Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-02-22
THE FUGITIVE SLAVE CASE AT BOSTON.

We place on record the subjoined authentic mar
rative and official statements relating TO the arrest
and rescue at Boston, on Saturday last, Of fugitive
slave. which is now very generally attracting the
public attention:
FROM Bosros OTHER PAPERs
About the middle Of last week John Cuphart Of Norfolk
Virginia, 10 this city in pursuit Of one Shadrack Wink
ley. alleged fugitive slave, and the property Of JoHr De
BsEr, apurssr in the navy and aendedby SETH THonA
ESQ., counsel made his complaint agent and attorney
of the said owner before GEoReE T. CuRrIs, Esq, United
States Commissioner On Friday evening the following war
rant placed the hands of special marshal Sawin and
served Shadack offering resistance about half past eleven
Saturday forenoon, the Cornhi coeehouse, where
shadrack had been employed some months as waiter
UNITED sTATEs AMEaIcA Massachusetts district IS: To
the Marshal Of district Of Massachusetts, or either Of h'
deputies-greetng; Stt,s
These arc in the name Of the President of the United
States of Amerc command you, the said marshal or de-
puss and each Of you forthwith to aPprehend shadrack
now commont in Boston, in said district coored person,
who s alleged be fugitive from service labor, and who
has escaped from service labor in the State of Virginia. W
he may be found in your precinct and have him forthwith
before me- the commissioners Of the circuit court Of the
United States the Massachusetts, district at the courthouse
n Boston, aforesaid then and there to the complaint
Of John Cupha attorney Of John DeBree Of Norfolk in the
State of Virginia. alleging under oath that the said Shadack
service labor the said Dsree in the said State Of
Vgn and while held to service there under the laws Of
the said State Of Virginia. escaped into the State Of Massachu
aforesaid and praying fer the restoration of the said
Shadrack the said De Bee and then and there before
be dealt with according to law Hereof fail not and make
due return ofhis with your dongs thereon, before me-
Witness my hand and seal at Boston, in the said district
on this fourteenth day Of February the year of Lord
one thousand eight hundred and fifty
GEORGE T. CURTIS,
Commissioners Of the Circuit Court Of the United
States for Massachusetts district.
BosTos FEB 15 ls5l-In obedience 10 the warrant to
me directed have this day arrested the within named Shad
rack and now have him before the Commissioner within
named. P. RILEY, U. 8. deputy marshal.
The examination was held in the United States court
room and several depostons read the part Of the
complainant viz that of William Robertson, that be knew
Shadrack as slave of Mrs. Hutchins that he was after
wards sold shers sale to John Higgins, who subse-
queny sold him to John DeBree the present owner also
that Of John H. Higgins the last stated fact and that
William Marcus setting forth that he knew Shadack and
had him in Boston, where he stated that he had
away from Mr. DeBree and asked the deponent to carry
letter Virginia for him. In the application Of Cuphart fo
warrant stated that Shadack ran away from Norfolk
on the Sd of May, 1885,
There present. volunteer counsel for Shadrack g.
E. Sewel, Ellis G.. Lorng, Charles List Richard Morris
Richard H. Dana, r. and Charles G. Davis and they
had not had opportunity to examine the dispositions
other documents produced by the complainant and wer
therefore not satisfied Of their suciency, they asked for
posponemen and the Commissioner adjourned the frthe
hearing Of the matter until o'clock on Tuesday next ant
passed the following order.
UsITxD STATES OF AMERICA,
DIsTRIcT OF MASSACHUSETTS, FEB. Is, 1851.
And the hearing of this being adjourned Tues
day. the 18th day of February instant o'clock in tn
forenoon, the said deputy marshal who has made return
this warrant is hereby ordered to retain the said shadack
custody, and have him before at the time last mentioned
the house in Boston, for the further hearing of h
complaint in which this warrant is issued.
J GEO. T. CURTIS, Commissioner.
During the first part Of the hearing the court room wa
very much crowded. but Mr. Riley who had the management
Of the business succeeded in clearing the before wa
finished and when the arrangements for the posponemen
were concluded there only present few officers th
counsel parties, and some reporters, and the doors we
closed against all comes except such the officers were d
reced TO admit From half past twelve till few minutes
before two there was difficulty in the courtroom, excep
some alteration between Mr. Riley and Elizur Wright
the Commonwealth
In the course of the orenoon the sheriff of this State be-
ing prohibited from using the as for the detention of fusi
tive slaves, under the act Of ls43, Mr. Riley sent mes
senger to Commodore Downes, to know if he would de
tain Shadrack in the navy yard and the Commodore replied
that ne not authorized the yard for such
Having no other place within his control, Mr. Riley decided
to retain Shadack in the courtroom, agreeing TO allow hi
counsel access to him. This the state Of affairs inside
about ten minutes before two o'clock From the courtroom
door, on the outside down the stairs and winding round tc
the northwest door Of the Courthouse and standing into tb.
street. was dense crowd Of coloed people, and was
what difficult to work passage through them. About ter
minutes TO two, the courtroom door opened to let ou
Charles IT, Davis one OF the counsel, and Mr. Wright and
before could be closed OF the cooed people outside
made fast to it and held open while the others rushed into
the throwing down the ocers who were attempt
ing to pull the door to, and made for Shadrack.
Mr. Riley who ammed into the corner near the door
called upon his assistants to resist the rescuer their num-
bers were too great and they dragged Shasck out in few
seconds One OF the assistants managed get hold of the
marshas sword but portion of the rescues hugQed him
round the body thus fastening his arms and the sword
dropped in the strngee. coloed carried the sword
into the street, where be gave up young man named
Hosea, who not that it had been taken from the
court The rescuers with Shadrack to Butolph street.
and from thence supposed that he was conveyed in cab
Cambridge BRIDGE The whole affair did not occupy over
five minutes.
The following affidavit of Mr.. RILEY, the Depu.
ty Marshal, (his principal being absent in Wash
ngton gives fully the details relating to the rescue
Commonwealth Of Massachusetts, Suffolk County.
PATRIcK RILEY, of Boston, in the said county Coun
seo Law having been duly sworn depose and saw that
am and have been for fourteen years past the principal De-
putty Of the United States Marshal for the District of Massa
chusetts
That on Saturday morning, February l5th 1851 about
twenty minutes before o'clock, was called upon at
my residence by Frederick Warren, Of the u s. Deputy
Marsbals, who informed that there negro man. an
alleged fugitive, to be arrested at o'clock who suppos
ed to be at Tafs Cornhi Coffee House, the court.
house. and desired to know where the negro should be put
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