A WHITE SLAVE IN VICTORIA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1740, 14 January 1888, Page 3

A WHITE SLAVE IN VICTORIA.

An extraordinary cajse has transpired at Caßtlcn.a'ne. Certain rumors have recen ly b.en a_loaG,is to a Dane beins. kept m slavery for Sfryeara, and seven.] compatriots de'ermiuecV to investigate the matter. Wih a great deal of trouble they Buccaedei m thiOAing some light on tho affair, bnt for a Jong time their efforts were checkmated It was discovered that the unfuriunato m question 20 years asjo had been wrongfully accu ed of stealing cattie, and had been acquitted, the informer receiving two years' imprisonment for the crime. Through thia moans a P' rson by some means acquired an extra ord nary influence over the man woo is of weak intellect, and actually made a slave of him Even the pc sonal appearance of tha unfortunate victim was unknown to the nearest neighbors, though it ha^ transpired that he was driven to work with a pointed stick, with which he .vas prodded until the blood gushed forth. With a great deal of difficulty It was brought to light that the man had been with his detainer for 20 years, and during that time had received no wages. When the poor fell w was asked if he would like to go away m oharge of one of his countrymen, he said that he daren't go. beoause " The boss would beat him and kill^ him, and put him m tbe blaok hole iv the grou .d •' When the boss came up and asked bim if he wanted to go away, the poor wretch shivered, as if expecting a blow, and withdrew his woids A foreigner di-guised himself as a swagsman, and, without attracting the boss's attention, had an interview with the slave, and carried him off m a spring cart, whioh had been concealed near the fi >ld. He is at the present time m Castlemaine, and it is hoped that the oare and attention he will receive will bring back some of the intelligence he has lost. Those that knew him twenty years ago can scarcely recognise the wreok he has become, and wonder how such a thing could possibly take place m this age of relig on and civilisation. For twenty lone years he has been living with n a fSw miles of tbem, and he was never seen but at a distance.