Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-08-24
An Important Case.


A SERIOUS CAsE.--An affair was brought |
TO light in our city yesterday to which much !
attention was attracted The principal ac-
tor in il is General Chaplin, of New York,
gentleman of fifty or sixty years oil age,
somewhat widely known ms the editor OF
paper called Chaplin'S Portfolio, publisfeda at
Albany. lie has been for some time a resi-
dent Of this city, acting as correspondent OF
his own paper, and perhaps doing other
writings and attending TO other business, as
the means of getting along. We understand
he is an intelligent, cool, and determined
enthusiast, if these terms can be understood
as compatible.
On Thursday night ii was known by
certain portion of tho police that he was
about TO depart from Washington on that
night with some fugitive slaves in carriage;
and the route he was 10 take was also known.
Accordingly, while a good look out was
kept up here in the city, Capt Goddnrt, with
officers Handy, Woll0r,l, Jno. Davis, and
Cox, and Messrs. John Cook, Smitbey, and
Richard Butts. took their position little be-
yond the District line, in Maryland, near tho
place of F. r. Blair, esq, about six miles
from the city. Here they quietly awaited
until halfpast eleven o'clock, when tho
sound Of a heavy carriage was heard, aud
| lIlc VOICE OF lnt IltIll UiNtI WIZ S'Ilb
cheerily as he passed over the road This
was the object of their pursuit; and when it
had come quite up to them (the night being
very dark and cloudy,) Captain Goddard
dexterously pushed fence rail between
the spokes of the hind wheels, and at the
same moment Smithcy and Cox seized the
brides of the horses. An exclamation of
surprise by the inmates was instantly follow
cd by the discharge of pistol by the driver,
| (Chaplin,) which, as is believed, sent a ball
through the hat of Mr. Smthey, who held
the near horse. General G. piled his whip
liercely, and his fne-spirited 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. II. Toombs and the Hon. A. Stephens,
! of Georgia, respectively, were carrying on u
severe battle with the besiegers around
them, discharging no less than eleven ba lis
from rcvolvers of formidable cAlibrc. Nor
were the rest of the outsiders idle. The
night, as we have remarked, was very dark
the hallcaptured driver fought TO the last,
only ceasng when the last limb was pinion-
cd and the fear of shooting each other,
rendering the police in measure power
less. They nevertheless returned shot for
shot as long as the firing from within was
continued. AT one moment Capt. Goddard
approached 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 mortally. One Of
them lodged in tho watch of the fighting nsi
gro, who belongs to Mr.. Stephens; the 9th
er made flesh wound in the same negro;
back
While this was going on, one Of the be
sieging party stopped TO undo the trac,
chains and detatch the horses, and Mr.
Toombs' man, having discharged his las
n shot, leaped from the front of the carriag'
upon this officers back, and bounded from
: their midst, though not without injury al
the blood in his tracks evinccd. lie has no
r yet been caught.
t The capture was now complete; and up
, on ascertnining the extent of the damages
3 all were amazed that SO little was done.
: flesh wound in the arm of Mr.. Butt,
Q bullet hole through Mr.. Smitheys hat,
a snged eyebrow on the part OF Captain
: Goddard, and scratched face for Mr.. Con
D are all the disasters sustained by the captors
= The captives fared little worse. Genera
a Chaplin had his head bruised, MIR. Stephen.
: man the two wounds already described, an
n MIR. Toombs' man has not reported hinsel
! to the surgeon. The two captyes wer
! yesterday committed TO prison by Captain
d Goddard, TO await their trials; and it is un
: derstood that in the State of Maryland Gene
= ernl c., after having atoned to the laws
n the District, will be required TO answer III
IS charge of murderous assault. A mulatt
| paO,aA NVarnar Iarr,S -, 81,
If First Ward, was also committed to prisol
It as an alder and abettor in this transaction
T. The history of this whole affair is rathC
4 a long one but we will try to abridge it.
% For several weeks the police had reaso
;! TO believe that General w. l.. Chaplin Il
is connexion with several others) was instr
% mental in running off the slaves periodical
n departing from this District. The plan al
le pears to be, 10 tuke two or three ut a time
at a substantial carryal or carriage, and alwa,
depart at night They were to be conveyt
q by the most direct route TO Pennsylvania |
ID the way of Sandy Springs, in Marylan
y where, II is said, day would be passed, AZ
at the journey completed on the second night
Ut A few days ago two-horse carriage of
10 peculiar construction arrived in this city, al
T. was put up at the stable of Smithey an
III Sheckles, on ID Street. Suspicion was in
D. mediately excited, and the police office
is were constant in watching the carriage au
3 its owner. 1t was soon ascertained TN
1t General Chaplin intended moving from ii
4 city on Tuesday night, the 9Th instant; an
70 on that day he paid the bill at the livery ST
l. BILE, and the carriage was driven off'byWarl
70 er Harris, the free mulatto man before spoil
70 en- of Harris moved around the city, sto
70 ing at various places, till past To- O'clock
=, NJ, when, in the neighborhood Of A l-2 AT
a @ street, he took in the two negro slav
ID above named; but, in his eagerness to rea,
rs 9TH street and start upon the long journey,
y, perhaps anxious TO meet with chief co
~ iederate, he ran against dray in the rear
y. Browns hotel, and instantly killed one of d
M horses Here the two fugitive slaves we
pt' seen TO escape from the carriage. On Il
"a night party of the police We're ready
IN them, as on Thursday night, but on com
ye home disappointed, they learned the eau
q I<c IL. r.. |