The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1845-02-12
CASE oF Miss WERsTER.

ed of Slave stealing, and sent to the Kentucky
Penitentiary, is much commented on by the pa
pers of the non-slayeholding states, and as the
evidence upon whichsh was convicted, has been
called for by some of the Eastern editors, we
have thought propcrt to publish the following re-
port of the case Just received from a gentleman
at Lexington.-LouisUile Journal.
Special term of the Fdyctte Circuit court
Hon Richard A. Buckner, Jr, presiding. Tues
day, December II, 1874.
Commonwealth, Indictment for stealing
ps. negro boy Louis, the pro-
Della. A Webster, perty of Thomas Grant
81 Calvin Fairbanks & Co.
The case coming up for trial, in answer to the
question whether she was ready for trial, Miss
Webster responded in the affirmative, but de-
manded a separate trial on the ground that she
did not believe that she could receive q fair trial
iftried jointly with Fairbanks, because ifthe pre-
JUDGE existed against him, and Of certain evil
dence which she understood was to be produced
against him at the trial by which she believed her
cause would be injuriously affected. Having
made afhdayits to this effect the motion was gran
ted.
Fairbanks applied for q continuancc-was
sworn and stated that some of his most import
ant witnesses were absent, particularly a Mr.. Al
len of New York by whom he expected TO prove
that there were no negroes in company with him
on his journey to Maysville. Also that his coun-
sci, Johu M. McCalla; had lately left Lexington
and he had had no opportunity of employing 9TH
ers. The Court thereupon, appointed William
b. Kinkead as his counsel; and after some debate
granted his application and remanded him to
Jail.
Miss Webster was then arraigned and pleaded
not guilty.
Fer the Commonwealth-Mr. A. II. Robert
son Commonwealth attorney, assisted by Rich
ard Pindell, ESQ.
For the defonco-Messrs. M. G. johnson,
Combs, and Shy.
After some difficulty, a jury having been en-
pannelled, the Commonwealth commenced the
examination gifts witnesses, whose evidence was
as follows:
Miss Webster, for some months previous to her
arrest, taught SCHOOL, in Lexington, and boarded
with a Mrs. Glass. About the first of September
u man calling himself Fairbanks came to the
house and enquired for her; and was told she was
absent; stated that he wished very much to see
her for, although %entiIely unacquainted with her.
nc knew some Of her friends in Ohio. When
Miss W. came in, Fairbanks introduced himself
and Immediately desired a private conversation
with her. They retired to q separate room and
remained there together and alone for some time
AT Miss Webstors request, Mrs. Glass consent
ed to receive Mr.. Fairbanks as a boarder in her
house, and from that time, until q day or two
previous to her arrest, they held long conversa-
tons together, and seemed DESTROYS Of avoiding
observation. On Monday, the 23d of Scptem-
Der, Fairbanks called on PARKER Craig to inquire
if he could get a hack to 60 TO Maysyille Oh the
next Saturday. Craig told him he could. On
Wednesday he again called, to provide against
disappointment, On Saturday he came to Craig
and ordered the hack to be sent to Mrs. Glass's
where a young lady would join him. He asked
if he could get TO Paris that night, starting at
fire O'Clock. Craig told him he could. How long
it would take him togo to Maysyillo and return!
and was answered four days. lie then remark.
ed that he would start al five that evening, 90 tc
Paris that night, and Maysyi!le the next day, il
it was not too hard a drive. The hack called
agreeably construction at Mrs Glnss's, and Miss
Webster got into it with Fairbanks, stating to hel
landlady that she was q going TO spend her Sab
bath in Versailles with some triends;aQd would
return curly ON Monday morning. Instead Of
going directly to Paris as Fairbanks haffstated
he intended to do, it Yves proved. that,tbe hack
was at the hospital at SIX o'clock, and at the Bru.
en- House in Lexington AZ h1lf.past six, where z
truaks, both Of leathef, which FuiIrbanks had
left there some days before, were pluccdsupon it
The keeper Of the first turnpike gate on the
Maysville road proved that no hack passed The
gate that evening before nine or ten O'clock, Sc
that they could not have left Lexington before
h~alf-past eight or nine. The same night that
these transactions are proved to have taken place
Louis, the slave named in the Indictment, the
property Of Messfs. Grant and Baxter, escaped
together with his wife and child the property Of
Mr.. Balm. The next thing heard of Fairbanks
and Webster is # from the tavern keeper at Wash
ington, four miles OH this side of the Ohio; he
says that a hack passed that place on Sunday
morning driving rapidly with the curtains down
that on Monday morning about | o'clock, he was
aroused by the return of the same hack, out OF
which came Fairbanks and the prisoner; there
were two leather trunks on the hack as they went
down, but none as they returned; the horses
were very much f%utigued; they remained at his
house some two or three hours, when he (tho tav.
ern keeper) vent out of the room to see about
the horses, leaving Miss Webster and Fairbanks
alone when he returned the door was locked anC
remained SO till about four in the morning. whcr
they came out to start, there was no bed in the
room; Mr.. Music (the tavern keeper thinking
that they were a runaway couple, laughed al
them a little about it, but they neither acknowl
edged nor denied such to be the fact.
On Sunday morning early Mr.. Balm found thai
his servants (the wife and child of Louis) had alb
seconded, taking with themtwo leather trunks he
proceeded to inquire what hacks had left town
and Craig hearing of it, Immediately suspected
that they had gone ofin his hack with Fairbanks
Traces of hack-wheels were found in the street