Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-05-29
UNITED STATES CIRCUIT COURT.
FRIDAY, MAY %, 1915.
Vaughan rs. Williams.

IhiDAts 4nAi ~oy lJ1c
Vaughan rs. Williams.
Debt for the rescue of Sldres-donages $500 90.
The above case came on for trial on Wednesday
last before the court and jury, Judges Mclean and
Huntington presiding and for the following report
of which, we are indebted to our friend Johns. Red
Esqr-
The great slave case Of Vaughan VS.. Williams
decided to-day in the above court and as your read
ers may be anxious to have outline of the facts
lating thereto, hastily scroll you down the fllow-
ing:
In the fall of the year 1875, one Upton, citizen
of Kentucky, owning three slayes-a man, woman,
and child, came 10 Illinois, and settle in Warren
county During the time he was there in the winter
following, and in the spring Of 1886, he built himself
house, and cleared certain lot of land-about 80
acres-part Of which done by the aid and a>s.s-
lance Of the slave SAM which was the name of one Of
the negroes ALSO Upton was assisted BY his sons
who had previously settled in the State and beside
whose farm, that Of their father; the negro wo-
worked in the house, and was understood by the
ncighbors TO be the wife Of sam; the child girl,
was their child.
In the spring of 1896 the peighbors of Upton hav-
ing limited to the negroes that they were free, of
which he heard, sometims in April same year, he
took them in covered wagon TO Missouri, and there
sold them as slaves The man who bought them
from Upton, sold them TO the plaintiff for about
81 100. This was soon after their arrival in Mis-
souri,. In 1897 they escaped and came to the State
Of Indiana, and resided in Hamilton county a
small farm bought for them by the kindness Of some
friends-until the time of their recapture which
sometime in lS43 or 1914. The old negro man is
about 80, the woman about 80, and the girl about
years of age. Sometime in 1913 or AZ, armed with
writ from Missouri, and warrant from this State,
the plaintiff attempted TO arrest the negroes in their
cabin under night but prevented until the morn
ing when the neghbors, alarmed with the cries pro-
ceeding from the cabin, focked in their aid, anC
the defendant with Others refused to allow the plain
tiff to carry off the negroes by force. An investga
ton was demanded and agreed to, but while on tbs
way the Justices Office the negroes escaped by the
aid aud assistance Of the defendant and the crowd.
The action was brought to recover damages o
$500, recoverable under the act of Congress, agans
any person aiding abetting the escape of fngitiye
from labor when arrested by their owner The cas-
was ably conducted by MeSsrs. Wick and Barbour
and o. H. Smith, for the plaintiff and Messrs. Brad
ley and Quarles and Judge Stephens, for the defen
dant.
Judge Mclean after summing up the evidence in
very able manner, charged the jury the law il
the case, who after short retirement, found yer
dict for the defendant which was in strict accordance
with the charge of the court. The trial lasted tw
days and half, and created great excitement.
By the above decision, the following point is set
tied in this State, viz
That slaves brought into free State by their own
er, he becoming resident or citizen thereof, an,
using them his servants, free, and any subse
quent sale of them In a slavebolding State is void
and in the event of their escaping afterwards to fire.
State, they cannot be recaptured as slaves.