Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1833-05-04

"""Su stranger HhSut Oave SOOugnt
that ! wished to embark in this infer
nal traffic; for several called 10 sell me
negroes, but we could never agree on
the price, or the age Of the slave, or
something else equally loiol to bar
gain and sale, for 1 never purchased
by this kind of surprise voice, con-
trived to be much talked too, about
slaves, and l made enquiries to no Ell
iect, until the second morning aker my
arrival in St. Louis. Imet sharl er,
as ne thought, who said much about
the transportation of negroes. down the
mississippi, 10 the southern county
! asked hlm what aged negroes suited
that market best, Qlttie supposins tina,
Thls answer would unfold the fac Of
Froor little Murphey.) ne told me that
} oung negroes from is to - best-sui-
ted the southern planters; Consequent
y, slaves under that aye here arepoor
Saie-tor continued he, .Unclc Shap-
ley Owen, bought small boy 4 weeks
ago last Saturday, tor S.2J, for his
own use, until he arrives at more ma
ture age. enquired into the sale,
and TO my surprise, found that Harris
had sold the boy, and that Monday,
With VINO. conyerscd, little su>pcc-
ted a viciOous transaction on the part
iof itarris-Dut rather spoke in his ia
vor. enquired who wrote the bill
OF sale, and learnt that DIR. Green, Of
tlat place, drew the instrument, then
let: .'.onday kno wing him to be ne
Pilew 10 the purchaser, and afterwards
gained such Information, as identified
harris aid the boy, from DIR. Green,
whom found to be a very clever and
well meaning man.
40 be successful in getting the boy
secured, before information of the bad
title could be communicated to Shap-
ley owen, was the next important step
to DE taken, who was engaged in trade,
Oh the Steamboat .Water WITCH
between the ports of Louisville and ST.
LoaAs, and was then expected in the
latter port every minute, to ctfec; this
OBJECT, employed Col. Stro,her, a
Lawyer III st Louis, to prepare the
necessary papers, before the arrival OF
the boat, to authorize the proper offiC er
TO take the body Of the boy into custo-
dy, and their detain HIM until Ow ems
title should be inv estigatcd; and in the
mean time, REPAIRED to the wharf, i,
order to OBTAIN passage in a boat to
Louisville, but unfortunately none
would leave port under "A hours, which
time was OF vast inportahce. 40 ING, uts-
der the tne., existing circumstances. !
concluded to travel through b, land,
leaving my papers vita Abel Carr,
for the benefit OF Stroller, in case the
BOAT should arrive without the boy
In less than 10 siours tie boat arrived
witnouithe boy, aud Owen there. learnt
u full history ci what was going on,
winch 10 doubt, hastencd his return to
Louisviiie--ior tie beat Ec 10 that
port about I hours. IN about 81 min-
utes alter arrived IA the city OF Lou
isvIiie, repaired to the wharf, and by
enquiries, obtained the first interview
18th cwen. lie did not deny having
purchased such hoy as l described,
from one Harris, ID ST. Louis, about
that tlme-out merely refused to give
amy further information relative to
said Remaining. that lac would as
soon man We uid injure his person as
his purse-to which ireplied, the OBJ
ieCt OF my mission, and called cou.
pie Of strangers, who by chance stood
by, and III their presence forwarned
hun against any attempt to removed
said boy or his appearl, We then part,
ed. each determined to exert himself
for the possession Of the BOY. l had
writ OF habeas- corpus issued, rcturna
BILE on the next day on which writ the
Sheriff returned 'nonest nsoemtus, OF
not found. ItheD had an alias issued
and while this remained in the officer.
hands, grew fearful that a writ Of
iha6cas corpus could never reach ths
t boy, and withdrew these proceedings
! and instituted a common law sac ton
called by the profession, an action o
tresspass, on the case for false imprsson
mcnt, against Owen himself. On these
)! proceedings l obtained res:ra.ain:
!, order to prevent Owen from transfer
ling the boy. under the panes and pen
s allies Of attachment, both in propcrt,
!. and person until the boy wnsproducet
the issue which this action presented
could not be tried in vocation. bat Wa
|, a property subject for Court and Jur.