Sharper
(b. ? - d. 1751)
MSA SC 5496-51576
Slave in Dorchester County, Maryland
Biography:
Negro Sharper, an enslaved male on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, was charged with raping a white woman in 1750. 1 The February 20, 1751 issue of the Maryland Gazette states that he was owned by Captain Zabdiel Potter2, a property owner in Dorchester County. There are no known records telling us the age of Negro Sharper.
Negro Sharper came from an area in Dorchester County known as Saint Mary White Chapel Parrish. 3 He was “moved and seduced by the instigation of the Devil the first day of January” in 1750. 4
On that day, he came “upon a certain Elizabeth Hull of the said
County” where he went “against the will and consent of her the afsd.
(aforesaid) Elizabeth Hull – feloniously did ravish and carnally know
against the Peace of the said Lord Proprietary.” 5
This particular case was “billa vera,” meaning the jury found a bill of
indictment to be supported by the evidence. 6
The jury would eventually find Negro Sharper guilty and he would be
taken back to a prison in Dorchester County. He would then go to
“the gallows in Dorchester County afsd. the common place of Execution
of Malefactors and there be hanged by the neck on the said Gallows till
he be dead.” 7
According to
the Proceedings under the Commission of Oyer and Terminer that was in
Dorchester County, the board was to “order Warrants to issue for their
Execution.” 8 However, the commission “had not sent down the Dead Warrants,” which resulted in an error by the Commission. 9
With that, it was ordered that the “Clerk of the Provincial Court issue
a Habeas Corpus directed to the Sheriff of Dorchester County” to bring
Negro Sharper to the Provincial Court to receive his trial. 10 The
witnesses were also ordered to attend the court to provide evidence
against Negro Sharper. In other words, Negro Sharper was given
his right to a trial.
The Maryland Gazette
made an interesting reference to this case in the April 17, 1751
issue. It stated that “Last Saturday a Negro Fellow named
Sharper, who was tried and condemn’d some Time ago in Dorchester
County, for a Rape on a White Woman, but by Means of some flaw in the
Proceedings or the Course could not be executed, was again tried here
(meaning Provincial Court) and condemn’d and is to be executed where he
committed the Crime.” 11 He was condemned, not once, but twice and
was ultimately hanged in April of 1751. His body was "to be hung in Chains near the place where the Rape was committed." 12
Negro Sharper’s life was
nearly saved because of a “flaw” in the court system, but the
Provincial Court then tried him again. Not only was he hanged,
but also gibbeted. Gibbeting consisted of hanging a person in a
public area to emphasize their alleged infamy. Gibbetings were
more common than "quartering," and were mostly imposed for murder,
plotting a murder, attempted poisoning, rape, arson, or planning an
insurrection. 13
Endnotes:
2. "Annapolis." Maryland Gazette. 1751 February 20.Return to Sharper's Introductory Page
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