The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-02-16
From tie Mac York Daily Times
The kidnapping Case.

Narratice Of the Seizure and Recovery of Solomon
!s'orthtop- Interesting Disclosures
We have obtained from Washington the sub
oined statement the circumstances attending the
seizure and recovery of tho negro man Solomon
Norihrop, whose case has excited SO high degree
Of interest. The ma erial facts in the history OF
he transaction have already been given but this
narrative will be found more complete and au-
hentc record than has yet appeared:
Solomon Northrop the subject of the following
narrative, is free colored citizen Of the United
States; born 10 Essex county, New York,
about the year 1908; became early resident of
Washington county, and married there in 1929.
His father and mother resided in the county of
Washington about fifty years. till their decease,
and were both free. With his wife and children
he resided at Saratoga Springs in the WiSitcr u
1e4l, and willie there, was employed by two gem
tlemen to drive team South, at the rate Of dbl
lar day. Ia fulfiment of his employment he
proceeded t, New York, and having taken out free
papers, to show that he a citizen, he went On
to Washington city, where lie arrived the second
day of April, the same year, and put up at Gads-
by's Hotel. Soon after he arrived, lie felt unweEl
und went to bed.
While suffering from severe pain some persons
came in, and, seeing the condition lie was in, pro-
posed to give him some medicine, and did so.
That is the last thing of which lie had any recol-
lection until he found himself chained to the floor
of Williams slave pen ia this city, and hard-cutfe:i.
In the course of few hours, J as. Ii. Burch, a
sllvedealer came in, and the colored man asked
b IN TO lax, tie lions OF fion him, and wanted to
know why they were put on. Burch told Lin i
was Of his business. The colored inan said
he was free, and tod where he was bora. Burcl
called ia Il m by the name OF Ebenezer Rod
bury, AMI they two stripped the and laid lin
across bench, Rodbury holding him down by lis
wrists Burch whipped him with paddle unit
he broke that, and ti1en with cat OniEe ta S
| giving him hundred lashes, and he swoe lie
would kill him if be ever stated to any one that he
was free From that time forward the
man says he did not communicate the fact from
| fear either that he WAS free man, Or what hi:
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 pen il
the night, by Burch, handcuffed and shackled, ant
taken down the river by steamboat, aud then Il
! Richmond, where he, with forty eight Others Wa
put on board the brig Orleans. There Burch lef
them. The brig sailed for New Orleans, and Oh
arriving there. before she Was fastened to th,
wharf, Theophilus Freeman, another slave dealer
belonging in the city of New Orleans and who il
1888 had been partner with Burch in the sav
trade came TO the wharf and received the slave
. as they were landed, under hia direction. Thi
man was Immediately taken by Freeman and shu
up in his pen in that city. He WIS tAkeD sick wi
the small pox Immediately after getting there, an
was sent to Hospital where lie lay two OF tire
weeks When he had sufficiently recovered /
leave the hospital, freeman declined to sell hir
to any person ia that vicinity. and sold him TO
Mr.. Ford, who resided in Rapides parish,
D Louisiana, where he was taken and lived littl
more than year, and worked as carpeGta
t working with Ford at that business.
Ford became involved and had to sell him.
! Mr.. Tibaut became the purchaser He in sho
h time sold him to Edwin Eppes in Bayou Beou
o about one hundred and thirty miles from th
moath of Red River, where Eppes has retaine
8 him on q Cotton plantation since the year 1913.
i 70 go back a step in the narrative the ma
wrote letter in June, 1941, to Henry B. No
et throp, OF the Stote of New York, dated and pos
marked at New Orleans, stating that he had bee
e. kidnapped and was board vessel but WI
unable to state what lis destination was; but II