The Brooklyn Eagle
May 11, 1927
MRS. HUNT, FORMER SLAVE GIRL PINKY, AVOIDS PUBLICITY
Retires to Modest Brick Home In Washington and Lets Husband Answer Bell.
Eagle Bureau,901 colorado Building.
Washington, May 11 —For 25 years Mrs. James Hunt. who in 1860 was the 9-year-old slave girl auctioned off by Henry Ward Beecher at Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, as a protest against slavery, has been living a quiet domestlc life, surrounded by her children and grand-children, in the little rusty red brick house at 411 Florida ave, here. Even her neighbors never knew she was “Pinky,” the trembling little mite Whose freedom was bought for $900 67 years ago.
Today, on the eve her daparture for Brooklyn to attend the 80th anniversary celebration of church that took her out of bondage, she has gone into semi-retirement and is denying herself to all comers. Her husband, gray-haired negro lawyer, answers the doorbell and politely but firmly explains that his wife is giving no interviews on the “Punky&rdqo; episode so long ago.
The house, a narrow little two story affair, is one of a short row. It has castiron steps leading up to the tiny vestibule. Inside the air is dark and rather heavy.
Husband Answers Bell.
“Is your wife going to the Plymouth Church celebration next Sunday&rquo; her husband was asked as he cracked the door suspiciously. “Yes: but she has nothing to say about it. Dr. Durkee is handling the whole affair and he can make any explanations that are necessary, Mrs. Hunt doesn't like all the attention and publicity which her visit is creating.”
The Hunts are in no wise dazzled or befuddled by the attention that has been suddenly fixed upon them.
“Does your wife remember the Brooklyn episode?”
Barely Remembers Auction.
“No,” replied Hunt, a soft-spoken old man, “she hardly remembers the incident, But has had certain associations which kept it from fading altogether out of her mind.”
“Did Mr. Beecher keep track of her after the pulpit auction?”
“She kept up with Mr, Beecher, mostly by letters. When he came to Washington on speaking trips she always went to his lectures and go up and speak to him afterwards. He never forgot the scene at the Plymouth Church, though my wifes recollection of the details are hazy. She was only little girl then.”
“Lots of Mistakes in Story.”
Hunt declared there have been “lots of mistakes” in the published reports the finding of “Pinky” and the establishlng of her identity, but that he would “not undertake to correct them.”
At the Hunt home the impression gathered that these negroes did not enjoy recalling that slave auction of 1860 at Plymouth Church. Hunt himself would discuss his wife's part in it only with the greatest reluctance, Her husband is not going to make the trip to Brooklyn with Mrs. Hunt next Saturday, Her daughter will accompany her.