New-York daily tribune., 1858-08-21
Ntiul1 l1ork nailr Gribn,re
A WHITE SLAVE DECLARED FREE.
nce OF The Pittsburgh Disps,ch.

Correspondence OF The fittsburgh Di-pNch.
MAsos CoUsrY, Ky, August, 1853.
On Aug. IL and II, one Of tue most exciting cases
over occurring this section OF country, and one too.
in which the feelings Of al deeply enlisted, came
before the Circuit Court. The circumstances OF the
case, briefly sta ed, are these: About year and a
half siuce q woman was arrested by order Of . msn
named Dodson (actng agent for one Mrs. Goddard,
sId brought to town and LOGGED IN nsgfo si Tor
safe keeping until further disposition could Do sds OF
her persCn-the intention OF the person or persons
ordering her arrest undoubtedly being TO sell her to 20
down South.
Sesirg what sppssred TO every one white woman
held in bondage as Stare, and confined 10 negro
ia, enlisted the deepest feeling in her benalf She
was mmt diately taken from her captivity, bond
was drawn end signed by some Of our mos worthy
citizens for her security. and she returned to her homs
and her fenos. The truth OF t1e mattsr wss this:
She had been held as slave for more thsn twenty
years and TO make II appear more fully that she Was
slave, her socsllsd owner had recognized her mar
risge with negro man, which che, isnora thss sne
was not a slave had consented to. Tnus VS. dark
vail thrown over the scene TO blind more fully those
who much would have looked into and fsrreted
out this unprecedented case. When her alleged
osrers found out that intended suing for her FREQ
dom, upon the grouud that che was not negro but
white woman with not particle Of negro blood in
her voice, tney had her arrested ard lodged 10 s
as to sell her TO 90 South thus getting her ous the
wsy, and thereby relieving themselves OF further
trouble.
But hanks be to God, they we're checked in their
double. dyed vilaiDy. suit for her freedom vas
instantly instituted, and on Tuesday and Wednesday
the trial came off in Circuit Court the sequel OF
which is as follows:
The very sblest counsel Of which our bar boast
had enls ed Themselves IN her behalf-not from any
expectation Of any pecunay reward or gain, tor they
expected more; they knew they would receive
noie their reward simply the privilege OF being
abe TO give "justce to her 10 whom justice ws due
ard their gain TO know that che wss FREE.
WitDt sses we're called one after another, the sab
stance Of whose evidence showed clearly the vilSny
= uha het
tir had heen sd deeply that TOR more than TWEEN
~ yesr', il had escaped the obsorvstlon OIL To-
quisi i've eyes; thst tue father of the woman WAs
MIR. Goddsfd, whose widow claims her % slave;
that her mother was a respectable white woman,
who has since bsen married and removed to West
ern State with her husband; that when th, woman
was born he lGoddsrd) placed her in the possession
or one OF his slaves, light mulstto womsn With tho
INJUNCTION that che should rear II as though 10 were
bsI own child that this muatto threatened II she
divplged the secret of the chds true parentags or
acknowledge that she not its mother, even 10 the
unfortunate child, that her life should be the mme.
date penalty. Knowing she did, the stsrnness OF
her MASTER 1t is not strange how wei she kep' sho
secret.
That Mrs. Goddard knew this wom.ns psrsntsgs Is
rot doubted for evidence presented proves that on
ore occasion she introduced her as her daughter and
on another TO secure her property from attschmsnt
she had secreted her slaves, retaining this woman In
her house, 60 that when the officers came and we're
about to ske this woman, she told them tns, enc Was
q " hte womau, and not Der slave
The witnesses being all examined ard disposed OF,
then came the Argument 10 the Jury. But Who are
they who constitute this Jury Would thsy De csps'
bic Of rendering an impartial decisionl Tney we're
Pro-SlsveIy mtr-and more too, all Of them we're
slave holders. Messrs. John ID. Taylor, kicasd n
stanton and Vim. II. Wadswortb, the sble counsel for
the prosecution making their hsppiest and sole.s o.
forts while the tnfiDg array Of counsel In the dssnse
had but little 70 ssy; but that little was mucn worse
than should have been said.
The cafe being thus submitted TO the jury, they
retired to pre- pare their verdict Language insds-
qusts to express the suspense then prsysen. 10 tne
cro~ded Court room, and when the Jury rstufned,
sud the foreman answered the question OF the Jutge
that they we're agreed, still and desthlks "" tho
crowded ball that the dropping Of pin or even tne
slightest breath would have been perfectly eadios,
While tbey waited for the breaking Of the sealed vef-
Dict Bot when the seal was broken, and the verdict
that the prisoner though prisoner longer wss ffss,
one rnyersal and loDg.continued about Of applause
IeLt the air. Tne counsel who lsbored so strsnuousy
in her benalf, know net how great 10 their reward.
The sequel shows that justice IN Kentucky justice
s.i