Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-10-11
& slave Case in III 3 cars.

Slave Case IN the Cars
The Washington stsr furnishes the fol-
loving
On Tuesday afternoonS as the five O
clock tram was ON It's way to Baltimore,
i scene occurred not expected by the
N the Annapolis junction,
Judge Mason. of Mary land accompanied
by Judge lie grand, and other gentl emen,
got in the cars, aud, on the, way Judge
Mason discovered colored man whom
he recognised as a fellow who had decoy-
ed some nine or ten slaves from their
masters. He told the fact to the con-
dactor, Mr. Owen Humphreys. who over
hauled his tickets, and found that the man.
was properly authorized to travel on the
road. was bondedSsfor, and had an indis-
putable right to pass, so far as the rules
of the road and5the law was involved
He, therefore, told Judge Mason that he
had no. authority to arrest him. The
Judge remarked that justice should be
done, when the conductor informed him
that there was police officer in the cars
who could arrest the IS fugitive. as un-
derstood, resulting in the Introduction oil
officer Busher, TO whom the Judge made
the. statement that he had made to Mr.
Humphreys. In the meantime, the con-
ductor discovered the fugitive in the pfi-
vate department appropriated TO ladies.
sitting alongside Of a white woman.
and ordered him out. About this time
officer Busher approached and gently ar
rested the colored man, saying II want
you," when the arrested man struck the
officer under the left eye imprinting three
OF his knuckIes m Busher's face, soaring
him badly and bringing the blood. The
officer was immediat -ly sustained by the
passengers, who endeaVored to secure The
prisoner, and during the operation gen
Ileman named Stone had his thumb bitten
badly by the furious fellow. Great ex-
element ensued. some of the passengers
making for the negro 10 kill him, but the
Conductor interfered for the sake of the
good order of the train, and SO regulated
matters that the officer and others sue
ceeded in handwriting the fellow and Sc.
curing him in the baggage car. Here
he was still irrascibe, and it required
much exerLion to make him behave him
self. AT this stage Of matters two per-
sons appea red and took his part. They
proved TO be Mr.. Kelly and Nj. R, b.
ertson. of Philadelphia, who Interested
Mr.. w. A. Gaddes, Of Baltimore, con.
fronted them, and with others assisted
the officer.
On arriving in Baltimore, officer CHS
holm was sent for, and took the prisoner
to the southern district watcl, house,
Judge Mason being summoned to testify
in the matter. On questioning the black
fellow. he answered that his name was
Dan Thomas that he was born near
Hagerstown, Maryland. and had been for
two years past in the employ OF Mr.. KEEL
ly, the gentleman from Philadelphia,
WHO inLerEerred for him. The white lady
who sat beside him in the private cars,
he said, was the wife Of Mr.. Kelly, and he
wanted Mr.. X sent for to furnish him
with some money. This was at the Ian
ding i'll Baltimore, and when the conduc
tor went to search for Mr.. Kelly, he was
among the missing, as also was Mr.. Rob.
ertson. Altogether, the case led to the
suspicion that they were all slave abduc
tors. The frmness and decision of Cap
tain Humphreys, and the perseverance
OF officer Bushcr wounded as he was, pre-
vente serious results, there being seve
raj in the car who wanted to shoot the
fellow on shc spot. 1t was, probably, the
most exciting scene ever presented in, the
cars of the Washington branch railroad.