The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-19

freedom of Sh,Aesek alias PrAA4kek," Mr.
Wright sAid b. wa.lt, Y h 81 a. aoasy,
soeew givs y FIR ptls4 Ard sPaseiPf e
&& Go ~ tn wi Where
wtfs ytxr 1as4s1 W. 1Ilnt you use any
iae1.emt ~ cod ley your hands ONT If ]
had u1~M ihre. md had had pistols, you should
have M them to shoot them down with; or
would have used them myself. lie also rebuked
Mr. Riley for taking amy part in the proceed
ings, and Mr.. Riley ordered him out Of the
courtroom, but he did not go.
In the course Of the forenoon, the sherin OF
this State being prohibited from using the jaiis
for the detention OF fugitive slaves, under the
act of iSl3. Mr.. Riley sent a messenger to Com
modore Downes to know il he would detan
Shadrack in the navy yard, aud the Commodore
replied, that he was not authorized to use the
yard for such purpose. Having no other place
within his control, Mr.. Riley decided to retain
Shadrack in the court room. agreeing u uiio"
his counsel access 10 him. This was the state
of affairs inside about ten minutes before two
o'clock From the court room door on the out
side, down the stairs, and winding round to the
Northwest door Of the courthouse, and stand
ing into the street, was dense crowd OF col
ored people, and it was somewhat difficult to
work passage through them. About ten min
utes to two, the court room door was opened to
let out Charles &. Davis, one OF the counsel,
and Mr. Wright, and before it could be closed,
some of the colored people outside made fast to
il, aud held 1t open, while the others rushed into
the court ROOM, throwing down the officers who
were attempting to pull the door to, and made
for Shadrack.
Mr. Riley, who was jammed into the corner
near the door, called upon his assistants to resist
the rescuers, but their numbers were too great,
and they dragged Shadrack out in a few sec
onds One OF the asssta ts managed to get
hold Of the mnrshal's sword, but portion of the
rescuers Rugged him round the body, thus fas-
'teniug his arms, and the sword was dropped in
the struggle. A colored man carried the sword
into the street, where he gave it up to young
man, named Hosea, who was not aware that it
had been taken from the court. The rescuers
ran with Shadrack to Butolph street, and from
thence it is supposed that he was conveyed in
a cab over Cambrde bricge. The whole affair
did not occupy over five minutes
Having received the following affidavit made
by Mr.. Riley, in relation to what occurred, we
do not deem it necessary to go more into detail
rs TO the rescue, &c:
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Suffolk County.
|, Patrick Riley, of Boston, in the said county,
counsellor at law, having been duly sworn, de-
pose and say, that am, and have been, for four
teen years past the principal deputy OF the United
States marshal for the district OF Massachusetts :
That on Saturday morning, February 18th,
1851, about 30 minutes before o'clock, A. M,
was called upon at my residence, by Frederick
Warren, one of the U. S. deputy marshaIs, who
informed mo that there was n negro man, an al
lacaJ f,,o;tva Ia ho orraafad NJ O'cOrk who
was supposed to be at Tafrs Conhill Coffee
House, near the courthouse, and desired to
know where the negro should be put in case he
should be arrested before ! reached the Office;
that told him to place him in the United States
Court room--and that | would come to the Of
fee immediately-that came down almost i'm
mediately to the Office, where ] arrived shortly
after O'clock and there found MIR. Warren,
who informed me that the negro was unknown
to MIR. Sawin, special deputy marshal, to whom
the warrant WIS handed on the night previous,
as have been informed, though no notice OF IT
had been given to any occupant OF the marshal
oflice-and that the negro was unknown to any
one Of the marshal's deputies or assistants
that Mr. Warren Informed me that Mr.. Sawln
had gone to find the man who by prev GUS ar
rangement was to point out the negro, and who
had not saown himself as agreed-that re-
manned in the court, giving directions and max
ing preparations to secure the negro when ar
rested, and awaiting the return OF MIR. Sawin-
that saw him after ten o'clock, and he informed
me that he had seen the parties in interest, and
that il had been arranged not to attempt the ar
rest until II oclock--that | told him that il
should not be delayed one moment, and directed
hin to notify the man who was to point him
out to come insantly--ihat he left for that pur-
pose, and at ten minutes before returned, and
said that the parties were about Tafcs Coffee
House, and that the men engaged were also in
readiness in that neighborhood -that went i'm
mcdiately with Mr.. Warren, Mr.. John Ii. ley.
and the deputies, to the said coffee house, and
there found all our men. nine in number, sta
toned in and about the place-that there were
several negroes in and about the house, and
inquir d for the man who was to point out the
alleged fugitive, and was informed that he had
not arrived that Mr.. Warren and myself went
Immediately into the dining hall at the coffee
house, and to avoid suspicion, ordered some
coffee, and were waited upon by a negro, who
subsequently proved to be the alleged fugitive
that not hearing from our assistants, we took
our coffee, and rose TO go out and learn why We
had not heard from them-thlt the negro went
before US to the bar room, with the money to
pay for the coffee, and in the passage, b tween
the bar room and hail. Mr.. Sawin an Mr. Byrn,
came up, and each took the negro BY an arm
and walked him out of the back ssage way
through building between the COTE house and
the square beside the courthouse, to the court
room, as by me directed
That Immediately. willie he was entering
the courthouse went to the Office of the city
marshal, in the city hail. in the same square
with the courthouse, and there saw Mr.. Frrncis
Turkey, the city marshal, told him what had been
done, and stated that as there wond probably
be great crowd, his presence with the police
would be needed to preserve order, and keep
the peace in and about the court house, which
is owned by the city, and in which all the courts
Of the commonwealth for Suffolk county are
held. Tha. Mr.. 'Pukey stated that il should be
attended to,-that | told him that ] should no
tfy the may instantly, and proceeded up stair
TO the mayors Office, where found Hon. John
r. Bgelow, mayor of the city, and made the
same communication and request to him which