The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-04-12
Slavery and Jury Tsials In tho soath.
(Frrm ,hs North Carolina standard. ApriI2l

Slavery an0 Jury TGAa1A In the oOaths
(Frrm ,hs North Carolina standard, ApriI2l
TIE CASE OF ALFRED wo0DLY-sLAvs STEALING.
We learn that Alfred Woody, frss man Of c,or from
the SAte Of New York who stood indicted In the Supe
Iior Court Of Berthe county, this STATE under
statute ahirg IT penal to aid and assut slave In
tried the late term Of that COURT and acquitted BY the
jury.
Law, but rendered necessary By the Systematic
orta but too often sstu which cepve
Us Of our lawful property.
This case Of Woody BIAS In respects been .
rsIisble cne end VI Il worthy Of some notice, espe
cisy from that section Of the Union from which
briefly aavert TO soms OF the acts oonnec.sd With il
When this man was sEraixnec, he enu . stran-
ger TO the people OF Der The charge against him
cacuiA maze for him rsnos especially 10 thai
county from which learn hat msuy valuabis slaves
have escaped to lhs Northern States BE was alone,
defend him what shsnf Why, Is ia awsys done in
North Caso ina in sucn cases the pres ling Judge
to hT qS + re 20 he
r. b. Winston, Jr., and H. B. Hardy, fSqrs. were the
sci.
Cpcp the trial II appea cd that this Woody came
20 the Roanoke river = hand on board of anal
sell that tie klsse disappeared from the service bis
master When tho vessel went river xuu that ~
the town OF Ply mouth tie vessel searched ana he
found ocIceseo in tho forecAts, ana rhs evidence
exceedingly strolg to tx On Woody the cha gs ci
e,sN. Though ably de ended BY his counsel he
iounc guilty to ee hung tor bi. offence
But his counsel ID not abAdon MIN. The hAmanley OF
law allows appeal to the Supreme Court without
surety for coss, where party unable to give It., aud
II there has b any error OF In the trial below ne
One o. me counsel, Mr. Winston at some inc,sveni
cree sDt considerable expenss to himself We have
reason to eel followed the csse up, soy argued It IN
the Supreme Court, and, upon technical ground OBJ
taiDsd new fiai.
The case was again laid before jury as we have al
jury Of some of the most sspe Sta ole plant
Of tha, county, the in the AegregAte
we are informed OF fully four hundred slaves The re-
Doubtless he verdict Of great mercy Thsury
may have lad couos upon some material int-ifthey
bso, the prsoxer entitled to the benefit IT. and
he received it. We trust it will be In North Caro-
lima. in the Of miserable free negro charged
with offence we'd calculated in these times to excite
the imagination OF slave owners But think 4
than likely that this mans neck eaved from the
batter by the very fac. that he was poor ignorant
negro Were ope Of those worthless VINO staud at dis.
lance ard prompt euch Woody steal slaves
to be plsctd upor his trisl though We that
North Carolina jury would be as just would not
foenty FAY that trey would prove 30 mercul as In this
We ssid that this well worthy of notice from
that ion OF country from the bterest
dtnunciaioIs OF Oar institutions and LAYS For in
stance they camcr against alaw passed to out that
provision Of the institution which says fugitives from
labor four ves 81 all b. surrendered owners
And one OF tie main points OF attack is that the Law dis
allows trial b, jury in the State where the fugitive may
be arres'e though gives 1t 70 HIM in the to
be msy be anded. II is SAID alleged slave, though
free in fact would be abe TO establish his freedom
greater mistake, to call it by hsrsh-r name, tnan
this. We can speak for North Carolina OF our own
knowledge The thing has been done hero again and
seain-
This case Of Woody is itself avidenos and strong
ore OF what North Carolina court and jury would do In
al ereh cases. We're il necessary we could mention
many but We viii cniy for the present, one
recent, occurring in county adj lining this. negro
wts sised ard claimed as slave BY snN parson, AMI
placed in jail for sac keeping where he remained few
be only and discharged The negro claimed his
freedom evidercsd by decree made In Of our
record dec appeared to have been msce. Such be-
ing the il by the claimant that the
gro was slsve and in lay was part Of the esa'e Of
rived title Nov, what did the court do unoer these cir
cum k,arces Upon proof that such decree had been
made ard ordered to De cred, it caused the reoord
then to be amended to speak the truth The negro
sued the party sretrg him, ana jury gave him The
substantial srm Of $3.50 ~ way Of damsses-
We have epoke en- for North Carolina We have not the
least doubt that the Of justice and honor pre-
walls in ever otter South err State.
let as ctnpale we might ray contrast some Of the
facts stated by vi has been in OF the
No then S.aie5
How man, fugitive slaves would bs delivered TO their
owners they required to establish their righ. be-
fcIe AassschussttS jurys We undertake 10 say-no
jury trial fer the is wanted ,here not that
justice nay be Gone but that IT may be deeated; not
t.cauie they fear they prefer that will
dragged into slavery out TO prevent siayes from being
resiol ed to their lswful owe
has bttn virtually MGsd by ate laws. The last fcg
delivered ia Bosts cost the q neral govern
nent Sou w II l. satd End the pYtya OF the
Owner we're more than the value Of the slave,
Sr &c that time Massachusetts has passed her Persona
Ltc,ty btu So called nakir it highly penal in any Of
Ter Cheers or eizel to cid uthern man ia recsIm-
Ig Lis fusive save; snd with . further view OF de-
p,Ivng him Of all legal assistance, where he is
Wiling to pay Tor 1t, suhiec ing members OF tue
bar who may appear H. lis eehsf to heavy fines
Ind ptrAlies for go dcirg; and 70 crown all she
has expressly confer ed ppon jurors the power to
jofge fr themselves Of the constitution aly Of any
law vi hout Iega 10 the ocinion Of the Court g
owner OF II gltlve slave who there eherd him. nay
fine him Bnf sued fol- false i'm risonmcnt o.
tore sta court He Sc up defence that he has
ac'ec under the lag OF The Cnied Sta and Under tbs
lrtcets 81 CDited S Aes in &c Commissioner but
the jury before waicn be tried, he hing they
'Aply viii 90 the set Of Congress to be uncons ut,ons
Re mucted in heavy cams and perh sent the
penit. 'taIy Was there such montrosity in urls
puterte IS this his TOO. IN educated enlightened
Bssi acbuset's, In the year Of our Lord. 1856
Justice is net 80 administered in North Carolina. Our
inias prtn unce upon the tactsthey receive the law
fr Judges Our lawyers allowed to appear for
whom tbsy pease, and are subjected to pains and
penalties for dorg Nay one is poor empl1y
counsel, whether civil criminal cases. the courts
will tfstD counsel to him, with whom II is point of
boIor faithfully 10 dischsree their duty SUCH with
ont mercy and without price, 10 fine. justice and
fur Trial Lere eenied to any one though
h. fho,l IL belong to The Underg ound Railroad C,m.
psny, ard be mtre than suspected Ct stealing our
grtes.
Who II the Inspector OF Weights and M -