The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-08-10

Of paper called Chaplin's Portfolio, published at
Albany He has been for some time resident OF this
city. acting correspondent of his own paper and
perhaps doing other writing and attending TO other
business, as the means Of getting along. We un.
derstand he 10 an intelligent, cool. and determined
enthusiast, If these terms can be understood as
compatible
On Thursday night II was known by certain
portion Of the police that he was about to depart
from Washington on that night with some fugitive
slaves in carriage; and the route he was to take
was also known. Accordingly, while good look.
out was kept up here in the city, Captain God
dard, with officers Handy, Wollard, Jno. Davis,
and Cox, and Messrs. John Cook, Smithey, and
Richard Butts, took their position little beyond
| the District line, in Maryland, near the place of
| F. r. Blair, esq, about six miles from the city.
Here they quietly awaited until half-past eleven
O'Clock, when the sound of heavy carriage was
heard, and the voice of the merry driver who sang
cheerily as he passed over the road. This was the
object of their pursuit; and when il had come quite
| up to them, (the night being very dark and
cloudy,) Captain Goddard dexterousy pushed a
fence rail between the spokes of the hind wheels,
and at the same moment Smthey and Cox seized
! the brides Of the horses. An exclamation of sur
| prise from the inmates was instantly followed by
the discharge OF a pistol by the driver (Chaplin)
Mr.. SInithey, who held the near horse. General c.
piled his whip fercely, and his ne-sprited horses
would have bounded off had the wheels not been
| ''chocked." Officers Davis and Handy now pulled
General Chaplin from the drivers seat.
| During this operation the inmates of the carriage,
| two servant men Belonging TO the Hon. r. Toombs
and the Hon. A. Stephens, of Georgia, respect
ivey, were carrying on severe battle with the
beslegers around them, discharging no less than
eleven balls from revolvers of formidable cabre.
Nor were the rest of the outsiders idle. The night
as we have remarked, was very dark the half
| captured driver fought 10 the ast, only ceasing
when the last limb pnioned; and the fear of
shooting each other rendered the police in a mea-
sure powerless. They nevertheless returned shot
for shot as long as the firing from within was con-
tinued At one moment Captain Goddard APP
preached the carriage door, and pistol flashed
near enough to his face to scorch his left eyebrow
For this he returned two shots, both of which are
believed to have taken effect though not MORALLY
One of them lodged in the watch of the fighting
negro, who belongs to Mr.. Stephens the other
made flesh wound in the same Negroes back.
While this going on, one of the besieging
party stopped to undo the trace chains and dctach
the horses, and Mr. Toombs's man, having dis.
charged his last shot, leaped from the front of the
carriage upon this officers back, and bounded
from their midst, though not without injury as the
blood in his tracks eyinccd. He has not yet been
caught.
The capture was now complete and upon as
certalning the extent of the damages, all were
amazed that little was done. flesh wound in
the arm of Mr.. Butts, bullet hole through Mr. |
smithey's hat, singed eyebrow on the part of
Captain Goddard, and scratched face for Mr.. |
Cox, are all the disasters sustained by the captors
The cnptivcs Jared little worse. General Chap |
lin had his head bruised, MIR. Stephens man the
two wounds already described, and MIR. Toombss |
man has not reported himself to the surgeon The |
two captivcs were yesterday committed to prison /
by Captain Goddard, to await their trials; and il
is understood that in the State of Maryland General
C., after having atoned TO the laws of the District
will be required TO answer the charge of a murder
Gus assault. mulatto man, named Warner Har- |
ris, residing in the First Ward aso committed
to prison, as alder and abcttor in this transac.
ton.
The history Of this whole affair is rather long
one; but will try TO abridge it.
For several weeks the police had reason to be-
lieye that General VIM. l.. Chaplin lin councxion
with certain others) instrumental in running |
of the slaves periodically departing from this Dis
rict. The plan appeared 10 be, to take twoor three
at time in substantial carryall or carriage, am
always TO depart at night. They were to be con.
veyed by the most direct to Pennsy yania, by
the way Of Sandy Springs, in Maryland, where, il |
is said, day would be passed, and the Journey !
completed ON the second night.
A few days ago two. horse carriage Of peculiar
construction arrived in this city, and wss put up
at the stable Of smithey s Sheckles, on d street.
Suspicion was Immediately excited and the police
officers were constant in watching the carriage
n was lined hiatt Cen
eral Chaplin intended moving from the city on
Tuesday night, the 9th instant; and on that day
he paid the bill at the livery stable and the
risge driven of by Warner Harris, the free
mulatto man above spoken of. Harris moved
around the city, stopping at various places,
ull past 10 O'Clock, p. m, when, in The neighbor
hood Of a. and streets he took in the two negro
slaves above named; but, in his cagerncss TO reach
9Th street and start upon the long journey, per-
haps anxious 20 meet with chief confederate, he
ran against dray in the rear Of Browns hotel, and
instantly killed one Of the horses. Here the two
fugitive slaves we're seen TO escape from the car
rage. On this night party Of the police we're
ready for them, as on Thursday night but com
ing home disappointed, they learned the cause Of
tho failure.
On Thursday, a horse Of speed and mctle was
bought by Gen. C., who paid the stable bin again,
ala ~ 4" v Nipth luoFnlug harris AIONt oll
as before, and, taking circutous route 70 HE own
home. he put the carriage and horses up till even
ing. Toward night he brought them out, and re-
newcd his circuit, but, the object being well known
tho coach not molestod until the fitting time
agreed upon by Captain Goddard and bis force.
The Mayor Of the city yesterday questioned zen
cral Chaplin in the presence Of Captain Goddard,
and VIC understand that portion OF tho iuiorma
ton elected was, that between the National Fra, Of
this city, and himself there was no conncxion and
no sympathy; that nc had never approved Of the
Fra, and held TO nothing in common with il. II
was not, az We understood him 10 imply, ultra
enough for him. This has been generally under
stood; but quote his declarations here, be-
cause assertions 10 the contrary were yesterday
very generally made, aud because We believe the
truth can injure The evil grcvous enough
without tho influence Of unnecessary crimination1
and excitement
Yesterday. the carriage, immortalized by the
fray above described. stood at the corner OF - aud
Ninth streets, where il inspected by thousands
II persons. Il looked though it had been used
hrouf ,otttt ltc