Altercation between Mr. Paterson and Mr. James Hull over Treatment of Enslaved Man, Faculty Meeting Minutes, Vol 3: pages 105-106

This excerpt from an 1857 Faculty Meeting describes a situation between a student Paterson had gone out hunting in company with a negro of Mr. A Hull at night. During the night a difficulty arose between Paterson and the negro when he attempted to chastise the negro who offered such resistance as to cause him to desist and refer the matter to the owner A Hull and demand that the negro should be whipped. Mr. Hull did whip the negro and Mr. Paterson was supposed to be satisfied. After this occurrence Mr. James Hull, son of A Hull, while conversing with his relation Tutor Waddel on the subject during a ride along the street, remarked that, "any man who would hunt with a negro and take exception at anything he did and then use his privilege as a white man to whip the negro was no gentleman." The remark was overheard by someone who reported it to Mr. Paterson. The next day Mr. Hull was sitting in a buggy unarmed in the street when Mr. Paterson stepped up to him with a stick and asked if he had made the offensive remark? Mr. Hull answered he had. Whereupon Mr. P struck him two licks with this stick and a third as Mr. Hull attemped to jump out which brought him to the ground. Mr. Hull recovered and succeeded in getting possession of the stick at which time by the interference of some one the matter was stopped. A warrant was taken out against Mr. Paterson which he evaded by making his escape from the officer, having asserted that he would be not be taken.
All the circumstance were such as to satisfy every member of the Faculty that Mr. Paterson should be expelled. The Secretary was directed to inform Mr. Paterson's grandfather of the action of the Faculty and relate to him the facts as above stated."

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