The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-09-15
From the Baltimore Clipper.
Horrible ARRAY Between Fugitive Slaves and
their Owner.-TwO Persons Killed and
Several Wounded!

Horrible ARRAY Between Fugitive Slaves and
their Owner.-TwO Persons Killed and
Several Wounded /!
One Of the most terrible affairs which we
have lately had to record, occurred on Thursday
in Chester county, Pennsylvania, in which one,
if not two, highly esteemed citizens of Balti
more county were toully slain, whilst attempting
to regain posse ion of two fugitive slaves.
The accounts of the terrible affair which reached
the city yesterday We're conflicting and varied,
that we had great difficulty to ascertain the true
particulars; but after making digen: inquiry,
we learned the following, which we believe will
be found nearly correct. 1t appears that some
time since, Mr.. Edward Gorsuch, a wealthy,
well known, and highly esteemed citizen of the
upper part Of Baltimore county, residing at
Coal Bottom, about % miles from the city, on
the York road, missed two valuable slaves and
lately asceraning that they had taken refuge
at a small town in Chester county, named Chris
tiana, some 30 miles from Lancaster, on or near
to the railroad, determined to proceed thither
and repossess himself of them. In company
with his son, Mr.. Dickinson Gorsueh, and-lsv-
eral of his neighbors, Dr. Pearce, NJ Nathan
Nelson, Mr. Nicholas lIutchns, (son of Joshua
Hntchins, esq } and bis nephew, Mr.. Joshua
Gorsuch, he pro ceied to Philadelphia. and there
obtaining the services of deputy u s. mar
shall, 81 ted on Thursday morning for the viii
lage above named
On a preaching the village, at an early hour
in the morning, the party encountered negro
man and boy, the latter of whom Mr.. Gorsnch
Immediately re ognlsed as one Of his slaves
Both OF the negroes, on observing the party i'm
mediatey ran, pursued by the u. S. Marshal, Mr..
G. and his friends After pursuing the fugi-
tives short distance into the village they
finally took refuge in house which appeared to
be strongly secured from within. Whilst stand
ing before the house and the Marshal demand
ing admittance, an upper window was raised by
some one, and heavy billet of wood was
thrown down, which took effect on one of the
party, telling him to the earth. The Marshal
and those with him here attempted to force an
entrance, but whilst vainly c dcavoring to do so,
a bugle was sounded by some one in the house,
and very soon party of some sixty negroes and
whites appeared armed with scythes, clubs.
guns and pistols, and completely surrounded
the house, as wei as the Marshal and the otlei =
The Marshal demonstrated with the whites, az
called upon them to aid him in carrying out the
law, but they derided him, and with imprecations
g lied upon those in the house, who were prin-
cipally negroes, to shoot the sons of bis.
which took with fatal effect upon MIR. Gorsuch
and his friends. The old gentleman was shot
dead upon the spot, and his son, Mr. Dickinson
Gorsuch, received a severe wound in the arm,
Here followed general melee. The negroes
and their white aiders and abbettors, rushed out
of the house, and armed as they were with clubs.
scyihes and guns, soon compelled all opposed
to them to fy for their lives.
Mr. Hutchins and Mr. Nelson became sep.
arated from the rest, and had TO fly from the
neighborhood. From the former we learn that
there could not have been less than two hundred
persons composing the mob of negroes and
Abolisionists, who were all armed AID making
terrible threats against any who should attempt
TO enforce the Fugitive slave law. From another
source, we learn that the body of the elder Mr.
Gorsuch was shockingly mutilated, having been
beaten with clubs by the Infatuated wretches
even after life was extinct, The same informant
also gives us the revolving and painful intelli-
gence that Mr.. Dickinson Gorsuch, after endeav.
oring bravely TO revenge the foul slaughter of
his revered parent, wounded as he was, met his
death by having his bowels ripped open with
scythe in the hands of one of the blacks. This
we would trust and hope to be incorrect, but
we regret to say, that the information comes so
direct and apparently so well corroborated, as to
leave little room for doubt. The nephew of Mr.
Gorsuch was quite seriously injured. SO far as
we can ascertain, no arrests we're made The
marshal was entirely powerless to do anything,
and conld obtain no cooperation or assistance
from the local authorities 1t is certain that
most foul and damnlng Outrage has been perpe-
trated upon highly respected citizens of this
commonwealth, whilst honestly and lawfully en-
deavoring to reposses themselves of their pro-
perty, and the circumstance calls loudly for some
prompt retributve justice upon the heads of the |
wreiches who have instigated and committed the
bloody deed.
II is also stated that number Of the negroes
were wounded in the aifray which took place
between them and the Messrs. Gorsuch and
friends. One ACCOUNT is to the effect, that some
three or four were killed How far this may be
relied on, we are unable to say. We think there
can be no doubt, however, that some of them
were made 10 suffer severely.
Since the above was put in type, we hive re-
ceved slip from the office of the Jack
sonian" which, in addition 10 eorroboratng the
foregoing, gives the following additional partic-
ulars, by which It will be seen that two others
are likely to die from tie effect of wounds re-
ceyed
Edward Oorsuch was shot in the breast and
fell dead His son was shot in the arm and
and Is reported this morning to have
since died from his wounds. Both of them were
beaten with clubs after they were shot Joshua
Gorsuch, e nephew of Edward Gorsuch was
shot, and though stii living, is considered TO be
in great danger DR.. Thomas Pierce was shot
and badly beaten. and it is feared he cannot sur
wye Messrs. lIutchins and Nelson escaped,
and got of to Philadelphia.
Two or three of the negroes were shot IL ia
said, bv some Of the officers in the company,
DIR. Pierce and Dickinson Gorsuch were stll In
the care Of some white people near Christina,
and up to the hour of our going to press none
of them had been brought on. Such was the
violence of the attack, that none of the sur
yivors could remain with the wounded, but had
to each escape ne best they could The crowd
of blacks and whites. il Is said, numbered over
two hundred in a few minutes after the blowing
of the horn, none of whom interfered to save
the lives Of our citizens.