The southern press., 1850-11-04
From the Albany Dailv STATE Register.

A bloody murder story has been going the
rounds OF the papers, originating with the Syra-
cuse Journal, representing that Il colored family
on board a canal boat had their fears so PLAYED
upon by the crew, who told them their master
was after them that the man cut his throat and
Jumped overheard, the woman followed suit,
with her child in her arms, which was drowned.
ana the parents with great difficulty rescued
! we RETAINED from copying the sory, successive
chapters OF which, garnished with capitals, oe-
euped the Journal for several days, because.
knowing that the editor expected to 90 TO Con.
gress on the Fugitive Slave law excitement. we
suspected it might be a Morgan" The Roches-
ter American publishes the following:
Capt. Webster and Mr. CoweIl called ON =.
on Saturday apd made statement differing es-
sentally from the accounts published i'm resnect
to the transaction. They say that the coInrad
man, his wife and child came on board at Scban
ectady. There were quite a number Of other
colored passengers in the boat. The man in
question was observed to have bottle of whis-
key from which he continued to drink freely.
The boats crew heard repeated alterations
among the colored men, and particularly betwee en-
this one and mulatto named George, in which
the subject OF slavery appeared prominent.
The cap ain and Mr. Cowei positively deny
that they or any other person belonging to the
lnterfered In these disputes, or in any manner
threatened, frightened or annoyed any colored
person on board When the boat reached Mo-
hawk, twelve miles east OF Utica, in, the middle
OF the night. the wife of the man in question
Jumped into the canal from the nidship, where
she ana her husband were. The boat imme
dately stopped, and the woman having gone on
shore, was taken on board Her husband. who
appeared to be stupifed with LIQUOR, was called
upon to assist in looking for his child, which had
fallen from its mothers arms in the canal. but
refused, saying he could do nothing. Oncoming
into the boat, the wife said she was induced TO
jump overheard by her husband, who promised
to follow. The other colored passengers cor
rotated the womans story. Every effort to
rescue the child or find its body failed, owino To
the darkness OF the night, although the boat
stopped an hour for that purpose. y /.
Nothing further occurred until the boat ar.
rived at Oriskany, about thirteen miles west Of
Utica, at noon on Monday, twelve hours after
the woman jumped overheard, the man cut his
throat with razor, badly, but not fatally, as he
lay on his bed amidships. He was immediately.
attended to, and lay there till the next mornng
At Rome, Capt w. made an effort to leave him
in care OF the Oyerseer of the Poor, who de.
clined to take charge OF him. When the boat
reached New Boston, he jumped out on the
tow path and walked ahead, soon going out of
sight. Some three miles east of Syracuse, the
boat overlook him. He was sitting on the bank
and declined to get on board. The boat stopped
at Syracuse two or three hours, during which
the captain told a number of persons about his
situation, with view that he should be cared
for He also endeavored to induce the wife TO-
go back to her husband, offering her the passage
ticket, which was not destroyed as has been
stated, but she refused. Capt w. understands
that the man was sent after by citizens of Syra-
cuse, and brought to that city. A colored cler.
gynan from that place followed the boat which
he overlook at Montezuma and took back the
woman. Upon her representations, warrant
was issued, and the arrest made, which resulted
as above stated .a H,s., .es III. -,