New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-02-11
PHILADELPHIA.
The Fugitive Slave Case.
Correspondence OF The Tribune

w. 7. ]. Purcell Of Worcester County, Nd. which
was begun in the United States Circuit Court in
this City OF Friday, before Judge Kane, was con.
tinued yesterday. The cross examination OF the
witnesses who testified on Friday, was continued
by David Paul Brown, to great length. All that
is new and interesting in the evidence produced,
is contained in the subjoined report of the pro-
ceedng. 1t will be seen that the woman was
triumpbantly discharged last evening, the charge
being unsupported by the claimants evidence.
The first witness called was Robert F. Bowen,
the gentleman who was taken sick during his ex.
animation on Friday. The cross examination
was principally directed to the discovery of the
identity of" Louisa Truitt, or the colored man,
named Gloucester" who gave the information
to Mr.. Purnell that bis slave was to be found in
this city. He said that " Gloucester" lived near
Fifth and Germantown road, in the same house
with Mahala. Gloucester required a pledge
because he was afraid the cOOred people would
abuse him if they knew who gave the informa
ton. The witness understood that Louisa
Truitt' was Goucesters wife. The letter con-
tanned statements that Mahaa had run away
from Dr. Purne and that she had often said So
and Louisa Truitt had often heard her say so,
and that her mothers name was Sarah The
honor of Purnell and Bowen was pledged to GlOu.
cester to compensate him if it turned out that
Tamor Williams and her husband were their
slaves. Gloucester was met by some colored
people on Friday night and abused
The witness reiterated his statement of the
identity of the prisoner. She was in the family.
way when she ran away from the witness. He
knew her by her general appearance, and was
certain of the time she ran Oft because he was
converted to religion the year before, and had
placed the date in his Bible, into which precious
book" he looked perhaps a thousand times q
fall rn.,Y,
Purnell died it might have been u or ls years
ago. The witness was to pay his own expenses
of the journey here, if he got ais slave If not Mr.
Purnell was TO pay them.
The other witness, Zachariah Bowen, was
called, and cross examined ia relation to his evil
dence in chief on Friday. He said there was no
contract as to what he was to receive for appear
ing as a witness; Dr. Purnell died in 1874; wit
ness knew nothing of the letter from Louisa
Truitt" except that Mr.. Puruell told him, before
they started from Maryland, that he had been
holding correspondence with person in Philadel-
phia about his slave Mahala; the person stated
that there was a negro woman lived in the same
house, who fell out with MahGla; she said to her,
60 You are no better than am, for have seen you
in old Dr.. Purnells field many time" heard
the correspondent of Mr.. P speak of her before |
saw her; it was, | think last Wednesday or
Thursday night week, in our room at Congress
Hall.
Mr. P asked him if this woman would be at
home, so that some of US could get to see her the
person told Mr.. Z. she was hardly ever at home
after six in the morning that she went out early
to work, but would be in about twelve o'clock f;
that's all the conversation that took place that
part Mr. p. wanted to know when she would be
at home two or three days we were trying to get
an opportunity to see her, to see if she was the
person did not calculate it was the sv9man at
all the master of the man III prison hahala
husband went to see him there, and said he was
I 4
stay long at our room in Congress Hall he did
not describe the woman any way; did not see
HIM every time he came to see Mr.. p. | heard
Mr. p speak of his being down; have been at
Taylor 4 Paulding's several times
was never there talking about this case when
Gloucester was there. l was there with Mr.. Pur-
NELL Bowen aud Henry. That was not the only
place have heen since have been in this city.
Mr.. Taylor and several of his clerks are from our
County am acquainted with them. l have been
with the gentlemen spoken of at the store, and
have met them there | have been there since
the girl was arrested. l don't know the object of
their visit there. l did not speak of this woman
while there, nor hear them speak of her. have
never seen Paulding at our room In Congress Hail.
but saw Taylor there the last time either on
Wednesday or Thursday.
l was not in the room FIVE minutes after he
came. don't know the subject Of conversation
between them. | saw Gloucester last night at
Gloucester had case of his own. Yes, Gouces
ter said they had raised mob on him on account
of this case, and he would have to leave the CITY,
The case of this woman or these proceedings was
not spoken of there. He stayed but short time
He said one of the witnesses had betrayed him in
Court yesterday, and they attacked him last night
| asked him how he escaped from so many. he
said very few were in this city could outrun him.
| asked him where he was going; he replied
he had a notion to put for Canada; some OF the
gentlemen proposed his going to Baltimore he
said that would not do, as the laws OF Maryland
would catch him 4; he was going to get boat and
go to Jersey, and then to New. York Mr.. p. gave
him first S35 last night he paused awhile, and
Mr.. 2. told him to hand it back he then took out
his money and put some more to it, and said,
there is fifty dollars " Mr. p. said that if he got
the slave he would leave fifty dollars more with
person in this city; Mr.. Robert Bowen was not
there, believe.
The witness said he had only he ard of the let
ter from Philadelphia a day or two before he
started for this city Mr.. Purnell did not give at
the time any particular description Of the negroes
TO show that one of them was bis he said from
the description in the letter the woman must be
Mahala and the man in prison her husband Ma
hala Richardson lived in the house with Mahala,
the prisoner; the latter when taken, called on
Mshala to help her Mahala Richardson had been
set free; Mr.. Purnell said that Grace, another
runaway, lived upon the Jersey side he said the
letter so informed him the letters contained in
formation that this Mahala and the children were
hers, and that his lawyer told him that nothing
could prevent him from getting the whole Of
them, and that one Of his brothers. niggers was
over in Jersey
The conversation between another negro and
Mahaa was stated in the latter; the quarrel was
spoken Of; the letter said that Mshala Richard
son called the fugitive Mahala Purnell this wo
man was known as Mahaa Purnell among the
niggers; am not certain whether this quarrel
was referred to any further than have said that
was communicated to me by Mr.. P. in Worcester;
he said that she had been here so many years and
had go many children, and as she was in the fam
lily way when she left that be had no doubt it was
the same person
He ted me the first letter wrote was to Jen.
kins Henry from Louisa Smith; the information
about the quarrel was given in Smiths letter :