of Philadelphia, who was solacing the wounded hearts of the people he had sold from their firesides and their homes, by doling out to them small change at the rate of a dollar a-head. To every negro he had sold, who presented his claim for the paltry pittance, he gave the munificent stipend of one whole dollar, in specie; he being provided with two canvas bags of 25 cent pieces, fresh from the mind, to give an additional glitter to his generosity. . ."