The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-17

The Court here adjourned.
The Northrup kidnapping Case.
Iron the Saratoga whigJ
in the matter of Alexander Merrill and Joseph
Russel. ane ted for inveig'ing Solomon Northrup,
city of Washington. and selling him into slavery.
An examination was held before Abel Meeker
and David w. Maxwell E-quires, Justices Of the
peace, at Baston Spa, on Tuesday, July II. 1854,
Eo,thrup and George G. Scott, appearing for the
prosecution. and william Wait appearing for the
prisoner Merrill and John Brotherson for Russell
Solomon Northrup sworn, says be was fortyseven
Tstoea Springs in the month of March. ls4l; had 4
family at that place consisting Of wife and three
CHILDREN; knows the prisoner now Ia court; FIRST
saw him at Saratoga Springs In ls4i. latter part OF
March, there was another man with him, an ascot
ale, who is now sitting beside him; one now known
rs Merrill, called him Merrill Brown, and the other
called fis Abraham Hamilton; he first them ut
M. Moons tavern, at Saratoga Springs; they did
not appear to have any particular business; they
wished 10 hire witness to 20 ~ New York with them
to drive Their carriage and play che fiddle Ia cir
Gus company to which they said they belonged;
they offered him one dollar per day and expenses
from the time he left until he returned; they had
carriage and span of horses there at the time;
lac drove their horses, attached TO the carriage
to Albany by Cofoes, and thence TO New York city;
after his arrival in New York he wished to leave bat
ton with them; he finally concluded to go with
them, a. accordingly went to the Custom House
nrd obtained free papers rs he was afraj to 20 to
Washington without them: prisoners went with
him TO what they called the Custom House, and got
Whist witness supposed to be free papers; having
obtained free papers, they took the horses and car
risge and went to Baltimore through New Jersey.
Tie borses and carriage were left ut Baltimore;
eaw Thaddeus st. John in Baltimore; from Bllti-
more went to Washington in the railroad car; said
they were going 70 meet the circus. and would
come back with It; arrived in Washington the night
before General Harrs0ns funeral; stopped at Glds.
by's hotel; was around with the prisoners during
the day. and drank with them frequently. aud
auoked with thrm; they charged him particularly
not tn leave them; was taken sick during the
afternoon, ard got worse during the evening, 10
he recovered, but found himself next in williams
slave pep in Washington, with handouts and letters,
and letters fastened 10 ring In the floor The first
white persons that came IN were james Birch and
EbeDezer RadburD; one asked him how he feIt told
him he Was sick, didn't know what was matter, and
asked the reason why he fettered and handcufed
there; Birch sad he had bought witness; told Birch
he was free man, and Birch said he liar, aud
that ne had run away from Georgia; It'd him never
had been in Georgia, and could get evidence from
New York that he was born free, and had always
been a free man; Birch said be would not hear any
Of his lies, and If be denied having run away from
Georgia would Hog him; had no coat or hat on, nor
any money, they having been taken from him during
the night told Birch that ii he ever got free,
would know the reason OF his treatment; and
Birch told Radburn 70 get paddle and CATO
with his feet on his handouts, and then Birch
broke the paddle on him, after which he took
the cat Q nint tails and whipped him with that IN
til Nadburn told him to stop. az he would be too
sore ~ 60 to New Orleans; renamed In the slave
pen awhile and was tuen taken with OF aer negroes
by steamboat q piece, and thence by railroad to
Norfolk, Va; was taken from thence with other
negroes to New Orleans in brig; at New Orleans
AIo Iss,a -
on beard the vessel, and took him 70 slave pen
from whence he was cold to WIN. p. Ford, TO go up
the Red River; was next sold to John T,bbets. and
then to Edwin Epps, who lived At Bayou Boef
TO January 3. 1853. he was on that day set ct
liberty, ard returned to bis family. He has never
eeen either Of the prisoners from the time be was
taken sick in Washington until last week. He first
da's Bnsh; first saw him In bed ct the house of
prsnLer's father
1.-THE counsel here wshed to AJAX rs to the YEA.
pens found with prisoners clothes by the side Of
bis bed but prisoners counsel objected, when an
argument was he'd upon the subject, during which
Mr.. No,thrup asserted that he should attempt to
prove that the prisoner had been for Q long time
engaged IL kidnapping and other crimes, and that
he always went armed for offence and defcnce.l
In belt were found a bowie knife and revolver
loaded with ak charges. Was informed that he
arrived from the South on the Monday previous.
First saw Merrill on Monday, July IL, at Schcnec-
W.
Was informed that one Of the prisoners was known
in Fulton county as Alexander Merrill, and the 9TH
or as J0eeph Russell.
On cross examination Witness said he could not
recollect Of having been ia Albany during the win
ter previous to bic being Kidnapped; thinks he
stayed at the Eagle Tavern in Albany when with
prisoner: could not recoect The hames Of stop
ping places between Albany and New York; has
York; stopped at hotel on the North River side
in New York; cannot tell which Of the prisoners
spoke to him about going farther than Ne York,
but thinks it was Russell; both were together and
Offering him one dollar per day and his expenses to
continue on to Washington; it was Merrill or Rus
sell that poured out the liquor for him 10 drink the
lat time he drank with them; saw rhaddeus st.
John at Washington, and thinks the last time he
drank with prisoners, st. John was with them; after
he went TO bed, felt SO bad that he thought his
liquor had been drugged; people came IL MA room
and be told them Of his Sickness and asked them to
go ard get him &c me medicine; was advised to 90
TO Coct0r; thinks the slave pen in which he
found himself less than q quarter of a mile from
Gadsbys hotel; has not seen 81. John from the time
be drank with him at Washington until one day last
week, when be saw him at Fonda; ne recognised
st. john at once when he saw him at Fonda In the
barIo(n OF the hotel.
1baddeue st. John, being sworn, says-He re-
sides ut Fonda; knows both the prisoners; their
names are Alexander Merrill and Joseph Russell;
las known them both from infancy; Merrill was
brought up in Northampton, and Rossell in Edin
bury, Saratoga county; was in Washington in the
spring Of ls4l also at Baltimore; met Merrill and
Russell al Baltimore; they were together; had q
colored man with them, recognized ~ Soono
Noribrup: saw them the afternoon previous 20
General Harfisons funeral; went to Baltimore
by railroad stopped at the Indian Queen
Hotel raw the priss ner at Gadsby's Ho.
tel in Washington, and Solomon Northrip with
them they shook hands with him and asked
him TO drink, but he declined: thcm last about
o'clock in the evening and lid not see them at
Washington again sfter that day; never saw Solo,
~ - AZ
last week at Fonda; had some talk with the prison.
els Ia Baltimore MAS rather surprised to meet Rus
eel tleie but knew Of Merrills being south before;
addressed them By name and said to Russell,
What are you doing here. Jo" Merrill then spoke
TO him In ps esence Of Russell. and requested him
not 70 call then by their proper names; I spoke TO
him again and lie put his hands together and point
60 10 the negro; when he eft Washington to return
North, met Russell end Merrill on board the boat
o. Hayre de Cmcc; their appearance WAS entirely
changed from what IL was when be saw T. EN- A few