New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-01
have passed themselves OF on the great French
nation under thu name Of Government.
THE wHEELER SLAVE CASE


The mother is remarkably intelligent for on,
without education. We wers present ye.terd,,
with several gentlemen Of the press we,, a.
appeared before the magistrate whose mama 4.
alta .hed to the subjoned affidavit She va.
interrc gated with respect to every point soJ
answered in tAe clesrest manner. Indeed n.
affidavit was taken down 10 her own lsnyu,,s
as il fell from her lips. No testimony could n,
given with greater appearance Of sincerity ar
intelligence than hers Apart from the intrin,,
probability of her narrative of the occurrence
no one could question her without being con-
WINGED that she spoke the truth. Her afhrt
is as follows:
State Of Nerc- York CRY and Cosnfy Of Ner.Yc,.
"Jaue johnson, being sworn, makes oath and s,v.'
"My name is Jane--,Jane johnson was TIE slsy,
az Mr. Wheeler Of Washington he bought me sad
nv two children about two years ago, OF Mr. Corne-
Illus Crew of Richmond, Va; my younges, child |.
between six and years old, the other bet~eea
ten sDd eleven; have one other child only, and he's
in Richmond; / have not seen him for ahoat too
wears: never expect 10 see him agals; MI. Wssaer
brought me and my two children 10 Pniladelphi. o.
the way TO Nicaragua, to wait 90 his wife; dliat
want to 60 without my two children, aud be consenetb
take them came TO Philadelphia Dy Tue car;
stoned at Mr.. Suly g Mr.. Wheeler's father-n-lass
few moments; then went 10 the steamboat for Nev-
York at o clock but were TOO late; we went toto
Boodgood's Ho'e; Mr.. Wreeler went % dinner; NJ.
WI, eer had told me in Washington TO have nothing
TO say 10 colored persons and If any of them spoke
me 10 say was a free woman travelling with a nine
ter; we staid at Bloodgood's rill O'clock Mr. Whe,
Ter kept his eye me all the time excep, whenh
was at dinner; he left his dinner TO come ssd
see if | was safe, and then went back again;
while he was at dinner, | saw coored wonn
and told her / was slave woman; that ny
master had told me not TO speak to cca'cd
people, and that il any OF them spoke to me to ny
that | was free; but | am not free but want toA
free; she said Poor thing, pity you after tbsI
saw cooied man and said the same thing to hn
he said he would telegraph TO New-fork, and two ns
would meet me al 9 o'clock aud take me with toen
after that we went on board the boat; Mr. Nheex
sat be- side me on the deck saw a colored gentlenn
come on board; he beck Oued To me- nodded ny
head, and could not go; Mr.. Wheeler was beside ne
and was afraid; white gentleman then came aA
said TO Mr. Wheeler, | want 10 speak 10 your 80.
want and tell her of hor rights; Mr. Wheeler nss
and said If YOU have anything TO say, say il to
she knows her rights the white gentleman asked
ne wanted TO be free; ! said i do, but belongU
this gentleman and cant have IT. ne replied fa,
'you can come with us, you are a. free as your ms
Ger; If YOU want your freedom, come now; II yong
8 back 10 Washington you may never get NJ Toe
20 gO Mr.. Wheeler spoke, ana SAID, VIII give yo1
'yonr freedOm; but he he'd never promised II before,
and knew he never would give IL me; the whIts
gentleman held out his hand and went toward hmi
was ready for the word before II was gwen me;
took the children by the hands, VINO ooth cned iG
they were frightened; but both stopped when they
cot on shore: a colofed man carried the little one,
led the other by the hand; We walked down na
street til we got to a hack nObody forced me awsy;
Nobody pulled me- and nobody led me- went away
of my ovn free will; always wished 10 be free add
meant TO BE- free when | came North, herdy1'
uected il in Philadelphia, but ] thought should &c.
free in New York | have been comfortable aM
happy since left Mr.. Wheeler, and so are the chA
dren; | don't want to 90 back | could have gonen
dalr "a L could
/ had rather die than go back. | wish TO make hs
statement before magistrate because L understaM
that Mr. williamson is in prison on my account, aadl
hope the truth may be of benefit to him.
JANE I x JOHNSON
e d. CULVER City Judge of Brooklya'
This evidence entirely overthrows the oag
ground on which Judge Kane proceeded in the
memorable act of juiicisl tyranny, the imprt
onment of Mr.. Williamson. IL sho VS. that then
was no abduction Whatever 10 the premise
Jane the womau had found means TO tell CT
ored servant at the hotel where Wheeler hA
put her that she desired to be free. This apps
was duly communicated to Mr.. Williamson, n
the agent of the Abolition Society, and thrft
upon be proceeded TO discharge his duty 10 10
premises. We repeat that there ieas no sbds-
ton whatever, nor anything like it. Ts
woman had desired and intended TO leave hx
II aster when he brought her to the Free Ststes
and now when the opportunity was offered Der
she at once seized il. One Of the children sSe
led from the boat by the hand the other, wss
was carried by a colored man, not understana
ing what was going for ward, cried-as childA
seven naturally would under such circulf
stsnces-but as soon as he found he was sun
with his mother he stopped. Never az nf
/ time. as she testifes, has she been under re
slightest constraint from the friends who sidA
her in thus practically establishing her Iegi
right to freedom. She not oaly lefs Wheeh
voluntarily, but has been at liberty to returaw
/ him ever since; but as she herself says, 60
chad rather die than 60 back"
Mr.. Johnson's testimony receives striking
confirmation in a letter from Mr.. ". SUI @aica
we publish elsewhere. Mr.. S is highly re'pect
able cOlored man, and to him it was thai tae
first information Of the presence OF the WON"
and her desire to OBTAIN her freedom was CEN
municated. He referred the matter 20 MI. W.
hanson and acted with him through the 'fasr
action. From his statement ii also appears '''s
there was no such conspiracy in the c''s
Judge Kane assumed Still aud Williams
came simply because they had been sens i'''
they even came independently OF each osaa'
and had not arranged beforehand what coaf'e~
,ursue. while the men who helped the wcnH
and boys to the carriage were Porters emP''~
On the boat. who were nos aware of what wsp
| ....d .olnlr ON the i-onnlse OF ~