The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-02-03
Prom the New York Daily Times.
THE KIDNAPPING CASE.
Narrative of the Seizure and Recovery Of So
mon Northrop-Interestin Disclosures

fhE klD6hfflN6 CAck,
Narrative Of the Seizure and Recovery Of Solo
mon Misunderstanding Disclosures
We have obtained from Washington the sub.
joined statement of the circumstances attend
ing the seizure and recovery of the negro man
solomon Northrop, whose case had excited so
high degree of interest. The material facts
In the history of the transaction have already
been given, but this narrative will be found a
more complete and authentic record than has
yet appeared
Solomon Northrop, the subject of the follow
ing narrative, is a free ooored citizen of the
United States; was born in Essex county, New
York about the year 1908 became early q
resident of Washington county, and married
there in 1929. His father and mother resided
in the county Of Washington about afty years
till their deoesse, and were both free. With
his wife and children he resided ut Saratoga
Springs in the winter of l84l, and while there
was employed by two gentlemen to drive 0
team South, at the rate of a dollar day. In
fulflment of his employment he proceeded Il
New York, and having taken out free papers
to show that he was a citizen, he went on tt
Washington city, where he arrived the seconC
day of April, the same year. and put up a
Gadsby's hotel. Soon after he arrived he fell
unwell, and went to bed
While suffering with severe pain some per
sons came in and, seeing the condition he was
in, proposed to give him some medicine, and
did 30. That is the last thing of which he had
any recollection until he found himself chained
to the floor of Williams slave pen, in this city
and handcuhed. In the course of few hours
10 -, a
the colored man asked him to take the irons
off from him, and wanted TO know why they
were put on. Buroh told him it was none OF
his business. The oolored man said he was
free, and told where he was born. Burch call
ed in man by the name of Ebenezer Rodbury
and they two stripped the man, and laid him
across a bench, Rodbury holding him down by
wrists. Burch whipped him with paddle un
til he broke that and then with cat-'o-nine
tails giving him a hundred lashes, and he swore
he would kill him if he ever stated to any one
that be was a free man. From that time for.
ward the man says he did not communicate the
fact from fear, either that he was free man
or what his name was, until the last summer
He was kept in the slave pen about ten days
when he, with others, was taken out of the per
in the night by Burch, handcufed and shackled
and taken down the river by q steamboat ant
then to Richmond, where he, with forty-eigh
others, was put on board the brig Orleans
There Burch left them The brig sailed fo
New Orleans, and on arriving there before sh
was fastened to the wharf Theophilus Free
man. another slave dealer belonging in tn
city of New Orleans, and who in 1888 ha
been partner with Burch in the slave trad,
came to the wharf and received tho slaves q
they were landed, under his direction Thi
man was immediately taken by Freeman an,
shut up in his pen in that city. He was takeI
sick with the small pox Immediately after get
ting there, and was sent to a hospital where
he lay two or three weeks When he had snf
iciently recovered to leave the hospital, Free
man declined 10 sell him to any person in that
vicinity, and sold him to Mr. Ford, who re.
sided in Rapides parish, in Louisiana, where
he was taken and lived little more than O
year, and worked Us carpenter, working with
Ford at that business
Ford became involved, and had to sell him.
A Mr.. Tibaut became the purchaser. He, in
short time sold him TO Edwin Eppes in Bay
on Bout, about one hundred and thirty miles
from the mouth Of Red river, where Eppes has
retained him on a cotton plantation since tho
year lS43
His place Of residence remained unknown
until the month Of September last, when the
following letter was received by his friends;
BAYou BGUr, Augua, 1852.
GENTLEMEN: 1t having been a long time
since | have seen or heard from you, and not
knowing that you are living it is with uncer-
tainty that write to you; but the necessity Of
the case must be my excuse. Having been born
free just across the river from you, am certain
you must know me; and am here now slave,
] wish you to obtain free papers for me, aud for.
ward them to me at Marksville, Louisiana,
parish of Avoyelles and oblige yours
SOLOMON NoRTHRoP.
Mr.. VIM. Peny or Mr.. Legis Parker.
On receiving the above letter, Mr. N. applied
to Governor Hunt, of New York, for such au-
thorty as was necessary for him TO proceed to
Louisiana, az an agent to procure the liberia
ion of solomon Proof OF his freedom was
furnished 10 Governor Hunt by alhdavits of
several gentlemen General Clarke among
others. He left Sandy HILL in New York, on
the l4th of December last, aud came 70 the city
of Washington, and stated the facts of the case
to Hon Pierre Soule, OF Louisiana Hon. Mr.
Conrad, Secretary Of War, from New Orleans ,
and Judge Nelson, Of the Supreme Court Of tho
United States, and other gentlemen. They fur
nished MIR. N. with strong letters to gentlemen
residing in Louisiana, urging their assistance
in accomplishing the object Of restoring the
man to freedom.
From Washington, Mr. NJ went to the mouth
Of the Red river, and thence up that river to
Marksvlle where he employed John p Wad-
dill, an eminent lawyer, and consulted with him
M IN thu hat v,,aana ,,f fudipo tho ,,ao H.
soon ascertained there was no such man at
the place where the letter was dated, was TWEEN.
ty-three miles distant at its nearest point, and
is seventy miles in length. At last he was
found and legal proceedings commenced. A
process was placed in the hands OF sheriff, d.
recting him TO proceed to Bayou Reouf and
take the colored man into his possession, and
wait the order Of the court in regard to his
right 20 freedom. The next day, the owner,
with his counsel, came 10 Msrksville and call
ed upon Mr.. NJ, who exhibited to them the
commission which he had received from the
Governor of New York, and the evidence in his
possession relating TO the man being free cit
irsn Of New York.
Eppess counsel, after examining it, stated to
his client, that the evidence was ample and
satisfactory; that It was perfectly useless to
litigate the question further, and advised him
by all means To deliver the colored man up in
order that he might be carried back TO tho
State Of New York, in pursuance Of the doy-
ernor's requisition. An article was drawn up
between the claimant and Mr.. Northrup, the
counsel for tho colored man, and recorded in
accordance with the laws Of the place, showing
that the colored man was free Having settled
satisfactorily, the agent and the res-
sued man started for New Orleans ON the Ath
Of January, and on arriving there, traced the
titles OF the oolpred msn from 1ibaut " Eppes,