Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-07-11
Fugitive Slave Case.

Fugitive Slave Case.
The Constitutions and Laps Vindicafed.
The following is copied from the Indiana
State Journal THE 18th ult:
IMPORTANT DEcIsIoN.-The suit of John
Norris, of Boone county, Kentucky, vs.
Leander B. Newton, E. B. Croker and
seven others, for the recovery Of damages
for aiding ard abetting the escape of slaves,
after more than a weeks investigation be-
fore the Circuit Court of the United States,
wus determined on "Wednesday last in favor
of the plaintiff A verdict of fpo thousand
eight hundred and ffiy-siz dollars was Civ
en- by the jury, as the value of the slaves
and other damages, against the defendants.
The suit has elected considerable inter-
est, and was decided mainly under decis-
ion of the Supreme Court of the United
States in the case ofPrigg, where the Court
takes the ground that the owner of slave
has the right, under the constitution and
act of Congress, to capture his property in
a free State, and take it thence without
going before State court and obtaining a
certificate.
On this trial it was proved that four ne
groes, claimed by Norris, were captured in
the State of Michigan. They had abscond-
ed from their master in Boone county, Kv.
in October, 1916. That he Immediately,
on the next morning after their escape, went
in pursuit Of them. He proved by two or
three witnesses that he was their owner, and
had been for number Of years. After
lot. 4
two months he abandoned the pursuit.
He traced them as far as Laurel, in Frank
lin county, but could then obtain no further
information as to the route they had TAKEN
Last fall he received information that they
had fled to Michigan. and settled in neigh
borhood in Cass county, where it is esti-
mated by witnesses that about one thousand
negroes reside. lie took some FIVE or six
persons with him, and, in the night, cap
tured his negroes in Michigan, and immedi-
ately proceeded on his journey homeward to
Kentucky. After proceeding through South
Bend, and at distance of a mile and half
from the town, Norris and his party stopped
on the roadside for refreshments. While
there party came from South Bend, ac-
companied by the deputy sheriff of the
county, and made an arrest, under a writ of
habeas corpus. Norris and his party re-
turned with the negroes to South Bend,
and trial was had before the Judge of the
probate court Of st. Joseph county. Nor
ris made return of the writ ofhabeas cor
pus, under oath, stating tina. the negroes
were his property, and that he was taking
them to his residence in Boone county,
,vbon~a he had oSr,na1 TIE t-,,st <c az.
return was admitted by Crocker, who ap-
peared in behalf of the negroes, but who
filed a demurrer, claiming the liberation of
the slaves on the ground that they were
captured in Michigan, and there was no
certificate of the right of ownership having
been proven in that State. The Judge, de-
Gliding that this was necessary, liberated the
negroes. Norris, anticipating this decision,
had procured writ, to take the negroes.
from the clerk of the circuit court, and as
soon as the decision was pronounced, at
tempted to take them, when scene great
confusion ensued. After considerable ex-
citement the negroes were taken to the Jail
Of the county BY the sheriff for safe-keeping.
Several criminal suits were then ins:itu-
ted against the Kentucky party. which it
was alleged by the plaintiffs counsel were
for the purpose of aiding in the ultimate
rescue of the negroes. The negroes were
demanded Of the sheriff by Norris; but he
was refused possession, as in the mean time
second writ Of habeas corpus had been is
sned, on which the negroes were, in the
end discharged, Norris not appearing on the
second trial. The first trial was had on
| FRIDAY afternoon. and the negroes were