Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-10-22
The Fugitive Slave Case,

Line FHglllNG Slave Ease,
The following letter needs no comment. 1t
is Just what we should expect from this kidnap-
ping captain He said, in letter in defence of
himself to a Boston paper, that he Sacrificed
his feelings Of humanity and private principles
in his efforts to recapture and send back to bon
dage the poor fellow Joseph. We see by this
letter how much humanity and principle he had
to sacrifice
From the New Orleans Picayune.
The Case Of Capt. Hannum.-W have great
pleasure in complying with the wishes of Capt.
Hannum, of the Brig Ottoman, by laying his
letter before our readers:
BosToN, Sept IL, 1916.
TO the Editors Of the Picayunc.-In my own
native city, refugee from the fury Of the aboIi-
tionists, address you on grave subject, tho
it has placed me in the midst of many comicaI
and ludicrous scene
| cleared a: your port on the 9th, and sailed
on the 10th, in command of the brig Ottoman,
for Boston. Seven days out, mulatto slave
was found secreted in the fore-peak; | kept
lookout at the mast head, in the hope of finding
some vessel by which we could send him back,
but unfortunately did not succeed kept on my
way, and arrived off Boston Light at two in the
morning of the 7th Here | placed the runa-
way on board pilot boat for safe-keeping until
a, A. M, the next day, when | arrived in town
according to agreement and took the darkey IN
my boat which contained beside myself, a trusty
friend, boy of 10, and a boatman. Agreeably
to arrangements in town, | was to await the bark
Niagara, to sail next day for New Orleans
That night an easterIy gale commenced, and
next day no Niagara came. Unable to weather
it any longer in the lower harbor, | kept her a.
way for Spectacle Island There, as i'll luck
would have it, while taking ga drop of consoa-
ton" at the hotel, the negro gave me the slip,
and with the boat made sail for South Boston
Point; post haste we followed in another boat
but he landed about ten minutes ahead. We
took after him through cornhelds and over fen
ces, till finally, after chase of two miles, Sc
cured him just as he reached the bridge Ac-
cusng him of theft, | marched him, arm in arm,
towards the Point, followed by crowd of men
and toys friend came up with team, when
drove to the Point and we took to our boats
and were off
The news Of the escape and capture spread
through the city-officers were dispatched in all
drections-$l00 reward was offered for the
'bidnapper captain and pirate boat Warren
That night we lay at anchor under Lovell's ISL
and-the eastery blow continued-we dared not
venture farther out. Next morning our case
was desperate Out of water and provisions, |
beat down to the outer Island in the harbor,
IAN uninhabted pile of barren rocks,) landed
with the darkey and boy, and sent my compan-
ions to town for supplies and another boat, while
we remained hid in the gulies of the rocks
They returned at night with the "Venson, the
fastest saIer in the bay, and took us of, So
holly were they pursued in town, that the only
refreshments they were able to obtain were gin
and crackers and on these we subssted during
the remainder of the expedition We now stood
for sea- and waited for the Niagara till 2, P. Nj.
the next day, Ghe l2th,) when she came out in
tow of steamer. | put him on board as the
steamer left, giving captain Rea letters explana-
tory Of the whole affair No sooner had left
the bark than discovered steamer making di-
rectly for u.s. Knowing she could chase but
one, steered a course opposite to the Niagara,
till the steamer came up and ordered me to
heave to; this, for some time, | refused to do,
wishing to delay them as long as possible, in or
der to give the Niagara chance to get clear.
Bayonets gstened in all parts of the boat; dark
les were there, of every hue, crying out "run
him down, fire into him. &c. After this was
hushed, and had brought them to terms of CT
Witty, hove to and received on board two off,
GERS, who examined the craft; not finding the
object of their search they went on board the
steamer and put off for the other bark but they
had wasted too much time with me-the Nigga
ra was we'll out to sea, with fine breeze. The
abolitonists after chasing her few miles, be-
came sea-sck and commenced casting up their
accounts; the balance were in favor of returning
home, and back they went, to wreak their venge-
ance on your humble servant; humble enough,
God knows though elevated to garrett life.
Stgmatized as slave stealer at the south,
and branded as kidnapper at the north, my
situation is anything but enviahle The jour