Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1851-01-04

"A |
OF that city, who was engaged ia til
recent effort to reeapture the slave Graf
: in Boston The narrative will be rea
! with interest:
MACON, "a. Nov II, 1860.
N!HssRs. EptToas.-As many incorrce
and contradictory reports are in circulation
in regard to the visit of Mr.. Willis II
Hughes to Boston, for the purpose. of re-
capturing William and Ellen Craft-th,
negrocs belonging to Dr.. Collins and Ii,
Iayiof-l beg you 10 give place to til,
sublolned narrative of facts. It is pivcl
from recollection, but / am willing tc
make affidavit of its correctness. @
course it does not coutain a statement O
every thing which transpired but il does
contain every thing which is ut all i'm
portant
The hestatements which have been copied
ii this city and i'll the South. generally, ly
1 certain ctasa OF papers, are taken from
the Boston Chronotype, and other aboli.
ton prints. and arc gross inisrepre senta.
tons OF facts, and untrely unworthy OF
any confidence.
| We left Macon for the purpose of
purchasing machinery for the establish
lnent Of a Bucket Factory and Variety
| Works in this city. | did not even know
that Mr. Hughes was entrusted with the
recovery OF the slaves until after we arriv.
"a at New York, when he asked me to
| identify the negroes.
We left Macon Friday, October 1th--.
arrived at New York Tuesday following ;
remained there till Friday, s P. NJ, and
arrived at Boston next morning. Kept
still on Saturday and Sunday,
Ga Monday ! attended to buying ma
chinery. Mr. Hughes applied to Judge
Woodbury. for warrant. The Judge
would not issue it said it was the business
Of the commissioner.
Mr.. Hughes rpplied to three seperate
commissioners, who sent him fronl one
to another The last one refused u,i;ig liz
could get all the commissioners aud Judges
together.
In this way the matter was deferred
until Thursday night, when the meeting
OF commissioners was held At this
meeting our business and the names of
the parties for which the warrant was de-
mandei leaked out.
went to sec Craft oil Tuesday had
n long conversation with him He said
that Ellen was anxious to return South.
and would do so if she could get funds
aud an opportunity; desired me to hring a
letter to Elen's mother / agreed TO go
back the next morning and get the letter
il | did not go to Worcester.
Uedaesaay--Went to Worcester and
returned. Ennl,l thts l-..--. u =
Thursday Wor1t5ag.--Saw Graft; he
told me that Ellen had been to see mc
at his shop on "Wednesday. | wrote no
letter to Craft. The one published was
a forgery. The day the letter purports
to have been written ! was in Worcester.
Friday lfo,atag.--Judge Woodbury.
issued the warrant, about 9 O'Clock, iii
open court.
II was at once known, and the negroes
and aboitionIsts began to assemble about
the Courthouse, and watch us. Every
few minutes negro lawyer would peep
into the MarshaPs office to see what was
going on; warrant paced into marshals
hands Immediately. The excitement be-
cn,ne great nothing was done; marshal
said if he was convinced that Graft was in
Cambridge street, he would 20 ansl arrest
him. seemed tiInid aud inclined to back
out.
.Sataaay.-Were both arrested for
SANDER; for calling Graft a siave--were
taken to Deputy Sheriff Riggs office
obtained bail for $4,000 each at once,
from hIessrs. Riley & Freeman and
Thayer Il CO. No great excitement.
observation-disclosures in large numbers
around the u. S. Hotel. / changed my
hat, mixed with them and talked with
them, They said there were kidnappers
from the South in town; that Knight
was in Jail, and they Were after Hughes.
Saaaay--Went to Charlestown, and
about the city all day. No sign Of any
disturbance.
lloaaay.-We were again arrested, Oh
a charge of attempting to kidnap Craft
and wife; carried to Court Square, to
deputy Corbin's office 1900 persons
present, 1900 negroes and 500 whites Of
the lowest order. Gave bonds iii $4,000
each, signed by Messrs Riley, Willis and
Others, ! believe. Crowd iii the office very
great-o!ficers sent for carria ge--left Office
to ret intoit cTr. Hughes gotin. The
crowd rushed upon it, 50 that { could not
reach il. They Kissed rs, called as hlood-l
hounds, &c., apparently for the purpose
of exciting us to some act of violence
Some Of them seized upon the horses and
attempted TO open the doors. MIR. III. who
was iii the carriag Sc, laughed at them and
made sport Of them.
The driver was not instructed where to
go, and being greatly alarmed. left for
Cambridge. When he reached the bridge,
MIR. HUGHES knew where he was and
ordered him to carry him back to the
hotel. The driver turned, but meeting
the crowd refused to go further. Mr.. LII.
then left the carriage and procured a
buggy and driver, and returned TO the hotel.
Some Of the negroes came up to him. He
ordered them to keep off. They said they
did nor wish to hurt him; but only to lei
the people know that he was slave hum
ter
remained Id tile office half All hour,
and left in cab--the mob Kissing and
pulling my coat, calling me slave-hnnter,
bloodhound &c; but was resolved to
resent no illsnlt, as that Nas plainly what
they wanted me to do. One negro followed
me 10 the hotel, but did not come near
me.
Monday Afternoou. Great crowd at
the hotel; negroes outside whites came