The southern press., 1852-05-20
A.oth.y Fugitive Case

mite variety of mistakes and misapprehensiohs as
the Fugitive Slave Law. The following is the
last casualty of the kind The letter speaks Tor
itself OF course nobody is to blame" as IN
steamboat explosions.
From the .Nf,c York Herald.
S,ncuL,K FuGIrrvE SLAVE CAsE-MANeUyREs
or THE ABoLITIoEIsTs.
To. James Gordon Bennett, esq Editor of the
New York Herald
Will you give to the public the following
statement!
On or about the first Sunday after Easter, a.
u. I849, a negro slave, named Nicholas Dudley,
the property Of DIR. Allen Thomas, OF Ellicotts
Mills, Anne Arundel county, Maryland, escaped
from his owner, and came to the city OF New
York.
la April, 1850, this slave ldey was arrested
in the city of New York, charged with the rob-
berry of Captain Rowland. tie assumed the
name of James Snowden He communicated
with his master, informing him OF his situation,
A son of DR.. Thomas thereupon came to this
city, and found Dudley in the Tombs.
Mr. John Jay, a lawyer Of his city, somewhat
known as an Abolitionist, became the counsel
of the negro, and advised him not TO return to
his master, but to plead guilty Of the offence Of
which he was charged and temporarily remain
in the State prison. The negro took his advice,
plead guilty, and was sentenced, on the 18th
day of May, 1850, to the State prison at Sing
Sing, for the term Of two years, by the name OF
James Snowden. About the first OF April last
Dr. Thomas, the owner of this negro, wrote a
letter to his excellency, Washington Hunt, gov
ernor of this State, stating the above facts, ask
ing whether the negro had been pardoned, and
expressing his intention to reclaim him at the
expiration of his sentence, viz May 9th, inst
To this letter, DR.. Thomas received the follow
ing reply, in the hand Of Gov. Hunt, in person :;
STATE OF New YORK, EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENT,
ALBANY, April 20, 1852. }
SIR On examining my records, find that no
pardon has been granted to James Snowden,
nor is there any application before me in behalf
of such person.
Very respectfully yours,
WASHINGTON Hunt.
DR.. ALLEN THOMAS, Ellcott's Mills, Md.
Upon receiving this letter, DR.. Thomas made
all necessary preparations to reclaim his slave at
the expiration Of his sentence. The second
proof under the tenth section of the fugitive
slave act, was perfected, and Allen Thomas, jr.,
with witness as to identity, came 10 this city
on the 9Th of May, inst. He found the United
States marshal aud his deputies courteous, and
desirous to fulfil their duty in the premises.
Charles 5. Spencer, esq, was employed as attor-
ney. The necessary papers were prepared and
the proper warrant promptly issued by George
w. Morton, esq, United States commissioner,
and on the llth of May, inst, two days before
the expiration of the sentence, Deputy AIarshals
TIL nd An xx,ith ha xr,arr nj
Mr. Thomas to Sing Sing. They
arrived there about o'clock, p M, and imme-
diately proceeded to the prison. On going
through the same, and examining the works, the
boy was found to be missing, and information
was given to Gen. Lockwood, the agent, of the
object of The visit. The keeper, Mr.. Robinson
was represented to be unwell, and lying down.
Gen Lockwood expressed himself willing to
render all assistance in his power, and said
that the negro was still, as far as he had knowl
edge, in the prison Robinson soon made bis
appearance, took Gen. Lockwood aside, and
made TO him some communication. Soon after
Gen. L. stated 10 Deputy Marshals Talmadge
and l.. D'Angelis, and Mr.. Thomas, jr that he
had been informed that the negro had been par
doned and released that morning, and at the
same time produced the pardon of Governor
Hunt. Upon examination, the pardon was
found TO have been given on the lIth, the same
day Of the discharge, by his excellency, Wash.
ington Hunt; without any publication or notice
in either the State paper, or any paper in this
city, and without notice to the district attorney
Of the city ana county Of New York, where the
convclso was had-with, Of necessity.a full
knowledge Of all the facts, and with, beyond
doubt the express purpose Of defeating the re-
clamation Of the slave. The marshals and Mr.
| Thomas returned 10 the city on Friday, the l4tt
of May. In the proceedings of the American
and Foreign Anti Slavery society, convened il
the Tabernacle, in the city Of New York, th,
following-as appears by the report in the New
York Herad-was said by
Rev. Mr.. Ray, "a colored brother)-Do no
90 away; / have something very interesting t.
tell you. Two years ago, Il poor painting col
ored man came to this city, from Maryland III,
became cook in vessel between this port ant
Providence. lie vas discovered, and a maj
went to him aud said be should go 10 Marylant
with him. lie refused to do so, and then
charge Of stealing was got up against him. III
was put in prison, and his master came 10 hi
cell, and demanded the boy as his property
John McKeon would not consent. lie said tn
boy must be tried on the charge Of stealing
His lawyer and friends advised him 10 plea
Steps were taken TO get him out; but the ide
was abandoned, as it was feared il would b
known by his master However, as the tim
drew nigh that his period Of imprisonment ba
expired, the brethren felt very uneasy, and d.
Pennington went TO Albany and succeeded &
getting Governor Hunt 10 release him. Hi
time is not out until Tomorrow but he is fyin
to-day beyond the reach Of his enemies fA1
) plause.
4 A brother here stated that the owner wrot
to a keeper Of one Of the prisons, asking hin
where the slave was, that he might take hir
when bis period Of imprisonment expired bu
his letter was never answered.
; DIR. Ray.-Oh! yes. forgot 10 mcntio
that.
The modus operandi Of The defeat Of the rt
clsmation, is by the above extract, quite sati,
fsctorily explained These facts, without con
ment, are submitted 10 the public. BY the az
Of the governor Of New York, committed wit
a full knowledge Of the position OF matters an
its results, the owner Of the slave Dudley, ALA
Snowden, has been deprived Of his property, an
Il II.