1775 Coenraad Appel
In this case, slaves reported seeing the farmer Coenraad Appel repeatedly having sex with his stepdaughter, Elsie Anna: omnipresent slaves were well positioned to reveal the illicit actions of their owners.1 The admonitions of Elsie by the slave Filida, in defence of her mistress, and Elsie’s confession of her predicament, give an insight into the complex interactions of three women on the farm which transcended the divisions of slave and free and which give a rare insight into slave perceptions of their owners’ behaviour.2
Appel was convicted of incest and banished from the colony, while Elsie Anna was (at the suggestion of the Council of Justice) incarcerated for life in the Company’s Slave Lodge.3
Footnotes
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. These witnesses included both male and female slaves on the farm, although significantly it was the female Filida who showed the most concern, notably at the shame that Appel’s activities brought on his wife, Filida’s mistress. ↩
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Elsje Anna had been baptised in 1755 and so was over twenty years old at this time (De Villiers & Pama 1966, vol. I: 10). Filida died shortly afterwards, CJ 409, vol. 4, f. 145 [modern pagination]. She may have been an older slave whose loyalty was primarily to Appel’s wife, her mistress, and who had little sympathy with the activities of her master and his stepdaughter. ↩
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Coenraad Appel was charged with ‘bij reïteratie geperpetreerde overspel en bloedschande’ (repeatedly perpetrated adultery and incest), and sentenced to be whipped ‘binnens kamers’ (i.e. not in public, which was more humiliating) and banished from the colony permanently, being returned at his own cost to the Netherlands. There was little sympathy either for Elsie Anna, who was sentenced to four weeks on bread and water and subsequent imprisonment for an indefinite period in the Company Slave Lodge (or ‘whatever other place is suitable’) CJ 57, ff. 26 and 37-8, 20 April 1775. It seems as if the Lodge was being used in this way as the nearest equivalent that the court could find to the spinhuis (a place of hard labour which was used for women in the Netherlands and in Batavia). Both sentences were milder than the public whipping and branding that the eijscheijschLiterally ‘claim’ or ‘demand.’ This is strictly speaking the eijsch ende conclusie without the final part about sentencing, but the term is often used as a shorthand for the whole document. recommended for them both and the life imprisonment on Robben Island recommended for Coenraad. It was also recommended that the slaves who had given testimonies against Appel be sold, although Filida had meanwhile died. The eijscheijschLiterally ‘claim’ or ‘demand.’ This is strictly speaking the eijsch ende conclusie without the final part about sentencing, but the term is often used as a shorthand for the whole document. and testimonies of these and other slaves, as well as the interrogations of Coenraad, Elsje, and Anna Appel, are in CJ 409, vol. 4, ff. 119-213 [modern pagination]. The case provides an insight into the much-neglected topic of the ways in which honour and sexual shame were perceived at the Cape. ↩
1/STB 3/11 Criminele Verklaringen, 1759-1782, unpaginated.
Today, 25 January 1775, there appears before me, Abraham Faure, secretary of Stellenbosch and Drakenstein, in the presence of the witnesses named below, the slave October van Bougies, of competent age, belonging to the farmer Coenraad Appel, who, on the requisition of the honourable landdrost, Marthinus Adrianus Bergh, declares it to be true:
That in the afternoon at about 3 o’clock, some time ago now, without being able to specify when, when the deponent was busy working alone in the garden, his nonjenonjeThis word entered Dutch from Malay nyonya (which in turn derived from Portuguese dona, ‘lady’) and was in use at the Cape since its foundation. It was used both by settlers to refer to women in general, and by slaves and Khoikhoi as a form of address for female Europeans. It survived in modern Afrikaans in the form of nooi or nôi, ‘young (unmarried) woman’, although it is now somewhat archaic. Elsie went with a kettle in her hand to fetch water at the fountain situated there, while his owner, who was somewhat inebriated, shortly thereupon followed her and when they both got beneath a fig tree standing by this fountain, the said nonjenonjeThis word entered Dutch from Malay nyonya (which in turn derived from Portuguese dona, ‘lady’) and was in use at the Cape since its foundation. It was used both by settlers to refer to women in general, and by slaves and Khoikhoi as a form of address for female Europeans. It survived in modern Afrikaans in the form of nooi or nôi, ‘young (unmarried) woman’, although it is now somewhat archaic. Elsie lay down on the ground there, his baasbaasIn seventeenth-century Dutch this was used both in the sense of ‘head’ (e.g. ‘head carpenter’) and ‘master’. In South Africa the second meaning developed further, and thus baas came to be a synonym for meester (‘master’). It was the form that slaves (and Khoikhoi) would use to address male Europeans. then lifted up her skirts and did his business (as the deponent expresses himself) with her. After which the deponent, who had seen this clearly, again betook himself to his work.
There being nothing further to relate, the deponent asserts to be convinced of the accuracy of his statement as in the text, being willing, if so required, to subsequently confirm the above.
Thus recorded at the office of the secretary in Stellenbosch, in the presence of the messenger of the court Morits Herman Otto Woeke and the burgher Johannes Victor, as witnesses.
This mark X was set down by the slave October with his own hand.
As witnesses, [signed] M.H.O. Woeke, Johs. Victor.
With my cognisance, [signed] A. Faure, secretary.
1/STB 3/11 Criminele Verklaringen, 1759-1782, unpaginated.
Statement given, on the requisition of the honourable landdrost, Marthinus Adrianus Bergh, by the slave Filida van de Caab, of competent age, belonging to the farmer Coenraad Appel, which is of the following content, namely:
That on a certain Sunday after sunset, some time ago now, without being able to specify when, when her owner again sent his daughter, or his wife’s oldest daughter, by the name of Elsie Anna, to the fountain to fetch water – after she had already brought two buckets of water into the house from the fountain and he had immediately poured out one of the same – he instantly followed her. That shortly thereupon, the testifier also went thither to scoop a can of water for herself and when she got behind a fig tree standing there, she saw from close by that her owner was lying on the naked body of nonjenonjeThis word entered Dutch from Malay nyonya (which in turn derived from Portuguese dona, ‘lady’) and was in use at the Cape since its foundation. It was used both by settlers to refer to women in general, and by slaves and Khoikhoi as a form of address for female Europeans. It survived in modern Afrikaans in the form of nooi or nôi, ‘young (unmarried) woman’, although it is now somewhat archaic. Elsie under the said tree and that he was using her carnally. That in the morning of the following day, the testifier reproached the said Elsie over this and asked her if she fully realised what evil she had committed with her father, and told her that she had seen it; that Elsie answered to this: “Yes, I know it very well, but what should I do! He forces me to it, and when it comes out and I am asked about it, I will tell everything and will conceal nothing”.
That some days thereafter, during the evening when it was already getting dark, and when the owner of the testifier, being somewhat inebriated, went to lie behind the old cellar, he ordered the aforementioned Elsie to bring him a small bowl of water, which she also did, while the testifier went to stand there to see what they would do, and that she then discovered that he took said Elsie by her skirts and pulled her to him, whereupon the said Elsie addressed him: “Father! Mother would surely see this”, and he answered: “What the hell do I care about your mother?”, she Elsie then at once went to lie with him on the ground, and he then lay on top of her and, as the testifier could espy, had carnal knowledge of her, after which the testifier went in silence to the slaves’ room.
Moreover, that at sunset on a certain day some time thereafter, which the testifier is unable to specify, when her owner had sent the aforementioned nonjenonjeThis word entered Dutch from Malay nyonya (which in turn derived from Portuguese dona, ‘lady’) and was in use at the Cape since its foundation. It was used both by settlers to refer to women in general, and by slaves and Khoikhoi as a form of address for female Europeans. It survived in modern Afrikaans in the form of nooi or nôi, ‘young (unmarried) woman’, although it is now somewhat archaic. Elsie beyond the so-called Schilpadden Valleij to bring back the horses, he immediately followed her thither, after which the deponent went to the veld to collect wood and, when she got to the said valley, she saw them both lying together in some bushes in the same way as previously mentioned; as well as later, on a certain day by eventide, when the aforementioned Elsie was sent by her said father to drive the pigs to the aforesaid valley and he, as before, followed her; the testifier, who once again had gone in that direction to collect wood, saw that they were both, as before, lying on top of each other in some bushes.
There being nothing further to relate, the testifier asserts to be convinced of the accuracy of her statement as in the text, being willing, if so required, to subsequently confirm the above.
Thus related at the office of the secretary in Stellenbosch on 25 January 1775 in the presence of the messenger of the court Morits Herman Otto Woeke and the burgher Johannes Victor, as witnesses.
This X mark was set down by Filida van de Caab with her own hand.
As witnesses, [signed] M.H.O. Woeke, Johs. Victor.
With my cognisance, [signed] A. Faure, secretary.
1/STB 3/11 Criminele Verklaringen, 1759-1782, unpaginated.
Statement given, on the requisition of the honourable landdrost, Marthinus Adrianus Bergh, by Elsie Anna Meijburgh, wife of the farmer Coenraad Appel, which is of the following content, namely:
That in the year 1755, when the testifier entered into matrimony with her aforementioned husband Coenraad Appel, she was already pregnant by another man with her daughter Elsie Anna, who was also born some time before the celebration of their marriage.
That for some considerable time now, the daughter she brought with her [into the marriage] often got beaten by the testifier’s husband, although she never said any insolent words to him over this, but patiently endured it without any protest. Yet that Elsie displayed the opposite [response] with regards to the testifier, and often treated her harshly and disrespectfully, even in the presence of her husband, and that he always let this pass in silence; which grieved the testifier continually, without, however, having conceived any malicious suspicion regarding her husband and daughter.
That, by the testifier’s estimate, about four months ago now, when she had scolded her said daughter Elsie in the kitchen, and the same then addressed her very harshly and insolently, the slave Filida reproached her for it with these words: “For shame! Do you have to treat your mother like this, you treat her like a dog, she has to endure everything from you”, with an additional reproof: “For shame! That you dare to do such ungodly things with your father!” Whereupon Elsie answered: “How could I help it?” The testifier, who had listened to this with amazement, then said to her said daughter: “These are nice things, Elsie, that I hear of you!”, whereupon Elsie again answered: “Could I help it?” Upon which the aforementioned Filida continued: “If you had been a virtuous daughter, you would not have done such a thing, but would immediately have warned your mother of it”. That, on a certain day thereafter, when the testifier, who could not actually believe this of her husband, questioned the said Elsie alone behind the house about that over which she was reproached by the aforementioned slave, she denied it with this expression: “For shame! How could mother think that! Would father do such a thing to me?” While adding further to the question of how the meijdmeijdLiterally ‘girl.’ This word developed among the same lines as jongen, the word coming to mean ‘female slave.’ However, its trajectory diverged from that of jongen in that it eventually was used more widely to refer to indigenous women, so that meid still survives in modern Afrikaans as a pejorative term for women of colour. As with jongen, the word was no longer available to refer to European girls, but instead of the difference between girl and daughter disappearing, the diminutive form, meijsje (Afrikaans, meisie), came to be used for ‘girl.’ could then have reproached her for it: “She does reproach me for it, yes, but she did not see it, and will have to make amends for it”.
That some days later, when the testifier was strolling alone with her said daughter Elsie on the road and again brought up the aforesaid and questioned her, Elsie then related what she had done with the husband of the testifier in all its circumstances, without, however, having added that she had been forced to it. For which reason the testifier no longer had any doubts over this matter.
That on a certain afternoon, when the aforesaid slave was out to fetch wood and the testifier’s husband had ordered the aforementioned Elsie to boil water for tea, the testifier was told by her husband to go out and pick some figs at the fountain, whither she went, yet, when she came back into the house after a quarter of an hour, she found her husband sleeping on the bed, while her daughter was busy sweeping the house; without the testifier having then discovered anything else.
That about a month ago, during the evening, when her husband had beaten the slaves October and Louis in the yard and thereupon came into the house with a stick in his hand, he dealt the slave Filida a blow on her head, saying to her: “You are the schemer of all the slaves”, whereupon he went into the room; while the testifier, who was still sitting at the tea-table, heard the said Filida saying: “There are still lords to whom I can go to complain, and I will incite the other jongensjongensLiterally ‘boy.’ In Dutch it was common to use this word also to refer to male servants, irrespective of age. At the Cape, however, this usage was extended to slaves and then became exclusive, so that jongen (also in the deflected form jong) came to mean ‘male slave’, such that Afrikaans lost the use of the word to mean ‘boy’ and instead uses seun (from Dutch zoon) for both ‘boy’ and ‘son.’ In this primary meaning, the word has become obsolete in modern Afrikaans, except for the archaic terms tuinjong (‘garden boy’) and plaasjong (‘farm boy’), in the sense of male workers of colour. to it”; the said Filida, together with the slaves October, Louis and Caesar, then also departed from there that same night.
Finally, the testifier declares that, after she had learned about that which had been committed by her aforementioned husband with her daughter, she talked to him about it on one or two occasions, when he denied it every time. Yet that he, shortly before his departure, confessed this to her while showing remorse.
There being nothing further to relate, the testifier asserts to be convinced of the accuracy of her statement as in the text, being willing, if so required, to subsequently confirm the above with solemn oaths.
Thus related at the office of the secretary in Stellenbosch on 7 February 1775 in the presence of the burgher Johannes Victor and the soldier Johan Jacob Frederik Wagener, as witnesses.
[signed] Elsie Anna Meijburgh.
As witnesses, [signed] Johs. Victor, J.J.F. Wagener.
With my cognisance, [signed] A. Faure, secretary.
Huijden, den 25e Januarij 1775, compareerde voor mij Abraham Faure, secretaris van Stellenbosch en Drakenstein, present de nagen. getuijgen, den slaaf October van Boegies, van competenten ouderdom, toebehorende den landbouwer Coenraad Appel, denwelken, ter requisitie van den heer landdrost, Marthinus Adrianus Bergh, verklaarde hoe waar is:
Dat nu eenige tijd geleeden, zonder die te kunnen bepalen, wanneer den comparant op eenen namiddag, naar zijn gissing omtrent ten 3 uuren, alleen beesig was in den thuijn te werken, zijn nonje Elsie met een ketel in de hand naar de, digt daarbij leggende, fontein was gekomen om water te halen, terwijl zijn lijfheer, die toen wat beschonken was, haar kort daarop gevolgd zijnde; zij beide onder een, bij die fontein staande, vijgeboom gekomen waren, gemelde nonje Elsie aldaar op den grond zig nedergelegd hebbende, des relatants1 gemelde baas haar aanstonds de rokken opgeligt en zijne dingen (zoals den comparant zig uitdrukte) met haar gedaan had. Waarna de comparant, die sulx duijdelijk had aangesien, zig voorts aan zijn werk hadde begeeven.
Anders niet verklarende, geeft den comparant voor reedenen van wetenschap als in den text, bereid zijnde, het vorenstaande, des vereischt werdende, nader te zullen gestand doen.
Dat aldus passeerde ter secretarije aan Stellenbosch, in ’t bijweesen van den bode Morits Herman Otto Woeke en den burger Johannes Victor, als getuijgen.
Dit merk X heeft den slaaf October van Boegies eigenhandig gesteld.
Als getuijgen, [get.] M.H.O. Woeke, Johs. Victor.
In kennisse van mij, [get.] A. Faure, secretaris.
1/STB 3/11 Criminele Verklaringen, 1759-1782, unpaginated.
Relaas gegeven, ter requisitie van den heer landdrost, Marthinus Adrianus Bergh, door de slavinne Filida van de Caab, van competenten ouderdom, toebehorende den landbouwer Coenraad Appel, zijnde van den volgenden inhoud, namentlijk:
Dat wanneer der relatantes lijfheer, nu eenige tijd geleeden, zonder die te kunnen bepalen, op zeekeren Zondag na zonsondergang ,desselfs, ofte zijn vrouws oudste dogter, in naame Elsie Anna, ter zijner woonplaats, nadat zij twee emmers met water van de fontein in ’t huijs gebragt, en hij eene derselver opstonds uitgegoten had, haar wederom naar de fontein om water te halen had gesonden, haar ten eersten nagevolgd was. Dat de relatante kort daarop mede derwaards gegaan zijnde om een kan water voor haar te scheppen, agter een, aldaar staande, vijgeboom gekomen en van nabij gezien had dat haar lijfheer onder gemelde boom op ’t ontbloote lijf van gedagte haar nonje Elsie gelegen en haar vleeschelijk gebruijkt had. Dat de relatante des anderen daags morgens gemelde Elsie sulx verweeten en gesegd hebbende of zij wel wist wat kwaad zij met haren vader gedaan, en dat zij relatante dat gezien had, zij Elsie daarop had g’antwoord: Ja, ik weet het wel, maar wat zal ik doen! Hij dwingd mij daartoe, en als het uit komd en mij daarom gevraagd werd, zal ik het alles zeggen en niets verbergen.
Dat eenige dagen daarna, des avonds, wanneer ’t reeds donker was geworden, en des relatantes lijfheer, wat beschonken zijnde, agter de oude kelder was gaan leggen, hij meergemelde Elsie belast had hem een kommetje met water te brengen, hetgeen zij had gedaan; terwijl de relatante aldaar was gaan staan om te zien wat zijlieden doen zouden, dat zij alstoen had ontwaard dat hij gemelde Elsie bij de rokken gevat en naar zig getrokken had, waarop geseijde Elsie hem quam toe te spreeken: Vader! Moeder zal dat immers zien; en hij g’antwoord hebbende: Wat s…2 ik in jouw moeder?; zij Elsie terstond bij hem op de grond was gaan leggen, gelijk hij voorts op haar gelegen en, zo de relatante had kunnen bemerken, haar vleeschelijk bekend had; waarna de relatante in stilte naar ’t slavenvertrek gegaan was.
Dat wijders eenige tijd daarna, op seekeren dag, die de relatante niet wist te bepalen, tegen zonsondergang, wanneer des relatantes lijfheer haare voormelde nonje Elsie agter de zogenaamde Schildpadden Valleij had gesonden om de paarden te keeren, hij haar opstonds derwaards was gevolgd, waarna de relatante om houd te halen, veldwaards gegaan en omtrent gedagte vallij gekomen weesende, haar beijde tesamen op zodanige wijse in een boschje had zien leggen, als voormelde staat, gelijk naderhand nog eens op seekeren dag tegens den avond, wanneer meergedagte Elsie door haren opgemelde vader gestuurd wierd om de varkens naar voormelde vallij te jagen en hij haar, als voren, nagevolgd was, terwijl de relatante, om hout te halen, alweder haar cours derwaards genomen hebbende, had gesien dat zijlieden beide agter een bosschje als voorseijde op elkanderen leggende waren.
Anders niet relateerende, geeft de relatante voor reedenen van wetenschap als in de text, bereijd zijnde het vorenstaande, des vereijscht werdende, nader te zullen gestand doen.
Aldus gerelateerd ter secretarije aan Stellenbosch, den 25e Januarij 1775, in ’t bijweesen van den bode Morits Herman Otto Woeke en den burger Johannes Victor, als getuijgen.
Dit kruismerk X is door Filida van de Caab eigenhandig gesteld.
Als getuijgen, [get.] M.H.O. Woeke, Johs. Victor.
In kennisse van mij, [get.] A. Faure, secretaris.
1/STB 3/11 Criminele Verklaringen, 1759-1782, unpaginated.
Relaas gegeven, ter requisitie van den heer landdrost, Martinus Adrianus Bergh, door Elsie Anna Meijburgh, huijsvrouw van den landbouwer Coenraad Appel, zijnde van den volgenden inhoud, namentlijk:
Dat wanneer de relatante zig in den jaare 1755 met haren voormelde man, Coenraad Appel, in huwelijk begeeven heeft, zij bevorens, door eenen anderen, beswanger was geworden van haare dogter Elsie Anna, dewelke ook eenigen tijd voor ’t sluijten van gemelde huwelijk, reeds geboren was.
Dat gemelde haare bijgebragte dogter nu zeedert eenig geruimen tijd dikwerf door der relatantes man geslagen geworden zijnde, zij nooit tegen denselven daarover eenige assurante woorden gebruijkt maar sulx, zonder tegenspreken, geduldig verdragen had. Dog dat zij Elsie ten opsigte van de relatante het tegendeel betoond, en haar veeltijds bits en onordentelijk, zelfs ter presentie van der relatantes man, bejeegend hebbende, hij sulx altijd stilswijgende passeeren liet; hetgeen de relatante steeds verdroten had, zonder daarover egter eenig quaad vermoeden ten opzigte van haren man en dogter te hebben opgevat.
Dat, na der relatantes gissing, nu omtrent vier maanden geleeden, wanneer zij gemelde haare dogter Elsie had bekeeven, en deselven haar relatante in de combuijs zeer bits en assurant quam toe te spreeken, de slavin Filida haar daarover in deese bewoordingen had bestraft: Foeij! Moet gij uw moeder zo bejeegenen, gij agt haar als een hond, zij moet van u alles verdragen; met een bijvoegend verwijt: Foeij! Dat gij zulke goddeloose dingen met uw vader durfd doen! Waarop zij Elsie geantwoord hebbende: Wat kan ik dat helpen? De relatante, die sulx met verwondering had aangehoord, daarop tegen hare gemelde dogter quam te zeggen: Dat zijn mooie dingen, Elsie, dat ik van u hoor!, zij Elsie daarop weder had g’antwoord: Kan ik dat helpen!, op ’twelke door meergemelde Filida haar wierd toegevoegd: Als gij een brave dogter waard, zou gij sulx niet doen, maar ten eersten uwe moeder daarvan gewaarschouwd hebben. Dat de relatante sulx van haren man niet wel hebbenden kunnen geloven, op seekeren dag daarna, gerepte Elsie agter ’t huijs alleen had ondervraagd nopens hetgeen haar door opgemelde slavinne verweeten was, zij sulx had ontkend, onder deese uitdrukking: Foeij, hoe kan moeder dat denken! Zou vader sulke dingen met mij doen?; met verdere bijvoeging op de vrage: Hoe dat de meijd haar dat dan konde verwijten?: Zij verwijt mij dat wel, maar heeft het niet gesien, en zal dat moeten goed maken.
Dat eenige dagen naderhand, wanneer de relatante met gemelde haare dogter Elsie alleen op den weg wandelde en haar het voorseijde wederom voorhield en ondervraagde, had zij Elsie alstoen het gepleegde met der relatantes man in alle de omstandigheden verhaald, zonder er nogthans te hebben bijgevoegd dat zij daartoe was gedwongen geworden; oversulx zij relatante aan die saak niet meer twijfelagtig was.
Dat op seekeren namiddag, wanneer voorseijde slavinne uit was om houd te halen en der relatantes man voormelde Elsie belast hebbende theewater te koken, had zij relatante, door haaren man gesegd zijnde om bij de fontein wat vijgen te gaan plukken, zij derwaards begeeven; dog, na een quartier uurs tijds weder in ’t huijs gekomen weesende, had zij haren man op ’t bedde slapende bevonden, terwijl haare dogter beesig was het huijs te veegen, zonder dat zij relatante toen egter iets anders ontwaard had.
Dat omtrent een maand geleeden, des avonds, wanneer haren man op de werf de slaven October en Louis geslagen had, hij daarop met een stok in de hand in ’t huijs gekomen zijnde, de slavinne Filida een slag op ’t hoofd had toegebragt, onder ’t zeggen tegen haar: Gij bent een konkelaarster van alle de slaven; waarop hij voorts in de kamer was gegaan, terwijl de relatante, die nog bij de theetafel zat, van gemelde Filida hoorde zeggen: Daar zijn nog wel heeren daar ik mijn beklag aan doen kan, en zal de jongens daartoe opmaken; gelijk vervolgens gedagte Filida, nevens de slaven October, Louis en Caesar, dienselfden nagt ook van daar vertrokken waren.
Laatstelijk betuijgde de relatante dat, nadat zij vernomen had, ’tgeen door meergemelde haren man met haare dogter tesamen gepleegd was, zij hem een en ander maal daarover gesproken hebbende, hij sulx telkens had ontkend. Dog dat hij, kort voor zijn vertrek, onder betoning van berouw, sulx aan haar beleeden had.
Anders niet relateerende, geeft de relatante voor reedenen van wetenschap als in den text, bereijd zijnde het vorenstaande, des vereischt werdende, met solemneelen eede nader te zullen gestand doen.
Aldus gerelateerd ter secretarije aan Stellenbosch, den 7e Februarij 1775, ten bijweesen van den burger Johannes Victor en den soldaat Johan Jacob Frederik Wagener, als getuijgen.
[get.] Elsie Anna Meijburgh.
Als getuijgen, [get.] Johs. Victor, J.J.F. Wägener.
In kennisse van mij, [get.] A. Faure, secretaris.