Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1856-04-02
Tke Stan0ar0.
RALEIGH. SATURDAY MARCH %. 1856.
The Case of Alfred w Woodly.-.Siave Stealing.

RALEIGH. SATURDAY MARCH 70. 1856.
The Case of Alfred Woodly.--Siave Stealing.
We learn that Alfred Woody free of color from
the State of New V rk, who stood indicted in the Superior
of BERTHE County. in this State, under Statute
making it penal to aid I'd assist slave in escaping from
his service another State tried at the late
term of that Court and acquitted by the jury.
The offence is by law, capital felony. 1t is Sc
law but rendered necessary by the systematic efforts
but too often successful, which made to deprive of
lawful property.
This case of Woody has in respects been remark
able one and is well worthy of notice, especially from
that section the Union from which the assaults up
on slavery and slaveowners We will briefly advert to
some of the facts connected with II.
When this man was arraigned he entire stranger
to the people of BERTHE The charge against him not
calculated make for him friends especially in that coun-
t from which learn that many valuable slaves have es-
cayed to the Northern States He alone without money
an. utterly unable to employ counsel to defend him.
What then? Why, always done in North Carolina in
such cases. the presiding Judge assigned counsel to defend
him. and it that he had fair and impartial trial
The Hon. David Outlaw P. II. Winston, Jr., and H. B.
Hardy, Esqurcs, the counsel
Upon the trial it appeared that this Woody came to
the Roanoke river hand board of small vessel
that slave disappeared from the service of his master
when the vessel down the river and that at the town
of Plymouth the vessel searched and he found
ingy strong fix Woody the charge of thus conceang
him. with view to his escape NorthernsState. Though
ably def ned by his counsel he found guilty and
fenced to be hung for his offence
But his counsel did not abandon him. The humanity of
law allows appeal to the Supreme Court without
surety for COSTS where party is unable to give it, and if
there has been any Of lar in the trial below,
trial is allowed.
One the counsel Mr. Winston, at inconvenience
and considerable expense himself, have to
believe followed the up, ably argued it i'll the Supreme
Court, and upon technical ground obtained new trial
The again laid before jury we have already
stated the late of BERTHE Superior Court-a jury
composed of of the respectable planters of that
County, and the in the aggregate, inform
ed Of fully four hundred slaves Tine result is acqual.
Doubtless the verdict of great mercy The jury
may have had doubt upon material pointif they
had the prisoner entitled to the benefit of ii, and he
received it. We it will ever be i'll North Carolina,
in the of miserable free negro charged with
offence well calculated in these times excite the ndigna
on Of slave owners. But think it than likely that
this mans neck saved from tie halter by the very fact
that poor ignorant negro. Were q those
ties WHO stand at Il distance and prompt such as
Woody to steal Saves to be placed upon his trial,
though that North Carolina jury would be
j0st would not confidently say that they would prove
50 mercirul as in this
We said that this case we'll worthy of rotce from
that of country from whence the btterest de-
nuncations of our institutions and laws For instance,
they camor against law passed 10 carry out that provi-
Of the constitution which fgitives from labor our
slaves shall be surrendered to their And of
the main points OF attack is that the law dsallows trial
by Jury i'll the State where the fugitive may be arrested
though it gives it to him in the State to which he may be
remanded. 1t is said alleged slave though free fact
would be able establish his freedom before
and jury of Shareholders Never there greater mis-
take, to call it by harsher name. than this We can
speak for North Carolina of knowledge The thing
has been done here again and again.
This of Woody is itself evidence, and strong
of what North Caro- ina Court and jury would do in
all such cases. Were it necessary could mention many
but will only for the present. one, recently
occurring in County adjoining this. negro was sez
ed and claimed slave by white person, and placed in
Jail for safe keeping, where he remained few hours only
and discharged The negro claimed his freedom
denced by decree made in of courts many years
before But upon examination of the record decree ap
pared to have been made Such being the case in
sisted by the claimant that the negro slave and il
law part of the estate of former deceased master
through which the claimant derived title Now, what die
the court do under these crcums Upon proof ha
such decree had been made and ordered be entered
caused the record then to be amended speak the
truth The negro sued the party aresting him, and jury
gave him the substantial of $3.50 by way damages
We have spoken for North Carolina We have not the
walls in every other Southern State
Let us compare might say contrast some of the facts
stated by with what has been done of the North
ern States.
How many fgitive-slaves would be delivered to thei
owners if they required to establish their right be
lore Massachusetts jury? We undertake say-not
Jury trial for the slave is wanted there not that usc
may be DONE but that may be defeated mot becaus
y lear as they pretend that freemen will be dragged int
slavery but to prevent slaves from being restored thei
lawful owners
vermont and Massachusetts the fugtive-slave law ha
eh virtually nullied by State laws The last fugitive
in Boston cost the general government $780,
Is sald and the private expenses of the owner wer
Doie Than the value of the slave.
nce that time Massachusetts has passed her Persona
Aoery Bill" so called, making it highly penal in any O
ocers or citizens to aid Southern in reclaming
slave; and with further view of ofdepriving hin
~ ega assistance where he is willing to pay fD
'N"ee''ng members Of the bar who may appear in hi