The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-02-22
Ohio News.
The following letter to the Boston Trans
cript, will interest every reader:

The following letter to the Boston Trans
cript, will interest every reader:
CINCINNATI, Feb. 9Th, 1856.
Dear Transcript Ere this date the tele-
graph has conveyed to you some account OF
the recent slave tragedy in this city. The
excitement consequent upon this terrible af-
fair still continues, and the sympathy of our
citizens has been deeply excited in behalf OF
the family Of fugitive slaves now under ar
rest. The intensely cold weather which has
prevailed in this region has frozen over the
Ohio river to an extent before unknown, the
ice averaging in thickness over fourteen inch
es, and while the citizens Of Ohio and Ken
lucky are enjoying the facilities for pleasure
in the way of skating, cOasting, &C., where
this immense extent of ice affords, the slaves
in Kentucky who are fully aware that the
laws of the State make il penal offence for
the tollman to allow them passage over any
bridge within the limits OF the State, and
probably supposing that the proprietor OF
the great natural bridge now existing be-
tween Ohio and Kentucky is under no par
ticular obligation to the slaye-holding inter
ests, have seized upon the occasion for a
grand stampede.
IL is estimated that nearly 200 slaves have
escaped from bondage by crossing the Ohio
river, during the past month. Through the
activity and vigilance of the directors Of the
90 underground raiiroad" they have, with an
unfortunate exception, all been put
through" One family, composed Of five
persons, husband, wife, wile's mother, and
two small children, came safely over the
river, but were Immediately pursued by their
master 10 the place of secretion. The fam
lily defended themselves by the use of FIRE
arms, but when resistance appeared hope
less, rather than allow her children to be
carried back into the Z" of American
slavery" the mother deliberately murdered
one, and attempted the destruction Of the
other, as the following testimony will show
The following is the testimony of Mary
Garner, mother-in-law of the murderes:
On yesterday about - 10 o'clock, as near
as can recollect, at u house near Milcreek
bridge, Margaret Garner said to me-"Moth-
err, before my children shall be taken back to
Kentucky, | will kill every one of them. T"
She ran to her child, little girl about three
years old, with butcher knife, and cut its
throat. She sald-.sMother, help me to kill
them" said, {" j can't help you to kill
them :" and went out of the room and got
under bed in another room, and staid there
until was hauled out by some men. ! did
not see her do any thing to the other child
rem; when this happened there was none Of
the colored people in the room but Margaret,
myself and the children. A good many white
men were rushing in; some of them were
pulling my husband into the back room, and
some were pulling Margaret's husband out of
the front door. The child's throat was cut
when the white men were rushing into the
room.
What n significant commentary does this
tragedy afford on the assertion so often made
of the strong affection Of the slaves for their
masters.
The case has become exceedingly compli-
Gated, and very great interest is felt, both in
Kentucky and on this side of the river, as to
the result. The general impression seems to
bc that Messrs. Marshal and Gaines have a
very slim chance Of ever getting any of the
negroes back into slavery. When the muir
der trial, habeas corpus trial. United States
Commissioner trial, resistance to officers
trial, false Imprisonment trial, aftidayits from
Oregon, and other matters, are gone through,
there is such general unwillingness to carry
out the fugitive slave law, even If Mcssrs. NJ.
and G.. fully make out their case, that the
result will still be doubtful. Should the in
fants DO sent back, and the mother he held to
answer for the crime Of murder, il will cause
tremendous excitement,