The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-03-07
CELEBRITY OR DEATH"

1 ne last numOer or the Dayton journal
furnishes melancholy instance of the hor-
rors of slavery. colored man who went
by the name of Thomas Mitchell. and had
resided in that place for two or three years,
was arrested short time since by some men
from Kentucky, under charge of being a
runaway slave but the magistrate before
whom he was brought, not deeming the
proof sufficient to sustain the claim, dis
charged him. A few weeks afterwards, he
was seized on Main-street, by some armed
men employed by his master, who hurried
him towards the outskirts of the town,
where sleigh was kept in waiting to car
~ him off. His cries Immediately brought
number of citizens to the spot, by whose
active interference, he was again taken be-
fore the same Justice, who, after long ex-
animation, and the production of new evil
dence on the part of the claimant, decided
in fayo. Of the latter. In the meantime, his
case had excited the sympathy Of the citi-
zens to high degree; and considerable
sum was subscribed for the purchase of his
freedom. TO which he contributed, out of his
own savings upwards OF fifty dollars. The
agent who had arrested him agreed to the
arrangement, under the supposition that it
would meet the appreciation of the master.
Such, however, vas not the case. The lat
ter would take nothing but his "pound of
flesh !" and he proceeded in person to Day
ton, about two weeks since, in order to take
the poor fellow back 10 Kentucky. The
master and slave first met in the upper
story of house; when the latter forseeinp
the doom that awaited him, Immediately
rushed towards window, and made an I'M
successful attempt to jump out, although
had he succeeded he must have fallen on a
stone pavement, from height of not less
than Is feet. He was then secured, and in
company with his master, arrived at Cincin-
natl, on his way to the "house of bon
dage," on the evening OF the 22d ult., where
lodgings we're provided for him and his
guard, in the fourth story of one of the no.
tells. There his journey ended. Having
tasted for short time, the sweets, even an
imperfect freedom, he appears to have de-
termined never again to submit to life Of
serv;tude: and at one o'clock, while every
body about him was fast asleep, he raised
the window and percipitated himself on the
pavement below-a descent of upwards of
forty feet-the effects of which he survived
only little upwards of twenty four hours.
Poor Tom now is free. His master-with
what feelings, if he be possessed of the
common attributes Of humanity, the reader
may well conceive-has taken his remains
TO Kentucky, with the intention of giving
him, as he says, decent burial in his own
church yard" He is represented as having
been an Industrious, steady man; and haC
laid up small sum of money, all of which
he gave to his wife and child when his mas
ter took him away.-Ohio State Journal.
/
SINGULAR PRocLAMATIoN hy Queer
Elizabeth, dated 1863, which prohibits "al
manner of persons to draw, paynt, or por
trayt her majesty's parsonage or visage 70
time, until by some perfect patron an
example, the same may be by others fo
lowed, and for that her majesty perceived
that CRETE number of her loving subject
are much greved, and take CRETE offenc
: with the errors and deformities alread
committed by sundry persons in this b,
, half she straitway chargeth all her Office
and ministers to see the due perfoYmanc
4 thereof"
!. NEWSPAPERS. The North America
, colonies in the yeat 1870, possessed n
more than Newspapers in 1910. tn
OhitGu OIutCS dlOHe Ldu IuIee nunQIeu an
; fifty-nine, and sixteen years subsequent
the number had increased to six hundre
and forty. Though our population is bu
ten millions, they muster more newspaper
:, than the whole one hundred and sixty mil
lions of inhabitants on the European cont
e nent.
: BALLOONS. The first Balloon was mad
J. in Paris, on the 9th day of August, l7sa
. nnder the direction of Messrs. Charles AM
Q Blanchard. 1t was composed OF Tattet'
! plasiered over with an elastic gum, and wa
q filed with infiammabe air, obtained by tn
4 filings Of iron in vitriolic acid. 1t weighed
!" 40 lbs. It rose about $4,000 feet and fell il
ID three quarters of an hour.
- AN AGED TREE. A tree at Peronne, u
a Picardy, which fourished in the year 63a
m was in existence 1890; it is known theie
,e fore to have existed l156 years.