Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-10-19
tTrom the New York Independent.
The Philadelphia Martyr.
THE PRISON AND THE PRISONER

THE PRISON AND THE PRISONER.
The place of Mr.. williamson 5 confinement
is tha department ofthe Moyamcnsing prison
appropriated to the keeping of criminals.-
We believe that this is the first instance
in which II prisoner of the United States
court has been confined in any other than the
debtor department of that prison. Mr..
Williamson occupies an arched cell measur-
ing about seven feet hy ten, and nine feet
high in the centre, and lighted by a narrow
barred window set in the thick outer wall of
stone, and is in all respects just such Il cell
as is allotted To any iclon in decent modern
prison \ few books lying on the floor, an
air Of neatneSs about the narrow cot, and the
dcmcanor Of the occupant, are all that sug-
-est to the visitor that the room is occupied
by Quaker gentleman, and not by COM
mon felon. We have visited murderer in
lust such Il cell.
Mr.. Williamson is in the prime Of life
(thirty-lour years otage) tall and slender, of
pleasant expression. Il good specimen OF the
class sometimes called gentcel' Quakers.-
His countenance is intelligent, animated,
and thoughtful, with no marked popularity.
and his conversation ut once suggests Il calm
iirmness Of principle and quickneSs of he
ncyolent sympathy, as characteristics of the
man. He is the head Of n family, having II
wife and tlree children, n,-onc born since his
incarccratiun He belongs to Il family of the
highest respectahlity. Ills father Mr.. Thorn.
Wilkinson, II cunveyAnccr by profession, is
a wcll-hnown citizen of ofPhiluaelpha, Il much
astccmed member of the Orthodox Friends
NJ citing. PaSsmore is associated with him
ii business. and shares his reputation for
urmnlty, integrity, and philanthropy. We
have the authority Of II Judiclous Friend
whom we have known for twenty years for
saying that M man is more highly esteemed
in Arch st. Meeting for prohity OF chirtc-
ter and purity OF life, than passmOrc Will
ilm,on and his father before him. and that
the unanimous opinion among Friends is that
he Las been greatly Wrongcd by Judge Kane.
| such is Mr.. Wiliamspn's character for in
tegrty,that where he is known, tie fact that
he made such IA return to the writ is sutli-
cient evidence OF its truth.
THE ALLEGED OTTESCE
| On the eighteenth day of July, Col Whec-
| Ter, L. ). Minister to Nicaragua, arrived at
! Bloodgood's hotel at Walnut ST. wharf
| Philadel phii, with II colorei woman nam ID
Jane, about thirty-fve years of age, and her
! two sons aged twelve and seven, whom he
claimed to hold as slaves, and whom he IN
tended to take with him to New York, and
upon his servants until the hour for dinner
when he left them awhile charging the wo-
man not to speak to any colorcd person, and
| ifasked who she was, to answer that she
was Il free woman travelling with Il minister.
| The woman knew something of her destina-
ton. She knew that in the strange land
| whittier she was going no power couli inter
| t're between her person and the passions oI
! the lusts of her master. She knew that heI
sons might be separated from her at his will
or might be scourged and tortured before her
| eyes without hope of redress. She had somt
vague idea that in the State where she wal
haltiug for few hours, she was entitled t.
be free, and calling to her female servant
OF the house she told her story and her wishes
The master once left the table and came ou
to the porch to assure himsclfof the safety 0
his clattels ; but presently the woman loun,
opportunity to speak to u culorcd man ab1u
the premises and the result of that inter
view was, that u messenger was despatched
To- the Anti-slayery uihJe in Fifth st. nea
Arch, with note stating that there wer
three slaves at BloOdgoOd hotel who desire
their freedom. \ person employed in tina
Office fastened to the office of Mr.. Williamsu
ON the corner of Seventh and Arch streets
and requested his immediate attention to tn
case. Mr., Williamson is Secretary of tn
Acting Committee Of the Pennsylvania Soci
ETY. for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery
and for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlaw
fully held in Bondage. and for Improving tn
Condition of the African Race, "a Societ
incorporated in 1889, of which DR.. BcniH
min Franklin was the first President. |
his official capacity, Mr.. Williamson was Il.
lrorer person to he applied to in the case.
: 1t was now IL O'Clock, and the boat it
A..,lr
spu ,va- - leave Cr llarrishurrh that night
! and va, busy IN preparations fr his joul
n"y. II was too late To find Judge comp,
tent or likely to grant writ of HqJeds CoY
pns, which, though commonly resortcd t,
WAS not at all necessary in such a case. "
williamson advised the messenger, Mr.. Stil
To proceed at once TO the hotel and iuiur
the slaves that they were legally entitled
1 their freedom, and could take il. OF iailn
l Of this, 10 send Il telcgraphic dispatch
3 New York, so that the case cuull be met @
= thcir arrival there.
! But Mr.. Williamson could not rest vii
, such a disposal Of the case. lie thought
+ that poor helpless WomIn and her cliidrr
7 . entitled To their freedom, and held in unlay
! iHl bondage through ignorance of the way
= deiycrauce. Perhaps he had read the ira
I "I tie American Tract Society which asl
d What would you not do to save one Go
; iigcJ'1e captivity and lelt that not ia
d less should ho done to save one from caltiyi
E in Nicaragua, Certainly ho had read Il
c injunction Of the Master, Whatsoever
r would that men should do to you, do ye t,''
e 50 to them lie dropped his pen, and Ia
n tened to Bloodgood's hotel. Wheeler al
: his servants had already gone ou board Il
'- boat Without saying a word to any on
G Mr.. Nilitmson went pu board. found Il
4 parties on tho upper deck and IN the pr
j. ,euce of Wheeler informed Jane that she "
= free by the laws of Pennsylvania, She G
. pressed her desire to be free, and rose to d
It part Wheeler attempted to detain her al
e Williamson held him back, while Jane al