The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-09-08
AIbeEti, the Haagman KidnaPper.

AlDeFti, TIE EaGSMan hlaEiappeFs
Bigler's friend Albert is most unquos
tionably a creature of the yilest character
that ever breathed the breath of life; and
it is strange that such beast should com
mand the good of any one protesting to
possess a heart, and strangesstill that an
Executive of such State as Pennsylva-
MIA could descend so low as to affiliate to
such a degree with such a scoundrel as to
release him from the Penitentiary and
turn him loose again to prey upon society.
The following picture of this friend of
Gov. Bigler is from the Philadelphia Reg
lister, and is as true as it is graphic:
Who has not heard of Alberti! He is
the man in the black mask who figures at
every gallows scene. His business is to
place the faintng wretch under the moose,
to adjust the knot under the left ear, to
let fall the drop and take charge of the
corpse. When Spring was hung, no one
needed to be told that Alberti was on the
scaffold, that he looked curiously for the
black stream to spout from his nostrils,
and cracked his ribald jokes over the Ii
vid clay. This is his vocation; men and
nature have attributed it to him. The
ponderous marble jaws of the Penitentia-
ry vomited him out, that he might pur-
sue it. Au execution was once expected
at Lancaster; Alberti volunteered an Of
fer to the Sheriff to strangle the victim
handsomely, and to receive, in full pay
ment of his services, the cord and corpse
Do not imagine quiet, gentle, milk heart
ed reader, that there is shame in this
creature; that he shrinks from the eye of
man, and lives in the darkest corner of
some cellar or dungeon, afraid that honest
men who meet him will slay him. No;
he glorics in the isolation in which he
lives. A grim smile plays over his coun-
tenance when men cross the street to a.
void meeting him, when children cease
their sports at his approach, and huddle
together like chickens that dread the fell
swoop of a hawk; or when the frequcn-
ters of the low groggeries he favors hush
their boistcring and noisy talk as he en-
ters. draw away from the counter, and
leave him to drink in silence and alone.
Those who have once heard his voice, are
haunted ever after by its harsh and gra-
ting tones. Speak to him, if you are Gu
rious, and he will tell you, in his drawing
way, how his fendish fancy has led bin
to festoon winding sheets about his bed,
and curtain the windows of his chamber
with the grave clothes of men he has hung.
But, thank heaven, there are not e.
nough executions even here to enrich this
To supply his wants, he has
cumulated with his business Of hangman,
that of kidnapper and slave-catchcr.-
There is not, in southern paper, an ad-
vertisement of fugitive slave, that does
not find its way to Alberti. No colored
man arrives here but Alberti knows it,
through his spies, and compares his per-
son with the advertisement description.--
Fearful Of being deceived by his wretch
ed agents, he prowls about himself in the
quarters where the negroes reside, peep
ng into houses, and entering them under
Ill sorts Of pretexts. He is the evil geni-
Is of the region about Lombard street,
If negro family hears anoise when seat
ID around the supper table, they look to
he window in fear, half expecting to see
Alberti looking through, with his nose
lattencd against pane. If a negro is
Alberti finds master for
lim, which is the safer plan, or kidnaps |
i'm, ifnothing else will do. Once on the
rack Of fugitive, he follows it like a |
lut-hound. Nothing stops him. PERU
y, corruption of officers, legal chicanery
any means are good which enable him
0 pocket the reward offered for a hu-
nan being.