Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-02-05
Richard Neal,


Accused Of stealing his wife and children,
we have elsewhere stated was discharged
We have since learned that his prosecutors
have abandoned the case. Says the Phiadel.
phia Bulletin, "No one appeared against him,
and ho was discharged, thus leaving the case in
a very suspicious position" That our readers
may more fully understand tho case, VIC copy
the following article from the Philadelphia
Register.
NEAL THE ALLEGED CRIMINAL.
We have heretofore abs,ained from expressing
an opinion on the case of Mayo VS.. Neal, hop
! ing the warran: so hastily granted by g Governor
Bigler, would be revoked, aud that prosocu.
ton so likely to disgrace the States of Mary
land and Pennsylvania would be abandoned
and suffered to be forgotten. But the facts
have already been spread before the world by
the press. In few days more, all Europe will
have read them, and scquels to Uncle Toms
Cabin will blye recorded them against our ti-
vilization.
In justice to our country, let them record also
that no case has ever so shocked public opinion.
1t claps the climax of all those which have
grown out of the peculiar institution. The
Evening Bulletin, while reiterating its adhesion
to the Fugitive Slave Law, pronounces this case
an attempt to kidnnp under legal process; and
other papers are no less plain in their reproba-
ton of Mayo's conduct.
What has done more than any thing else to
turn the current of public opinion against Mayo
is the card published in the Bulletin, by HIM
self or his agent, as a paid advertisement In
this, he parades his vindictive persecution of
Neal in a most offensive manner, and grossly
insults one of our most respected citizens by
placing his varacity below that of one of the
negro spies on his plantation.
The principle facts of the case may be CLEAN
cd from this coarse and insolent statement
They arc as follows:
Richard Neal was formerly a slave in Mary
land. "Somc fifteen or sixteen years ago." ho
manied Matilda, who was then Mayo's property.
Acquiring his own freedom, and unwilling to
abandon his family, he rented a farm from Ma
yo and conducted it for several years, with such
industry aud success as to accumulate valua-
bic stock and clear several thousand dollars
But he was not contented. "All of a sudden"
says Mayo, " Neal informed the proprietor that
he must give up the farm as it confined him too
much" The proprietor said. 4" Dick, you in
tend to play me some dirty trick" when he fell
on his knees and declared he had no such in
tcntion."
The "dirty trick" alluded to was Meals res
cuing his wife and children from slavery, Mayo
had already been informed of this design by his
confidential servants" or negro spies. His
fears were not at all allayed by Meals protesta-
tions, and he kept close watch on his move
ments. Some months afterwards, we find Mayo
making visit to farm he owned some forty
miles off, and taking with him, by way of pre-
caution, Meals wife and her six children, ra-
ther numerous suite for a Maryland farmer.
In fow days Mayo returned home, leaving
Matilda and fiye of her children. The eldest
son, "Blly," accompanied him to drive his
buggy. Next morning when the manager was
about to give Billy taste of the COW hide FOR
not cleaning and feeding his horse" Billy was
not to be found. lie had disappeared and
his mother, brothers and sisters with him.
The capture Of the family cost Mayo "over
$780,"
This loss seems to have walked up Mayo's
spirit of revenge. His first act was to sell the
mother and her children; his next to set on foot
means for the punishment of Neal, whom he
suspected of being accessory to the fight.
Neal followed up his wife and children, spent
all he had in purchasing their freedom, and
brought them to this city, where he has been
living for three years past, respected by those
who know him, as an honest, hard working man.
These facts having come to to the knowledge of
Mayo, ON his return from distant voyage, he
has made one of his confidential servants
whether Aogged into it by the manager or not,
we do not know-testiiy to having seen Neal
aiding in the escape of his family. On this
doubtful testimony, a requisition has been is
sued by the Governor of Maryland, and COM
piled with thodghtlessly, we regret to say, by
the Governor of this State.
On one point, there is a direct contradiction
/ in the statement of the different parties. AL
though the crime Neal stands charged with is
an unsuccessful attempt to rescue his wife and
children from slavery-a crime never before
heard of in acivilized country,-Mayo adds that
Neal has recently tampered with his other
slaves, he offers to prove it by his negro spies,
whose word he says, ais as good as that of
Mr.. Sharplsss." ono of our most worthy
citizens, who has had Neal in his employ, and