Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-01-18

recommend thss ths sseSs ami that Of the sab-eom
ai'tes, with all the decumeas appended 10 IL, he.
transmitted 40 his Ercslsacy the Governor OF vir.
sinia; with request that lay the same before the
Legislature. IN whose wisdom and psiriotism they
have an abiding confidence that the s1becl will be
disposed ofin a manner commemorate with its inn
Portsacs.
The committee appointed ito investigate careful
y all the facts connected with The Of The fta-
gitive slave George LaiI,er, and report The same.
together with any other matters they may deem pro-
per IN the premises. respectfully report. that "a
the performance Of the duty assigned To them. they
examined carefully alt the stateneais relating TO
this which could no procured, aud after an at.
teniive comparison ithes. aud q patent and dill.
gent inquiry mo every source OF formation which
was accessible 10 the committee. they embodied in
the form OF narrative all the essential matters
involved in this case. and now submit the same
TO the faithful consideration Of oil their follow
citizens
The committee, however. deem il proper 10 say
that they regarded their orders Of appointment as
Limiting their Inquiries INTO this that Of
fIgtve slave and although the ubjecLof this con-
irOvery has been also regarded a, a fugitive lelon
in support Of which charge evidence would
have been offered" which ,deIed by one
Of comPeIenI intelligence. "full and and
not only sufficient primary examina tOn TO hold
the party To answer. but enough TO have warran-
ted jury IN returning verdict Of gnilty'-yeI as
This part "f the has been acied upon by the Co
vernon Of the State in the mode pointed out in the
Federal ConsIi tuIiou, aud there is obvious i'm
Propr'ety in making upon The public mind. impress
sions OF the guilt or innocence Of person whose
case, IL is hoped. will be hereafter disposed Of by
the proper Criminal Courts Of the Commonwealth
the committee most willingly restricted their inqu-
ries 10 the point referred To-. aud did not claim.
nd he a..
lion under which they ACT the right TO extend their
examination into the other branch Of the case
George L1timer. the person liza question, was born
the slave Of Edward Latimer. and after several
changes Of owners, became. in January, 1889, the
properly Of James Gray. by purchase nj the price
Of eight hundred dollars frun his then owner. VIM
Mallory. The committee do not deem IL necessary
To IrHce the title To tins slave through all the trans
fen frOni his fir,t To his last owner-Ihey however
carefully enquIred into IL. aud pronounce Mr. Grnv',
title 10 have been good aud perfect as any which
was ever submitted To their examination, and the
prof tosu',an it abundanIly clear enough to cause
the prompt and decisive rejection Of Laiimers
clam TO Oe Tree under some supposed deed Of eman.
cipalion.
The save, after previous and almost successInl
attempt 10 escape from his Muster. ran away a ne.
cOnd time the 4Ih Of October Ia st. and yelling
nOrthward arrived in Boston on the 7Ih OF the said
month. On the mex day, Uhe SIh,0 he was seen
at the Post Oifict in that city by WIN Carpenter,
who had been in the employment Of MIR Gray but
was then reside ut in b Json. and upon being &C.
| costsd by C., 10 whom he we'll known he
originally denied al knowledge of his nerrugalur
| and claimed 10 be a free man named Albert MasIn
| Upon being more closely questioned, however, by
| Mr. Carpenter, he ultimately admitted that he was
the slave Of Mr. Gray, and that ne had away from
his masters service few days before that meeting
This inormllion was Immediately communicated
by Carpenter 10 Gray, who once went in pursuit
OF Lltimer, and arrived in Boston on the 18th of
October Procuring the arrest ard deiension Of the
slave through tho agency Of the Police officers Of
Boston, MIR Cray. on the 18Th. applied to Z G Aus
lin' ESQ, lawyer Of that city, 10 aid him 'as his
legal adviser, IN obtaining possession Of his proper.
ty and also then charges upon LaI'mer hat he had
stolen from his (Gray's) store ia Norfolk"
Being fully satisfied that both charge. made ny
MIR Gray were true. aud that an attempt TO retain
LaIlmer IN custody by force Of the authority which
Is gwen to the master O1er his fugitive slave, would
he attended with great difficulty, Mr. Austin, en-
Tered complaint against L1iimer for stealing :" IN.
on which warrant was issued To a Police officer.
to whom al the same time Austin gave o written
authority signed by MIR Gray. to de;ain Larimer as
iugIiIVe from hrs service and labor, and aAllhet
paper similarly signed. requesting the tailor 10
hold LatImer as Mr. Grnys fugitive slave adding 10
this case written promise to pay the jaIlor the
monnt that should become due for LaIIIner's board
while in Jail.
Even al this early stage OF the proceedings. some
popular excitement had been engendered; aud, at
The obtsnIion Of The warrant spoken Of "a crowd
had assembled around the CourI House Il, Ihe nura
Der Of nearly three hundred, mostly male blacks.
To prevent the slave keing NOV ed out OF The CITY
that night; and. ito quiet their fears MIR Austin had
TO pledge his word" chat MIR Gray would take mo-
steps not authorized and sanIionel by law"
On the same evening, writ Of habeas corpus
gg0a lad hu he If
Court Of Massachusetts, the return 10 which. dis.
closed that LaIimer was held in custody 'by virtue
OF two precepis." First, A warrant Of the PuIce
CnuH."In which he was charged as q fugitive from
justice. from the State Of VIrginia"-And second
Grays written appointment (hsretofore described)
OF The Jailor, Police Officer To Re his agent and in
that character, 10 retain LaIimer as his (Gray's)
slave.
Upon the hearing Of this case witnesses were
examined proving LaIimer TO be the properly Of Mr.
Gray and the Court composed of"all the Justices of
the Supreme Court" without giving any opinion |
upon the other point IN The case. decided, "haf La
mer was legally in custody Of Gray's agent"
During this trial. the Court House was surround.
cd BY large crowd, consisting almost entirely of
blac ks. who did not hesitate 70 give won't to their
feelings IN no measured language; and. "the return
Of Batmer 10 jail was attended with ricious proceed.
ing'," resulting in the arrest Of several persons
On the following day (the 2lsD LaIimer was car.
ried before the Police Court. and an examination
into the charge ofIelony. upon which
he had been arrested; bot upon an agreemenI be-
tween the aoFniss in the cnse That the question
WHISTLER or not he was fugitive slavs, should be
irE settled" the examination was postponed for ten
Jays, and Lsimer was admitted to bail in the sum
1i two hundred dollars AZ this admission 10 bail
night have raised q new question, 10 vii, who
Ihould have the custody Of George Loiimer ~ the
interval, aud The Supreme Court Of The Slate had
n ne decision before quoted, recognized Gray's
right 10 the slave, Mr. AUSTIN TO save ell trouble"
moved 10 dismiss the complaint againtt Laumer a.
| fuUifiva FINN matte. s.btrh -. - |