Commentary No. 043
Date: 1519[1]. Santo Domingo, La Española.
Theme: According to a settler called to testify, some enslaved Blacks owned by a politically powerful master were able to literally get away with murder
Source: Archivo General de Indias, Justicia 43, Ramo 4, fos. 42v. (xlii)—44r. (xliiii), CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Dominican Colonial Documents Collection
In late 1519, during a residencia against some of the government officials, a resident named Francisco de San Miguel reported that, about a year before, a Black slave owned by Audiencia judge Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón, had been convicted of killing a man by stabbing him in the stomach with a knife and the slave had not been adequately punished. Francisco explained that the slave had not received further punishment beyond having one of his hands nailed publicly to the pillory.
According to San Miguel’s testimony, the accused slave had also benefited from having his nailed hand removed from the pillory before the time established by the sentence had elapsed. Francisco explains that some enslaved Blacks in early colonial La Española managed to enjoy certain rare privileges as a result of being the slaves of powerful members of the social elite whose clout arguably extended to their associates and their property. In other words, slaves benefited according to which owner they belonged to.
[1] This document is part of a larger residencia or audit trial record against some colonial government officials of Santo Domingo in 1519. On folio 396v. (cccxcvi), in the sameLegajo, Ramo 2, there is explicit indication of the year 1519 as that when the proceedings were at least initiated.