Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-04-26
THE KENTUCKY VERSION OF TIE MARGA

Tie Louisville journal gives the following as
the facts in the "hide and seek" Margaret case
There are, however, two errors in the statement.
The first is she was not kept in Coyington Jail ten
days, and second no notice of her being there was
given to the only persons who could act or secure
action, to wit, her attorney and the Sheriff OF liam
ilton county Neither of them knew it until the
day before her removal, and then sent to Governor
Chase for authority which they acted on prompt
ly.
Several slaves, including slave woman with
one or two small children escaped from Covington
! in this State across to Cincinnati. The woman
and her children belonged to Mr.. Gaines, gentle
man of high respectability. They were pursued
and arrested in or near Cincinnati whereupon the
slave mother killed one of her children to prevent
its restoration to slavery. judicial question
then arose in Ohio whether all tho fugtives must
be sent sack to Kentucky under the fugitive slave
law, or whether the woman could be kept in Ohio,
in defiance of the fugitive slave law, TO be tried
for murder. OF course the purpose of those who
were anxious that she should be retained and tried
for murder was not to have her convicted of that
crime and punished for it, but to enable her to get
off ultimately to Canada. The decision Of the
court was that She like the rest of tho fugltyes,
must be sent back to Kentucky, and that the Gov
ernor of Ohio, if he thought proper could subse
uuently make a requisiton upon the Governor Of
Kentucky to surrender her up to stand her trial for
murder.
Accordingly she was sent to Kentucky, and Mr.
Gaines her owner, took her INN liately TO Frank
fort to await the action of Governor Morehead up
on any requistion from Governor Chase. lie kept
her there for several days impatient that the requ
sition should come, II it was to come at all. AT
last, weary of waiting, and thinking he had waited
long enough. he brought the woman here and sent
her to New Orleans. On the evening CT the very
day she was taken from Frankfort requsition for
her delivery was received by Governor Morehead
from Governor Chase. Governor NJ. felt surprised
and mortified to learn that she had been sent south
and employed gentleman Of Frankfort to 60 i'm
mediately so Coyington, and say to Mr.. Gaines,
from him that he considered him bound in homes
ty to bring tie slave back. Mr.. Gaines according
ly haG her brought back, with some difficulty and
at considerable expense, and lodged in Jail at Gov
ington and gave Governor Moreheaa information
Of the fact.
Gov. NJ. then made the order for her delivery to
the Ohio authorities and transmitted information
of the fact to Gov Chase, and also to the agent who
| had borne Gov c. requsitiOn to Frankfort. Day
after dav passed, however, and no one came ttom
/ Ohio to take the woman to that State. Almost
every day the worthy mayor of Covlngton visited
Cincinnati and said to the citizens, there she is,
the order for her rendition has been made, 60 and
take her." At length Mr.. Gaines sent word to the
Ohio authorities that he would keep her subject to
their order until last Thursday, (which would make
ten days and no longer. No order was forhcOm-
ing at the time designated, and she was sent back
to New Orleans. But no sooner was she gone
,han the order for her delivery sent to Cincn.
natl!
Now it is very obvious that Ohio authorities had
their own reasons for not wishing that the woman
should be remanded to them. They probably
thought that her non-delivery would subserve their
purposes better than her delivery. Gov Chase
even in his letter of requistion to Gov MoreheGd,
suggested, that, as the woman, alter committing
the alleged murder of her child, had been taken
to Kentucky by process of law insteal of fleeing
there, there might be doubt whether Kentucky
was legally bound to surrender her as fugitive
from the Justice of Ohio Gov. Morehead said in
his answer that he would not, in behalf of Ken
ucky, plead any technicalities; tina! Kentucky was
ready to fulfill not only the letter but the spirit Of
the Federal laws; that as Ohio had concluded that
she had right to demand the slave he would have
the demand complied with; but that, in the event
of the woman's acquittal of the charge against
her. he should rely fully upon the honor of Gov.
Chase to see her returned in good faith to Kentucky
Kentucky has behaved honorabiy in all this affair,
and we don't suppose that the Ohio abolitionsts
will be able to make capital out Of it..