The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-11-22
The Late Fugitive Slave Excitement In
Boston.
STATEMENT OF ONE oF TnE Parties ARRESTED OF
THE wHsIE PROCEEDINGS.
From the Macon ga Journal and Neesugerl

| MEssRs EDITons-As many incorrect and con-
Trajectory repoTts are in circulation in regard to The
wait of Mr. Willis Ii. Hughes TO Be ton, for the
| purpose OF recapturing William and Ellen Craft,
The negroes belonging to DE-. Collins aud Ira Tay-
Tor, beg You to give place 70 the subjointd simple
narrative of facts IL Is given from recollection
| bur am willing to make affidavit of its correct
\ mess Oh course, il does not contain statement of
| everything which traBsprrd; but 1t does contain
| everything which is AT all important
| The statements which have been copied in this
ciiy and IN the South generally, by certain class
| OF papers, are taken from the Boston Chr0n,typc,
and other abolition prinis, and gross misregre
seDIanons of facts, and entirely unworthy of any
confidence
We left Macon for the purpose of purchasing
machinery for the ESTABLISHING AT Of a bucket fac
tory end variety works in this city | did not
even know that Mr. Hughes was entrusted with
the recovery Of The slaves, until after arrived
al New York, when he asked me to identity the
We left Macon on Friday, October IL arrived in
New York on Tuesday following Remained there
u Friday, 5 p NJ, and arrived al Boston next
mo mug Keep snil on Saturday and Sunday.
On Monday ! attended to buyiog machinery
MIR iiuebts applied 10 Judge Woo tbury for
warrant. The Judge would not issue it; said it
was he business Of the commissioners.
Mr.. Hughes APPLIED TO three separate commits
siorers, who sent him from one TO another. The
last one refused. until he could get all the CON-
nIssioIers and Judges together.
In this way the matter deferred until Thurs
day nghr, when the meeting of commissioners
was held AT this meeting, our business and the
names of the parties for whom the warrant was
| demanded, leaked out.
| ! went 10 see Graft on Tuesday, and had long
| conversation with him He said that Ellen was
| anxious 10 return South, and would do if shs
| could get funds and an opportunity; desired me to
| bTiDg letter 10 Ellen's mother | agreed to go
back neHt morning TO get the letter, If did not go
| 10 Worcester
WEDNESDAY, Went to Worcester and returned;
| found ire letter at The hotel.
InuRsDA, MORNING Saw Graft. He told me
MAI Ellen had been 10 see ME at his shop on
WEDNESDAY. wrote no letter TO Graft. The one
PUBLISH, was a forgery. The day the letter pur-
ports 10 have been written, | was in Worcester
FRIDAY MORNING. Judge Woodbury. issued the
waiTant about nine o'clock, in open court.
was AT ence known, and the negroes and aboli-
tionisls began 10 assemble about the Cour House,
aEd watch u.s. Every few minutes negro LAWYER
would peep into the Mashals Office to see wha,
| WIS goirg on-yarrant placed in Marshars hands
Immediately. The excitement became great
| nothing was done-Marshal said if he could be
| convinced that Craft was in Cambridge street, he
| would so and arrest him-seemed tiinid and in
| clrped 10 back ont.
SATtBDAY-Were both arrested for SANDER: for
| calling Craft slave-were taken To Deputy Sheriff
| Rugs ofhce-obtained bail for $4,000 each AT
| oncc, from Messrs. Riley IL Freeman, and Thayer
| y Co No great excitement.
| AFTERNOON Negroes in large numbers around
| tie Unil,d States Hotel changed my hat ixed
smoug them, and talked with them. They said
that Knight Was in jail, and they were after Hughes
| SUNDAY Went 10 Charlestown, and about the
city all day--no sign o. any disturbance.
MONDAY We were again arrested on charge
OF attempting TO kidnap Craft and wife-carried 10
Court square, 20 Deputy Corbin's effective thou
send persons present One thousand five hundred
negroes and five hundred whites of the lowest or.
der. Gave bonds in ten thousand dollars each.
signed by Messrs Riley, Willis, and others, be,
liev,--ciowd inthe Office very grest-oiiicer scot
| for cerfiage--efi office 10 go into H. Mr. Hughes
cot IN The crowd rushed upon 1t, so that could
not roach it--they hisssd ne; called hlood-
| HOUNDS, &c, apparently for the purpose of ex.
citing ne TO some act Of yiolence-some Of them
seized upon the horses and attempted to open
| the door--Mr H., who was in the carriage, laughed
| at them, and msde sport Of them.
| The driver was not instructed where 10 go, and,
| being greatly alarmed left for Cambridge. When
| he reached The bridge, Mr. Hughes anew where ne
was, and ordered him to carry him back to the
| hotel The driver turned, but meeting the crowd
refused TO go further. Mr Hughes then left the
carrisee and procured buggy and driver, and re-
turned to the ho;el-some OF the negroes came up
TO him. He ordered them TO keep OH They said
they did not wish TO hurt him; but only to let the
people know that he was n slavehunter.
remained in the office half an hour, and left in
cab-the mob hissing and pulling my coat, call
ing me saye-hunter, Bloodhound, ne; but was
resolved to resent no insult. that ryas plainly
| what they wanted me to do. One negro followed
| TO the hotel. but did not come near me.
| MONDAY AFTERNooN.-Grea at crowd at hotel-ne-
| groes ouiside-whites came into the parlors and
passages AT half-past hive o'clock other warrants
were issued against us for slanderng Ellen Graft
| and injuring her business Gave bond, each, for
$40, 900, at the hotel, Messrs Riley, Thayer & Co
Willis, and others, tigning for us Understood
great crowd was assembled at Court Square. for
the purpose Of mobbnq us-efficer Corbin wished
10 carry US there. The mob had been collected
by the handbills which had been placed about the
| streets
| Tbai night great crowd came TO the hotel to
| see us-Mr. Hughes was not WE'LL went down,
| sat in the parlor, and conversed with them, an.
swerlng many questions in regard to the Crafts,
/ and the treatment Of slaves generally.
| Was no little amused at some, the more honest
| but deluded, who actually seemed to think that
| our negroes were chained every night, after they
| finished WORK, and fed upon cotton seed, &c.
| TUEsDAY-Commftee Of one hundred (whie
men) waited On the proprieiors Of the house, re-
curing them To TO turn Us out, and ordering US to
leave; This was peremptorily refused by both us
| Noon Committee Of sixteen called saving that
| II we did not leave instantly would be mobbed
Were not in-but landlord answered for us, and by
our authority given in the morning, that we would
not leave I'LL we were ready.
EVENING COMMITTEE Of (white) ladies' called
sent cards TO room and desired to see us. We were
not in, and, OF course were deprived OF the mex
pressibe pleasure Of seeing them.
AT NlGHr.-Mr. Hughes, not very well, re-
named in bis room. went down stairs again,
ard remained in the parlor, "a ON the night before.
Among the crowd were many polite gentlemen,
who appeared 10 be gratifying their curiosity; the
greater mass, however, were abolitionsts.
WRpNEsDAY.-Very early Rev. Theodore Par
s,i cspe 10 our room, followed by fifty or sixty
persons, greatly ey6.ssa said he had suppressed
mob twice came az a ChIistian--asa servant OF
the Lord and friend to request us TO leave ma
city instenty not TO wait for the cars, but to take
carTiape--did not think he could suppress the
mob eBy longer We refused-told him that we
should treat their committees with perfect con-
tempt-would leave when the mob dspe rsed and
our convenience suited, but not before
During the day passed freely about the nty-al
was quiet. In the evening came TO New York by
advice az coHnsel, In order TO get further insruc
tons, and 10 allow the excitement 10 die away.
During this time Craft and wife were reported 10
US to be locked no in the house OF white man,
whose naine forget
From oil saw, and heard, and experienced,
while in Boston, am convinced that bic opinion
there, IN regard to the Fugitive Slave law IL I'M
dergoing change. IL is true, the abolionists
snd negroes ere very numerous, and apparently
have things very much their own way al present.
The business men, and men Of property with whom
have conversed, generally took but little interest
In The matter: but said that the law ON Chi 10 he