Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-02-07
DREADFUL TRAGEDY.

On the 26th ult. [Sunday, par
ty flight slaves, two men, two wo-
men and four children, escaped from
their masters premises, 1G miles from
Covington, KY. They crossed the
river on the ice and seereted them
selves in Cincinnati at the house of
Joe Kite, friend. They were i'm
mediately pursued by their owners,
and tracked to their hiding place.
The masters then proceeded to the
office of the U. S. commissioner, and
procuring the necessary warrants, and
the needed assistance, returned to
the hiding place Of their property.
On reaching the premises one Of the
Marshall's posse, called upon Kite to
open the door, as resistance would be
useless. This Kite agreed to do,
but delayed SO long that an attempt
was made to force it open, when a
window was suddenly thrown up, and
one of the negro men fired a apistol,
wounding one of the Marshall's assis-
tants in the hand and in the mouth.
A second Tarty of officers coming up,
the doors were forced open, and after
short but desperate resistance the
slaves were secured.
During this performance another
and more awful one was being enacted
in the house. Such was the horror
and loathing inspired in the breast of
one of the slave women at the entire
slave system, that sooner than permit
her children to return to it's horrors
and crimes she would herself kill
them. One of her children was found
lying on the floor with its head near
ly severed from its body. Two 9TH
ers, boys, aged about four and five
years, were bleeding tprofusely from
wounds in the head and neck, and
the infant in her arms had its
head much swollen, and was bleeding
quite freely at the nose. When her
captors came upon her she fought
with the ferocity of tigress.
The further proceedings are thus
detailed by the Commercial:
About o'clock, application was made to
Judge Burgoyne for writ of Habeas Cor
9us, to bring the slaves before him This
was put in the hands of Deputy She riff
Buckingham to serve, who, accompanied by
several assistants, proceeded to Hammond
Street Station House, where the slaves were
lodged. Some time was spent in waiting
for the arrival of Mr.. Bennett Deputy U.
S. Marshall When le arrived he was un-
willing to give them up, & a long time was
spent parleying between the Marshall and
the Sherii's officers. The Sheriff being
determined that the writ should be executed,
Mr.. Bennett went out TO take counsel with
his friends. Finally, through the advice of
Mayor Farsn, Mr.. Bennett agreed to lodge
the slaves in the Jail, ready to be taken out
at the order OF Judge gurgoyne. Judge
Bun goyne, having to be absent from the
city to-day, will not hear the case until
Wednesday morning.
At the Station House, Lieutenant Ha7sn
showed his disposition to favor the sssl,ve-
holder, by driving out Of the room the gen.
tleman who had sworn out the affidavit be-
fore Burgoyne, & who had accompanied the
Sheriff to point out ,hs persons named in
the writ, although he let Mr.. Gaines, the
slave claimant, come in at pleasure, Mr..
Gitchell. the counsel for the slaves, remon.
strstsd with him in regard to his course d
spon threats being made to report the case
to Mayor Faran, he Knocked under and al
lowed tae gentleman to remain.
Every. such scene as the above is
another nail in the coffin of the accur-
sed slave system, and they will even
tuslly prove its overthrow. Yet it is
for saying that this chattel slavery
shall not be extended that we are a.