New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-04-20
~ rLrUsTR,rrcy OF sL,yEaY.

The last fort! years
Az ILIUsTR. rIGN or sL,VEGY.
On the j.b ofseptember. 1851, Edward Davis. col,
ored maD free residing in Philadelphia aged about 81
vtsrs. left that city with tie intention of going 70
Holday,burg, but brought up at Havre do Grace in
tie State Of Maryland, where he went to work for
livelihood as be probably supposed be had right to
do But they have law in Maryland which prohibits
en-, free negro muattO, belonging to residing in
sry other State from going into that State for the pur
pose Of settlement or otherwise under penalty Of
$50 Under that statute, Davis was arrested taken
before a magistrate AID fined. Not hayGg the money
70 pay lie wss thrown into the Bell Air prison where
he remained about two months. lie was then brought
out tried-or what cilense we cannot sly-and SEN
fenced to be sold 10 pay bis fine and expenses amount
ing to so Subsequently, he was removed to slave
pen in BALM ore ard there employed to cook Tor some
fifty or sixty slaves being told that he was worh1g
out his fine and jail fees
After being thus employed for a out six months hs
was taken out handcuIed and taken to Washington,
arc thence 10 Charleston South Carolina About this
time he learned that be had been sold TO william Dean
o. Macon, Georgia Upon lis arrival at Macon he was
sei to work upon railroad il the course Of consruc
out when lie was placed upon a cotton plant.tioa.
Ultimately he sent back to the railroad but ne soon
broke Gown again and in July 1853, he was taken to
an Urinary In Macon, where he partially recovered.
To the attending Physicians lie told the story of his
wrorgs They tried 70 purchase him. One Of his legs
was dra up that he could walk well aad they
offered $500 for him, which his master refused. The
directors wanted him to attend their pa,ients who
were most slayes
On he 18th OF MafCi las, he ran away rOm Macon
snc went to Savannah There be Aid in stable until
Tuesday afternoon, March Il, whea ne secrete1 hun
ELF on board the Keystone State steamer which sails
betvecn Savannah and Philadelphia. st o'clock the
Text morning tie steamer sailed with Davis board
Tie following day, the men, while hesying the lead
heari voice irom under Tie guards of the boat call
iDg for them to throw him rope. Upon examination,
it vas found that the voice proceeded from colored
nan concealed CO beam under the guards Of the
wheel house He rescued from his perilOus situi.
tor in state Of great exhaustion; his clothes
saturated With seawater as the sea had become rough
and he dipped in the water ct every rock OF the
vessel II e hands furnished him with dry suit anl
made him comfortable. But the commander of the
boat was differently disposed. Fearing the effect. of
Georgian law, in case lie should bring slave to free
State lie ordered lis vessel to put into Newcastle
Delaware where be had the unfortunate man impris.
oued will the infection it is ST. ed OF taking him back
to sayaD1ah On his return tip.
But Tic facts of tie case having leaked olt public
sympathy wts enlisted, sDds determination shown that
Davis should no. 90 back to Georgia unless it could
be estalfhcd that be was not entitled to hi. freedom
On the til Of March the case was brought before JUS
tee Bradford Of New Castle. number Of witnesses
were examined and bis freedom clearly proved. Mrs
pimoDd, enc of he witnesses, testified that she had
known him since 1919 wien he was about two years
Old Her sister Mrs. Martha C. Mcclure testified
that she had known him for eleven or twelve years AID
John II Brady testified that he bad known him for the
last nne years On hearing tbs testimony the msg,s-
r.e discharged lin from custody there being no re4-
sen Why free citizen Of Pennsy yauia should be kept
IN Delaware prison with 10 crime charged against
I'm. After his discharge and before he had left the
nseisTatc's cffce the commander Of The Keyst0ne
State appeared, nece affidavit that he believed him
DAVIS to he fugitive slave, and afterward another
To TIE effect hat he believed him to be fugitive from
justice whtIeulcu be was detained and again shut u
in prison.
Tie Captain low returned 10 Savannah, a1d o1e Of
trticle:
1--WE ere info med that he descriron If the Isio mi,
side lmsrger b. tie keJ stone SAFE answers very yy
70 tni n Lost negro belopgng T. Nr Desn Of Ma
cor. Acseres haze ieea taken b. Il. elrimaR and The
ogefi ~ the fhcep pa stoGmrs fer this eity to ascer
ton n traH Tie slave is said t. have been rsssnv
brought II II NcH land . Georgia
IL aceoldsrec viii this announcement. measure,
We're taEtH ty tie eiaimsr: 70 secure the return Of
Davis 10 { s'ate of bondage. The Gaze cane on for
tIih le'ose Nr Samuel Guthrie, L. S. Commissioner
at New Casile, O. APRIL l5. The proceed .. had Re
'ore tis r'g,sbtte are recorded ia another column
With tie e'iderce alduced aga.r.t the alleged slave;
afd IS we have Learned through tclegra2lc di,caen.
he rtsU: Of The whole the remission OF til, free
born Perns vaIiau, WHO had thus heroi,ally perIel
lis lie 10 re- ain his lory 70 tie man claiming 70 be
lis Ovu~I
We bs-c t-us succ.ncily narrated the facis of ri.
outrsee- which is in come respects uot rare oso
Very frequently happens in the slave States that m
Fortunate men are sold into life long bondage to paw
jailfees, levied under some Villainous and pira.ic