Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-04-29
this hypocritical Union.
AN ILLUSTRATION OF SLAVERY.

DAN hAAlON Ut DlIhN bhls
On the 9th of September, 1851, Edward Davis, a
coored man, free, residing in Philadelphia, aged
about 81 years left that city with the intention of
going to Holidaysburg, but brought up at Havre
de Grace, in the State Of Maryland where he went
to work for livelihood, rs he probably supposed
he had q right to do. But they have a law in
Maryland, which prevents any free negro or mu-
atto, belonging to or residing in any other State,
from going into that State for the purpose Of set
tement or otherwise, under penalty Of 500. I'm
der that statute, Davis arrested, taken before
magistrate and fined Not having the money to
pay, he was thrown into the Bell Air prison, where
he remained about two months lie was then
brought out tried--fOr what offence we cannot say
and sentenced to be sold to pay his fine and ex-
penses amounting to $50. Subsequently, he was
removed TO a slave pen in Baltimore and there en-
poyed to cook for some Gty or sixty slaves, being
told that he was working out his ne and Jail fees.
After being thus employed for about six months
he was taken out, handculIed and taken to Wash
ington, and thence to Charleston, South Carolina.
About this time he learned that he had been sold
to William Dean Of Macon, Georgia. Upon his
arrival at Macon he set to work upon n rail-
road in the course of construction and was worked
so hard that his health soon gave out when he
was placed upon cotton plantation. Ultimately
&c was sent back to the railroad but he soon broke
down again, and in July 1858, he was taken To an
infrmary ih Macon, where he partially recovered.
To the attending physicians he told the story Of
his wrongs. They tried to purchase him. One Of
/ his legs was drawn Gp so that he could not walk
well, and they offered slG2 for him, which his
master refused. The directors wanted him to at.
tend their patients, who were mostly slaves.
On the 18th Of March last, he ran away from
Macon and went to Savannah. There ne hid in n
stable until Tuesday afternoon, March H., when he
secretcd himself on board the keystone STATE, a
steamer which sails between Savannah and PhiiS-
delphia. AT o'clock tho next morning the steam
er sailed with Davis on board. The following day
the men, while heaying the lead, heard voice
from under the guards of the boat calling for them
to throw him a rope. Upon examination, it was
found that the voice proceeded from cOlored man
concealed on a beam under the guards Of the
wheel house. lie was rescued from his 'perilous
situation, in state of great exhaustion his
clothes were saturated with sea water. as the sen
had become rough, and he was dipped in the water
at every rock Of the vessel The hands furnished
him with dry suit, and made him comfortable
But the commander of the boat was differently
disposed. Fearing the effects of Georgian law, in
case he should bring slave to free State, he or
dered his vessel to put into Newcastle, Delaware,
where he had the unfortunate man imprisoned,
with the intention, it is stated of taking him back
to Savannah on his return trip.
But the facts of this having leaked out, public
sympathy was enlisted, and q determination shown
that Davis should not go back to Georgia. unless it
could established that he was not entitled to his
freedom. On the Both of March the case was
A number OF witnesses were examined and his
freedom clearly proved Mrs. Diamond, one of
the witnesses, testified that she had known him
since 1879, when he was about two years old. Her
sister. Mrs. Martha G. Mcclure, testified that she
had known him for eleven or twelve years, and
John IL. Brady testified that he had known him for
the last nine years.
On hearing the testimony, the magistrate dis
charged him from custody, there being no reason
why free citizen of Pennsylvania should be kept
IN Delaware prison with no crime charged against
him. After his discharge, and before he had left
the magistratos office, the commander of the Kew
stone State appeared, and made affidavit that he
believed him Davis to be fugitive slave and
afterwards another to the effect that he believed
him to be fugitive from justice, whereupon he
was detained and again shut up in prison.
The Captain now returned to Savannah, and
one of the newspapers Of that city contained this
significant article
1--WE are informed that the description of The
late ontsde passenger by the Keystone State an
swers very well to that of lost negro man belong
ing to Mr.. Dean, Of Macon. Measures hare been
taken by he claimant and The agent of the Philadel-
phia steamers Of This city to ascertain The tyuM-
The slave is said to have been recently brought
from Maryland to Georgia."
In accordance with this announcement, measures
were taken by the claimant to secure the return of
Davis to state Of bondage. The case came on
for trial before Mr. Samuel Gurthrie, U S. Com
missioner at New Castle, on April 10TH The pro-
ceedings had before this magistrate are recorded
in another coum, with the evidence adduced
against the alleged slavei and, as we have learn
ed through telegraphic dispatch, the result of
the whole was the remission of this freeborn Penn
sylyanian, who had thus herocally periled his
life to regain his liberty, to the man claiming to be
his owner Tribune.