The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-11-18
MOB NAV IN MARYLAND.

10 tie Editors Of tie North american:
The public may recollect that during the last
summed. James l.. Bowers, citizen of Mary
land, residing near Chestertown, Kent county
was enuced by false pretenceS, late al night, by
mob, from his residence, and brutally tarred
and leathered, and otherwise injured and that
his wife, then I'M delicate situation. who had
followed the mob a considerable distance to the
spot where the diabolical deed was prepetrated
was rlldcy inshlted and violently treated in
the atiray
/ am the person referred to. Thinking it
not right to let such acts pass without an effort
at redress, | brought suit against several per-
sons who committed the deed, i'm Kent County
Court, which was TO commence October Is,
1875 On the 18th instant having been in
vited to do so by the States attorney. who as
sured me that my person should be projected
taking my wife with me, returned to the neigh
borhood whence | had been driven, to prose
cute the suit. stopped at my ssters house
adjoining my own property, and it Soon be
came known that | was IN the place prepared
to prosecute my prosecutors. On Saturday,
the 10th, late in the day, shareholders met, as
am informed, at L. L. Chambers's Office. in
Chestertown, and concocted scheme TO meet
at my residence or my SISTERS, at early dawn
on Monday, and to take me from the COUNTY at
all risks. AT the appointed time, they sur
rounded the house where we then were and
where my wife had given birth to a child but
two days before.
My sister going to the window the mob de-
manded me. On being forew:irned to leave the
house. Notwithstanding their knowledge of nv
wlies extreme prOstratlOn, they made prepare
tons for forcible entrance, with determined
threats to tear the house down if did not come
out. Under certain solemn promises of pro
lection to myself, and of attention to be render
ed to my wite-whOm | can hardly hope again
to see alive, after such great excitement In her
PROSTATE condition. agreed to 90 with the
Hon. j. b. Ricaud, I. Skirven, and Louin
UsiltOn, and was by them conveyed to the rail
road depot.
The names of the persons concerned in this
deed, so far as | saw and at present recollect,
are as follows: Horace Beck, Isaac Perkins.
John Beck, G.. w. T. Perkins, John r. Skin
ven, Frank Cam, Ben Cam, j. B. Ricaud,
Louin UstOn, Abel j. Reese, John Frank
Usilton, Little John Gale, James W. Skirven,
William p. Francis, William b. Wilmer. Viii
liam Parker, George w. Spencer. John Wether-
head, Benton Sutton, Nathaniel Comegvs. -
Oldham, r. Jones, Jerry Nichols, William X.
Stevens, Josiah Ringod Samuel Rosenbury.
Sewell Hepburn. Rayner Stavely, Adolphus
Wallace, f. Wallace, Emory Sudlor Ezekiel
w eehS, LEWIS VI. hepburn.
Some, if not all, of these were armed with
guns or pistols. Two of the above agreed to
accompany me ont of the State, viz: Louin
Usilton and the Hon. J. B. Ricaud, member of
Congress. The mob sent, in addition, The fol
lowing persons : George W. Spencer, Adolphus
Wallace and his brother, John Wetherhead,
Benton Sutton, and one other, whom | do not
remember, well armed with guns and revolvers
They proceeded, in four carriages, to Middle
town, Del, and saw me placed in the cars for
Wilmington, Del, whence | came to this city.
where | am now staying.
| will add, that | am a member of the Socie-
ty of Friends, but have never been a member
Of any Abolition Society, although my father
was a member Of the Kent County Md Aboli-
ton Society, was also the father of Judge
Chambers. No funds have ever been placed in
my hands for any Ant-Slavery purpose what
ever. The statements made in the Kent Ne,cs,
and copied into other Maryland papers, abound
in fasehOods.
| submit to you, Mr.. Editor, this simple state
ment of facts, leaving to your readers to make
their own comments. JAMES l.. Bowers.
PhiI0detphia, lOD,o. 20dh, 1858.