Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1852-11-27
/, iFro1g tHp sso,i,,slv Rag;stat.

+ An ATfEMPr 70 ARnEsr A1LEGlD EU
ItITtvE SLAVES. Our city was thrown ill.,
Ito Intense excitement, last eVelfiig, tl,v ii,
attempt to arrest two hsgfo onfeil. l.tsvo ne
gro Women and several el,idren, ys,i, boare
the steamboat Arrow, at the .tIipfnelit o
her departure for Detroit, Jtist before the
boat left tile dock, tie Woinar aid lei
children were forcibly dragged Oh shore
aud taken directly to The Office of e. M
Follett, mayor, by an individual claiming
to own them, assisted by Mr.. Rice, the
city marshal, WHO. We presiiine, was de-
ceived by his take Into the belief that his
Ipowets were c64extensive with those oi
the United States, marshal, or Due of his
deputies
The mayors Office was instantly filed
by d crowd Or anxi,3tss aud excited spec.
tors, among whom were more tiantwen.
tty blacks. A nlimber OF both blacks and
whites had clubs in their hands, and much
confusion prevailed.
II. r. Sloane, Esd, was employed bv
the colored persons of the city as counsel
for the alleged fugitives After waiting
nearly half an hour for some movement to
be made by the claimant, as provided un-
der the furitive slave law, Mr.. 3loane IN.
qulred If Mr. Rice was in the room. Afa
ter a little delay Mr. r. came forWard, and
in reply TO an inquiry from Mr. Sloane, as
to whether the woman and children were
In his custody, he said that tHey were not.
Mr.. 5. theii inquired If the negroes were
in the.custody of any United States DIFF.
Ger or commissioner within the room? No
reply was made. Mr. S. tllen demanded
that the warrants OF wits, by authority Of
which the alleged fltgitives were Detained
should be produced. 10 this demand Mr..
Hice replied that there were none where's.
upon Mr.. Sloane demanded to be inform
ed # there. were any papers, or even evil
denGes, under which the woman and her
clii'dfefl were detaihed To this demand,
also, there was no reply. Mr. SIoane
then turned to the colored people It'll the
room, and ntimated that there appeared
to be nothing which required their dete,l-
tion. Immediately, tie entire asseliiblape
rushed to the door, ard while crowding
out, man claiming, TO be the owner of
the negroes, wlio had been Standing near
Mr. Sloane during the entire proceedings
SAID tohim. 'IIere are the t,apefs-I own
the negroes=I'il hold youibdividually re-
sPonsible for their escape.' At the salne
time he said to Mr., Rice II gave you the
papers once. and will hold you, too, re-,
sponsble, for you might have stopped
themp 44sa a4F .EI8e9 stIJ 1
The aboveis a statemetIt of the facts
as we have derived them from several citi-
zens present during the. whole transaction
aid we presume it is substantially correct.
Il so the mode Of protecting on the part
OF the claimant, and Of Mr.. Marshal Ries,
was certainly singular olie-4-fiot even,
appro ximating to the requirements of the
tngltlve slave law. 1t will be pefceived
that Mr. Sloahe's interrogatofles gave tie 4
claimant ali opportunity to produce tile
testimony sustaining his claim. aud the
legal authority for the detention of the ne
.gIr1oes, neither Of which was done, Be-
sides, the seizure was not made l,y tile
proper officer 1.-THE United States marshal
or deputy marshal) whose official act
would. of itself, have been sufficient au-
Ihorlty, without any exhibition Of their
papers.
It Is proper to add, that, 10 our opinion |
The course pursued by Mr.. Shane, the
;ounsel for the negroes, Indicated no de |
lire to violate the law Or .;ts sproyis;r,rs.