Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-03-18
ARREST CT FUGITIVE SLAVE NEAR
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. VIOLENCE.

These are stirring times, and, as usual in
such times, effrontery protrudes its brazen
front in order to attract the notice of the
world. AS is usual in such times, fools and
fanatics proclaim their folly in harangues dis
tinguished by vocferous violence and convul-
sive gesticulation. They speak to the point Of
copious perspiration, and howl, until in mad
dog frenzy, they actually foam at the mouth
As is usual in such times, men base in princi.
pie, and fostering with malice, manufacture
frauds of the basest kind, and fabricate false
hoods so atrocious and extraordinary as even,
in the absence of other testimony, to throw dis
credit on themselves.
All Bedlam is in motion, and we will not be
surprised at anything, no matter how strange,
The last move of the abolitionists and agita-
tors was made near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on
the 18th instant. A slave who escaped from
his master in Missouri, in the spring Of 1852,
and sought refuge in Wisconsin was found by
the master four miles from Racine After
taking all the proper steps, after strictly COM
plying with all the forms and acquisitions of
the law, after regularly obtaining from the
district judge warrant of arrest, he proceeded
in company with duly authorized persons to
arrest him. The fugitive was, in accordance
with the acquisitions of the warrant Of arrest,
lodged in the cosnty jail for safe-keeping, I'M
til the matter could be heard and decided on
by the judge.
This arrest was soon rumored about. The
abolitionists became frantic. They started all
kinds Of rumors and circulated all sorts OF
exaggerated statements. The master was &C.
cused Of barbarity, of inhuman cruelty. Great
excitement was thus gotten up A public
| meeting was determined on. Phe court house
bell was rung to call The people together. A
large crowd assembled. The meeting was or.
ganized. Infammatory speeches were made
and violent resolutions adopted. A vigilance
committee of twenty-five was appointed to see
that the fugitive should not be secretly taken
away, or tried except in an open manner
Subsequent proceedings of the mob are thus
sketched in the Milwaukee Sentinel.
buiihS shC hiohh " VIII VI HkOeuS COT
pus, as above mentioned, had been served mp.
on Sheriff Page. He Immediately made re-
turn that the negro was not in his custody OF
under his control, but was in custody of the
United States marshal and deputies, under a
warrant from Judge Miller, Of the United States
court. Another writ was got out by the ne
gro's counsel, G. X. Watkins, esq, and put in
the sheriff's hands to be served upon the mar
shall, and was so served This was about FIVE
| D. m. Within short time the steamer arrived
bringing about one hundred men from Racine
who marched in solid column to the Jail, where
the negro still remained in charge Of two dep
uties Of the United States marshal This &C
cession to the numbers Of the crowd added
fuel to the flame, and after n short time de
mand was made for the man. A refusal being
made, an attack was made upon the door with
planks, axes, &c.; it was broken in, the innei
door and wall broken through, and the negro
taken from his keepers, brought out and place.
in wagon, which was driven at great speet
down to the Walkers Point bridge, where h,
was placed in another carriage and takei
south, on the way to Racine. The mlitar.
we're called out but had not gathered whei
the crisis came"
The owner of the slave and those who aide
him were arrested.
The Milwaukee Sentinel gives of this afiai
just such an account as would naturally be e,
pected from an aboitionist. 1t represents tn
master and his associates as acting withor
] authority, and as dealing like savages with tn