Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-07-22
FROM IN" Madison Bauilcr.
CASE OF DELLA WEBSIEk

Some three or four weeks ago, | removed my
residence from the State of Kentucky to the city
OF Madison and determined if / could sell my
farm without too much sacrifice, hcncefOrth TO
make this my home, and publicly offered NY place
on the hy. Hill for sale. On the 10th jane, |
went over to my Kentucky residences the walk
was too much for me, as | have been feeble and
taking medicine most Of the time since my release
from the Bedford Jail; and, before | reached
there, was taken sick and had to be helped to
the house
On the 10Th, while still confined to my BED, n
constable came to arrest me upon warrant issued
by Mr.. Baxter 4 Justice of the Peace in Lcxug-
ton, Fayette County, KY upon the affidavit Of
VIM. Balm, stating that on the Goth Of September
1914, (ten years ago. Della A, Webster feloncous-
ly entced aud seduced slave woman, Harriet,
from her lawful owner, Patterson Baiu.
a bascr falsehood never was uttered | had
never seen that woman before her escape
/ was arrested for the same offence in 1874, and
sometime after my commitment IN indictment
was made out charging me with entcing away the
husband, wife and child. Fearing they could not
make out case, they afterward changed the form
OF the Indictment, putting in three separate ndct.
ments one for each individual. My attorneys,
having no fear of conviction, introduced no wit
ncsses whatever. was confined to my bed six
weeks with fever, and much of that time was not
expected to survive from one day to another. My
illness was caused as stated by their physicians,
by my not being allowed pure air. As soon as
sufficiently recovered, | went in to trial without
the slightest preparation, aud was convicted With
out the first particle Of evidence against me- For
a long time the Jury hung. At length, wearicd
with their absence from home, the trial being five
days IN progrcsSion) they agreed to render YER
diet against me, provided their foreman would
forthwith address IN urgent letter tn the Governor
praying an immediate pardon before should enter
the penitentiary, and every iuryman should sign
his name to the petition. This YVES done before
they loft the iuryroom. and the letter presented
me in court by the foreman as they returned with
the verdict. "-......
Their own citizens then came forward aud made
affidavit to enough to clear me- upon which my
counsel moved Tor new trial. But the Judge
was threatened upon his bench, that II he granted
new trial. he ;hould be a corpse before he could
reach his door. Being rather tmd man, the
motion was overruled; but he told me right up-
point my own time for going to Frankfort. 1 set
the time several days ahead 10y the advice Of the
Hon Henry Clay, Gen. Leslie Combs, and others
who wished time 10 sec the Governor and get him
to respite the sentence in order that might have
a trial upon the other indictments.
They FASTENED to Frankfort and gave the facts
to the Governor. who decided at once 10 grant the
respite, and told them to cali next morning and he
would have the papers all made out aud signed.
/ My enemies IN LeXington, apprchendinG some
thing Of the kind, forced me to take the morning
train Of cars and go to Frankfort on prctencc that
could so to the Hotel and there stop to see my
lawyers.
lhaye been in Frankfort before, and when
thought they were taking me TO the hotel they
/ tStcalthly carried NE to the pentcutary, and my
lawyers know nGthing about it till late in the night.
1t was now too late for the respite to pc Of any
avail. After remaining there six weeks | was
purdoned out by Co. Uwsley. ! then urged and
entrcated for a trial upon this Indictment, but the
Governor said, II was Illegally convicted and
falsely imprisoned that there was no legal indict-
, ment against me, and that il was WFOnw that !
should have any further trouble and expense, and
said that lac should at once dismiss these ndict-
ments." And he also assured my father that he
need have more apprehension in relation to
them. The Governor said he had received null
T utudo OF letters and petitions FOR my release, one
OF which was signed by every member of the
Legislature, anu that the "mass Of the community
were exceedingly anxious for my roease," Now
that same old indictment is reSurrcctcd and
brought against me by the malice Of Newton Craig.
the warden Of the penitentiOry at Frankfort.
II Tho motives OF his malice, near as l can ac-
count for 1t in few words are first that he cXpe-
rienced decided repulse and totally failed to have
4 MS ungcntlcmanly and uncvilzed desires accom-
mo6rted and next, that | was unwilling to have
him visit my house oven under tho prctence OF
seeing his children, whom he had by previous con
tract, engaged to keep under my tuition Cor GER
tain time, Then, after finding that his entreaties
and letters he had wrltton 20 me ayaiicd nothing,
he in his rough Kentucky manner swore with an
II oath. that II would not agree to marry him n
case his wife should die which he expected would
take place before long, as she was then sick, b,
: would get somebody to swear TO enough on tha
: old indictment to send nc to the penitentiary
where his will should be my law, and where resist
i ance would be gain. -.....-.
i Floyd and Yeagor these were tho constable
i cent to arrest me- remained al my house all th
o night of tho I9th, and had M wish to escnr