Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-02-10

TO his client that the evidence was ample
and satisfactory; that it was perfectly use
less to ltigate the question further, and adj
vised him by all means to deliver the color.
ed man up, in order that he might be car.
red back TO the State of New York, in pur.
suance of the Governors requisltion. An
article was drawn up between the claimant
and Mr.. Northrop, the counsel for the col
ored man, and recorded in accordance with
the laws of the place, showing that the col
ored man was free. Having settled every
thing satisfactorily, the agent and the res
cued man started for New Orleans on the
4th OF January inst, and on arriving there
traced the titles of the colored man Tbaut
TO Eppes, from Ford TO Tibaut, and from
Freeman 10 Ford--all the titles being re-
corded in the proper books kept for that
purpose
Ii is but Justice to say that the aulhori-
ties of Avoyeles, and isdeed of New Or
leans, rendered all the assistance in their
power to secure the establishment of the
freedom Of this unfortunate man, who had
been snatched so villainously from the land
of freedom, and compelled TO undergo suf.
ferings almost uncomfortable in this land Of
heathenism, where slavery exists with iea-
lures more revolving than those described
in Uncle Toms Cabin"
Having traced the titles back so far as
possible in New Orleans, the party then
proceeded to the city of Washington, where
Burch lived and on making inquiry found
who was the keeper of the slave pen in that
city in 1851 and also acerlalned from the
keeper, upon the coored man Solomon n
being pointed out to him, that he was plac-
ed IN that pen IN the Spring OF lS4l, and
there kept for a short period by Burch.
Immediately upon the receipt of this in
Formation, complaint was made before the
Police of Washington against Burch, for
kidnapping and selling into slavery this free
colored man. The warrant for his arrest
was issued on the 18th instant by Justice
Goddard, and returned before Justice Man
sell. Burch was arrested and held TO bail
in the sum of $1,000, Shekels, a slave-tra-
der of seventeen years standing, going his
bail.
On the 18th instant, at 10 O'Clock, both
parties appeared before the magistrate. Sem
aior Chase from Ohio, Gen. Clark and Hen
ry A. Northrup, being counsel for the PLAIN
TIFF, and J. II. Bradley for the defendant
Gen. Clark and b. A. Northrop were sworn
as witnesses on the part of the prosecution,
and establish the foregoing facts On the
part of the defendant, Benjamin Shekels
and B. A. Thorn were sworn. The pros
ecuton offered the colored man who had
been Kidnapped, as a wilnessson the part of
the prosecution, but i. was objected TO, aud
the Court decided that it was lnadmissable.
The evidence of this colored man was alb
solutely necessary to prove some facts on
the part of the prosecution, as he alone
was cognizant of them.
Mr. Shekels, who bad been, as before
stated, slave trader in the city of Wash
ingtOn seventeen years, testified that some
ten or twelve years ago he was keeping
public house in this city that Burch boar
ded at the house and carried on the bust
ness of buying and selling slaves that 10
that year two white men came into his bar
room and stated that they had a slave for
sale. Mr.. Burch Immediately entered into
a negotiation for his purchase. The white
men stated that they were from Georgia;
had brought the negro with them from that
State, and wished to sell him to be carried
back to that State that the negro express
sed willingness 10 be sold in order to re-
turn to Georgia; Shekels, however, was
unable to state the names of either Of the
white men, or the name of the colored
man; was unacquainted with either Of them
previous 10 that time, and had never seen
either since the transaction that he saw
them execute bill of sale to Burch, saw
Burch pay him S625 aud take the bill of
sale, and that he read that bill, but could
not tell who was the vendor nor who was
the person sold, as appeared by the bill of
sale
Mr.. Thorn was next called upon the
stand. and testified that he was in this lav-
ern in the Spring OF the year ls4I and saw
white man negotiating trade with Burch
for colored man but whether this was
the colored man or not, he could not tell
for he never saw either white man OF color
ed man but that once, aud did not know
whether or not Burch bought and paid for
him.
Burch himself was next offered as a wit
ness in his own behalf, to prove the loss of
the bill of sale. His evidence was object
ed 10 by the prosecution. but was allowed
by the Court He testified tina, he had The
bill of sale and had lost it, aud did not
know what had become of it. The coun-
sci for the prosecution requested the Court
TO send police officer to bring the books
of Burch, containing his bills of sale Of me-
groes for year ISL and previous years.
They were fortunately procured, but no bill
of sale was found of this colored man by a
ny name. Upon this positive evidence that
the man had been in the possession OF Burch
and that he had been in slavery for period
of more than eleven years, the Court decld-
ed that the testimony Of the slave trader es-
tablshed the fact that Burch came honestly
by him, and consequently discharged the
defendant
The counsel for the defendant had drawn
up, before the defendant was discharged, an
affidavit signed by Burch, and had war
rant out against the colored man, for con-
spiracy with the two white men before re-
ferred TO, TO defraud Bnrch out of s625.--
The warrant was served, aud the colored
man arrested and brought before officer God
dard. Burch and his witnesses appeared in
Court and ii. b. Nor,hrup appeared as
counsel for the colored man, stating that |
he was readyto proceed as counsel on the |