Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-04-24
THE KIDNAPPERS.

The following letter is being circulated in
Kentucky, and first appeared in the Frankfort
Commonwealth. Virginia can kidnap with
IMMUNITY, the citizens of Ohio, and we think
it not unlikely that Kentucky will see that
the kidnappers she employed, are suffered to
60 unpublished. The idea of Ohio Justices
and Constables appealing to the citizens Of
another State for protection, is decidedly rich .
COLUMBUS, o., March 81, 1916.
"Sir-On the 9th inst, a man by the
nam of A. G. Forbes, came to my office and
presented to me a power Of attorney, wherein
he was made an authorized agent 10 arrest a
certain fugitive from labor, a negro man by
the name of Jerry, or Jerry Finney, who
appeared by said power of attorney to be the
property of one Bethsheba D. Long, Of the
town Of Frankfort, franklin county, Ken
lucky. Said power of attorney was witnessed
by a Mr.. Long and a Mr.. Rennick, and also
certified by the Clerk of the Court, Mr..
Rennick, and had on it also the sell of the
county, and was also certified by Mr.. Win
gate, Justice Of the Peace and Presiding
Judge of the Court. On the evening of the
9TH of March, said negro man, Jerry Finney,
came into my Office, and was arrested while
there by A. G.. Forbes, who took a solemn
oath that the said Jerry. then present, was
the same fugitive named in the power of
attorney, and that the said power of attorney,
was a true and lawful instrument, and that
the said Bethsheba D. Long, was the legal
owner Of said slave. took his affidavit, to
which he was qualified, and he subscribed
his name, which satisfied me that the said
Jerry, or Jerry Finney, was a fugitive slave,
and gave the said A. G. Forbes a certificate
10 that effect; and he conveyed the said
slave off from here, 10 take him. as he said,
to his mistress, in Frankfort, Kentucky.
"On the following morning there was a
great excitement in the city of Columbus,
and a rumor was spread abroad that a free
black man wac Kidnapped, and the Governor
Of this State, issued a warrant and a number
pursued A. G. Forbes.
About ten o'clock Of said day, there was
a warrant issued for myself, brother Henry
d.. and David A. Potter, on a charge Of aiding
and assisting in said kidnapping; and we
were arrested and examined on such charge
and required to give bail for our appearance
in the sum of $500, each, which we were
not able to do in consequence of the great
excitement, and we were lodged in the Jail Of
the county, 10 await our trial at the next term
of the Court of Common Pleas, on the 2sth
day of April next.
MY reason for addressing you is, that a
a young man, by the name of John Steven
son, Informed me, after Forbes left, that Forbes
told him, that he was going to take Jerry
right to YOU, and that you were to have him.
We were arrested on the affidavit of said
Stevenson, as | understand for he appeared
against us, and has since ran away.
81 wish you, as a friend, to ascertain Il
the power of attorney, presented to me by
said Forbes, is a lawful and true one, and il
the said Jerry Finney is a slave or not; fol-
il he is not, It will go very hard with us and
is perjury on the said Forbes, in consequence
of the affidavit he filed with me.
"And to you, Kentuckians, | appeal fo
redress for the severe treatment we havt
received in consequence Of the seizure anC
conveying of of a slave, as | verify and sol