The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-01-15
LETTER FROM BALTIMORE.
Another Slave Case-Appallins nd Mysterious Death
resulting Observation-Disclosures.
BALTIMORE, January s, 1852.

Ahother neutrality-suspicious. una Wysterions Death
resulting Observation-Disclosures.
BALTIMORE, January 5, 1852.
To the Editor of the National Era:
A slave case is now pending in this city, I'M
- s-y sySt5ii s..:, .L :7i-1- -
can process or no process of law, which has
presented incidents and characteristics of the
most novel and appalling character The facts
so far as have been enabled to collect them
stand thus
On Wednesday of last week the notorious
slaye-catcher of Elkton, Maryland Thomas
McCreary brought on to this city, and lodged
in the slave-pen of the Messrs Campbell a
colored woman named Rachel Parker whom
he tore away from her home in West Noting
ham, Pennsylvania as the alleged chattel of a
MIR. Schoolfeld a lottery dealer of Baltimore
Joseph c. Miller, with whom the woman had
been residing, followed McCreary and his vic
tim in hot pursuit, accompanied by several
other residents of the township in their work
ing clothes. The pursuing party found prompt
and kind advisers here, and counsel of proper
nerve, and caused McCreary to be forthwith
arrested on the charge of kidnapping. He was
brought before Justice Pennington, and pre-
lminary hearing was heard, This developed
important but contradictory testimony, to the
effect, on the part of the claimant that Rachel
was his slave, and had escaped from his service
some four years ago; and, on the part of the
defence that she had been known in Pennsyl-
vania, as a free woman a much longer time,
while she had been living more than four
years" in the family of Mr. Miller.
This latter most important and seemingly
conclusive testimony was given by Mr.. Miller
but the Justice was not willing to receive it as
conclusive, and accordingly continued the case
till next Wednesday, when further hearing
was to have been had The woman was CON-
mitted to the city prison, and Miller and Me-
Creary held for appearance in the sum of $500
(vide the contrasting bail required in the Chap
lin and other cases. The parties Immediately
took the Philadelphia cars for their homes, the
friendAof the woman entering for the Havre
de Grace ststion, McCreary for Elkton When
the train arrived at Havre de Grace, Miller
was missing His travelling companions re-
turned to Stemmer's Run--a watering place
about eleven miles from this city--where Il was
ascertained Miller was seen to leave the cars
There they inquired and searched in vain, with
the worst approximations as to his possible fate,
"foul play" entering into their speculative fears
as not an altogether improbable resort of the
slave-catching craft On the news Of Millers
disappearance reaching this city, it created not
little surprise and excitement as may be sup
posed.
A night of suspense passed away without
tdines from the missed one. Next morning,
while some workmen, in the neighborhood of
Stemmcr's Run were going to their work, they
were startled by the appalling sight of the
stiffened body Of poor Miller, suspended 10 a
sapping, with handkerchief fastened to the
tree, and another around his neck, the latter Of
which was recognised as his own. Efforts at
resuscitation were made, but in vain. An in
quest was had, and verdict Of Death by
Suicide ~ was made up.
Thus is "out of the way the accusing and
principal witness against McCrcary-a result
which, it is feared has shut off all hope for the
release Of poor Rachel from the fangs Of Sla-
very! Of this however we shall know more
on Wednesday, and until then let us hope for
the best trusting that fresh testimony, TO sup
ply in some degree that strangled in the death
Of poor Miller, may be produced
PROCEEDINGS ON WEDNESDAY.
BALTIMORE, January IL, 1852.
McCreary's trial for kidnapping came of
twas commenced, rather) on Wednesday, ac-
cording to assignment before Justice Penning-
ton. c. J. NJ Gwinn, our first prosecuting
attorney elected by the popular voice, and
Messrs. Norris and Hoops appeared for tho
State and the prosecution. The defence wascon.
Quoted by Messrs Preston, Maulsby. Pitts, and
Philip Francis Thomas Of the latter, all but
Mr.. Preston are understood to be volunteers
for the occasion A large number Of witnesses
from the neigbborhood Of the scene Of the kid
okfa .Ia,o 10 ao ha ufH 1a WIT
of the late Mr.. Miller, on which McCreary
was held to bail They came in the greater
number because of the impression, which Ger
tain of our pro-slavery papers and people at
tempted to produce, that Miller had hung him
self under the impulse Of remorse for perjury.
The witnesses whose responsibility and veracity
have been most satisfactorily vouched for all
have sworn, in the most direct terms, to the
identity of the kidnapped girl, Rachel Parker, as
the daughter Of q neighbor Of theirs, the latter
Of whom they had known, long before the birth
of Rachel, AZ free woman-adding, in answer
to cross questions, that they had not shadow
of doubt on the subject. One of them re-
sides within quarter Of q mile of Mr.. Miller's,
whence the girl was kidnapped, and another
has had her employed as nurse in his family.
But not only this; A lady in this city, to whom
the claimants chattel was at service at the
time of her alleged absconding four years ago,
TO Pennsylvania, and Of whom he desired TO
make witness, testified, not only that she had
refused thus to serve him by asserting identity,
but that she, to the contrary, stood prepared TO
state ON that or any other trial, that the girl
now under arrest was "not the girln that tired
ruth her
;. But although this strong array of the most
direct and clear testimony was given for the
prosecution, some four or five witnesses lin
GLIDING the real owner, a Mrs Dickahut, the
mcther-in.law Of the formal claimant Mr..
Schoolheldl came forward and swore, to their
positive and unequivocal belief that the girl in
question was the slave of the claimant! Some
OF them founded their impression, when cross
questioned, upon her remarkable resem-
blance TO the mother Of the slave they sought;
but still they were positive a. to the question Of
identity. Their girl having not been seen by
most OF them for upwards Of four years. and by
some Of them not Tor . longer period, while the
frse girl had besn aeep up 10 the very period of
her abduction, couple Of weeks only seo, pre-
sents clear prepondsrsnce 10 favor Of fee-
dom, - you will perceive; and Il ought TO con-