American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1827-06-22
KIDNAPPING.

KIDNAPPING.
Philadelphia, June l5.-The office Of the Mayor
was. on W ednesday last. crowded to excess, ~
consequence of the examination OF small light
colored negro man, named John Smith. alias James
Morris. alias John Purnel, Of Snowhill, Maryland.
the latter being his true name. He was charged
with being principal agent of the Johnsons, in
the atrocious kidnappings ct 1928. number Of
witnesses, including several OF the colored children
who had been kidnapped BY Johnson, gang, and
restored to the city, by Messrs Hamilton and
Henderson, of Mississippi, testified to the identify
of purne. and to his direct agency in the matter.
We were particularly struck with the intelligence
manifested BY little black boy, named st. Clair,
whose return has recently been effected, after great
rouble and expense. from Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
In his particular case, it testified that smith
fell IN with the boy in Second or Front street, and
held out the usual bait of quarter of dollar, To
help bring up peaches, MELONS, &c from boat
The boy refused, but accompanied smith to the
end of the new market, at Second and South street,
where a covered dearborn Wagon was standing.
and white man in it--when IN the open street.
and at or Q O'Clock in the afternoon, smith put
ting his hand over the boys mouth and covering It
with some kind Of sticking plaster, snatched him
in and stepped into the Wagon with him, undls-
covered, and prevented him from crying out-the
Wagon was then driven off very fast. down below
the Rope Walks. and he was Immediately put on
board of little sloop at anchor IN the Delaware
After long Investigation, he was committed TO
answer on several distinct charges OF kidnapping
True bills Of Indictment were said to have been
already found against the defendant. under differ
ent names, in the Mayors Court and Quarter SEES
sions-but we understood the Mayor to say. that
he was vet undetermined whether he should moi
feel bound to return the prisoner for trial befor
the Circuit Court Of the United Staes-that it APP
peared to him that the 5th section oil the act OF
Congress Of 1920, seemed to embrace the Offence
of which the prisoner stood SO repeatedly charge
The act of Congress in question, IS IN the follow
ing words: -
:. If any citizen Of the United States, being Of
the crew or ships company Of any foreign YES
sci, engaged in the slave trade, or any person
whatever, being Of the crew or ships company Of
any vessel, owned wholly. or III part. navigated
for, or in behalf of, any citizen citizens Of the
United States, shall forciby coniine. detain, OF
aid and abet in forcibly confins or OBTAINING, on
board such vessel, any negro nr mulatto, not held
to service by the laws of eitner of the States OF
Territories of the United States, with intent to
make such negro or mulattO slave, or shall on board
any such vessel. offer attempt to sell as slave.
any negro mulatto, not held in service afore-
said. or shall the high seas, any where on tide
Water, transfer, deliver over to any other vessel
any negro or mulatto, not held to service afore-
said, with intent to make such negro or mulatto a
slave. or shall land or deliver on shore, from on
beard any such vessel any such negro or mulatto.
with intent to make sale of, or having previously
sold, such negro or mulatto as a slave, such cit-
zen or person shall be adjudged pirate, and. on
conviction thereof. before the Circuit Court Of the
United States for the District wherein he shall be
brought, or found, shall suffer death.'
| High Constable Garrigues had arrived the pre-
ceding day, from Boston, with this prisoner in his
custody. He had there been arrested in conse
quence of information forwarded by the Police Of
this City, who have been indefatigabIy engaged for
long while past, in bringing these offenders to
trial.--Garrigues has travelled in pursuit more
than 1000 miles 1t is SAID there is another black
man now in Arch street Prison, charged as an ac
complete, waiting trial. before the Mayors Court
There was white man. of Nanticoke River. who
recently died in Arch-street Prison before trial
who was identified as the Captain that commando,
Joe Johnson's soop Little John, in two Of her yoy
ages to this City, in the summer Of 1925, and
who had voluntarily confessed the fact Of his guilt
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