Washington telegraph., 1851-10-22
-, Of the Christiana Tragedy.


wv L,,onisls at Chrstiana, has furnished
" p.uimore Sun, with the following history Of
INC coon various and contradictory reports
Han, ha'm The tragic fate of my father, and the
concein7 circumstances, l have thought it best
st'en.n roTm the painful task of giving you some
10 refereuce thereto, which may be relied
upon. .,,u.a wears AGO. four negroes, between
rs W: oC 10 and 20, fled from my fathers, in
ns,,;Hore county, nineteen miles from the city'
DaI' 'o.nnsvlyania. These negroes were 10 be free
into le"n If %, and this fact they knew. IL had
al '"' 80 the knowledge of my father that they
co'no ia wheat, stolen from him, to Il free negro.
hau -.,, - WAS got out for the arrest OF the free
a h;ob coming to the ears of his accompi-
nes' how resolved (the same ev-ning) 10 make
ces escape This was in November Dur
goo' uiu,er it was reported that these men
ins suf.r,ng for food. A coored man Vas sent
"ee' ,hem. and assure them that if they would
10 ii'I some and behave the enselves, nothing would
cum, 4 ,o them about their theft. They were
IND but did not return
iO"'o' .oar having carefully provided the necessary
.h.rs and papers, attended by deputy mar
FOu'"d and two constables from Phliadephia, my
s"a s'nar his son (Diekinson,) his nephew, Or
- ,DD s,r and Nicholas Hutchins, set out The first
4r's Ise, week for the scene of intended arrest
or ,r, Man was to arrest the iugitves on Wednes-
> n' rf,orning but this frustrated by The non
u'. .ar,,ce of the deputy marshal, who had the
app .r,,y and the papers. Both the Philadelphia
uastsbis returned to the city. with the under
4;ny that they were 10 come back at night
,,h osw warrduts-one of them having been de-
.i,,,ci AS marshal. The Delinquent marshal
PIa his appearance on Wednesday morning,
h.a, o'clock. urging as all excuse for his failure
.Sa, he had been followed by a negro whom he
E"sw to be a spy In endeavoring to elude his
'nrsut and prevent the discovery OF his posse, by
f,ad driving, he broke his wagon. 1t was then
.r,4ed that they would attempt the arrest on
Ihnrsday morning, strengthened by the consta-
bi.s whom they expected 10 return on venues
dv uight: but these did not come.
n,mty marshal Henry III. Kline, and the five
,an,isp,rn in company with my father, reached
7sa bouse where Two of the ruaaways We're sup
,osed 10 live, Just about morning dawn. ms
hp,- stands near the Eead OF the 0reat valley,
D., L.acaster county, about Two mics from the
r,-. of Cbristand. The valley here is about
,s,se quarters Of a mile broad, quite trongh-lIke
~ shane. and bordered with wood Across the
v,irv runs a narrow, rough lane. About lou
ard, irou the southern hord-i OF the valley, and
IGl wards from the lane that crosses IT, STANDS the
I.,,.,. ot the fugitive, connected with the larger
line hv d short lane twelve feet Wide. As this
n.,v. Al this early hour, were proceeding along
h ne ti,at crosse the valley. aud near the house,
o,r Of tn negroes, who was recognised as Nelson,
coe TO the mouth OF the short lane, and upoa
-e,,g ti,r>e men, ran tow ards the house, ali the
,rv in fuit chase. The negro bare y made his
.sc,pe One man was stationed at each corner
a, III, house to guard the windows. The house
,ro stories ia height, and the groes were all
up stars.
Tn. marshal and my father entered the house.
Mr. Kline asked for the owner Of the house; told
d.m he was United States marshal, ana that
b. came there for the purpose OF arresiIng Mr..
Gorsuch's siaves Nelson and Joah He then read
10 them the warrants, and while dong this he
heard them loading their guns up stars. ihe
marshal and my father started both together to 90
M ssirs the latter having first called to Nelson
hs, he saw him, and told him that II he would
come down peaceably aud go hcme with him, he
would treat hlm as kindly as before b" ran away.
Rtsstauc- he said. would do good, Tor he
came with the proper officer and authority, aud
he would not leave the ,,reIuis-s without his pro-
prr,y While they were on the steps and intend
iup 10 proceed, OF the negroes struck at them
With staff shod til sharp iron. My father then
turned aud went out OF the door. Just as he got
out pun was fired al his head from of the
windows. but the aim was too high. The mar
snail coming ou, just behind him, fired his pistol
in tne window. Again they went IN. and, start
mp tu go up the steps, axe Was thrown down
1t them which. however, passed harnlessy by
thrn. IL this way little skirnishing was kept
Up between lie negroes at the windows and the
young nseu outside, aud between those at the head
OF the steps, and the two men IN the house
Daring this period the warrants were read three
times, the law explained, they were advised
and entr-ated 10 give up the two slaves, and as
sded that the arrests would be made even if blood
must I've shed. A missile had heen thrown out of
the window and had wounded Pearce in the head;
lie had attempted to shoot, 5ut the cap Oniy ex-
Pod-d At last they gave the negroes definite
10 Iecde; the watch was held bat before the
I'm. expired white man rode up to the bars IN
the lsue His pr. inspired the blacks; they
immediately raised shout, ano became confirm
I'd IN their opposition. " hen the marshal saw
rhr man at the bars, he went 10 hlm and called
upon hm in The name oil the United states TO as
ss IN arresting the fugtives, showing ms warrant,
readIny his authority, and telling hum the Inevita
bic consequences Of refusal. Another white man
vas also present during this conversation. The
reply Vas that he would not assist, and that they
had better 90 home, FOR they could make no arrest
there, OF blood would be spilled
Before, during, aud after the conversation with
tins man at the bars, negroes were arriving from
every quarter, some OH horseback, and others on
loot, armed with guns, pistols, CLUBS, corn-cu,iers.
ETC. They seemed TO be scattered all around upon
The FIRST OF their arrival, but most Of them were
gathered in knots near the place where The white
on horseback and the marshal ere talking,
-ngaGed in loading their guns. AT the close OF
the coniel ence, the rShal called his party TO
retire, saying that he would not press the arrest
iuther, and that lie would hold this man respOn-
sIO.e iOr the property. Then The marshal and two
Of the young men left My father Was then near
the house, his son (Psarce) and Joshua Gorsuch
MOI far Iroth him. still guarding the house TO keep
The slaves from escaping. 9Gst as the marshal
and The two Young men left, the Quaker on the
"'fSt said something TO the negroes that had as
semped near hinr. when they sci up most hide
ouS yell, and rushed towards the house; the he
gfoes IN the house al the same time rushed Out,
DUO, Whooping Ike savas:es, met the advancing
gsng around my father There were four men,
oil armed with Dis tolls, il is true. opposed to about