Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-02-18
Mlistdlautous.
4 FUGITIVE SLAVE CASE:
or
Deing . Corntry Magistrate.
BY HAZEL GEEEN, ESQ.

| "A low NSEAA c1nCu, tGS usually QulSt
tepa Of R, Illinois, was throwa in
70 cvite a state Of excitement in eonss-
qnence of the arrest and committal to Jail
of : fSgitivO slave. It was not exactly
the arrest aad esmmittal either, that cans
ed the excitement, bat rather q repor.
that had got Ia eirelnlatien, representing
that there we're several ether negroes hid
Jag Areaad in tae woods. ard that q re.
ward Of eae hundred dellkrs u head was
already offered by a platter in the South,
fer thsir apprehension. Such q SUM Of
midst Of bard times, and consequently
thers we're any Runbcr Of fellows cut on
the scent Of licking for them.
Some evenings after the arrest OF the
negro, Mr.. P, young lawyer Of the place,
plucked me to ene side and said =
"Mr. Green, we have gsttoa up a lit
tie batch of fan for to night, and we'd be
pleased to have you so along and enjoy
Il with u.s."
After making several inquiries, and
learning that they were going to the resi-
dence Of Squire Brill, soma three niies in
the country, FOR the purpose of trying q
new and very important fagitive slave
ease, / consented to accompany them.
Aboss nine o'clock, P. N. my friend,
the lawyer, called around and informed
me that all was in readiness. It was one
Of Autumn's loveliest nights, and so we
| started to foot il out to old Squires.-
Just at the outskirts Of the town we found
some twenty o. thirty persons in waiting
for Us, with the negro in custody. He
was \ largs strappiag fellsw b blsck as
q aaady's boot, and about III ragged rs
be esald be. His hands we're securely
tied behind him, and rope was passed
several times around his body and legs
In this disabled condition he was made to
walk between two coastables, each with
\ colts revolver in his hand.
At Erst / felt : little disguised with
the proceedings, and was aboRt half in
c!iRed se give him q bit Of my miad for
I tAeughs that they were making alto
setker Aasre display tkan was necessary !;
bet VIXEN ! saw the town Magistrate, snd
several o. the best citizens in the crowd,
/ rejected that they eeald not be doing
anything lore than was right, and 50 !
concluded to hold my peace.
The crowd moved on at q lively pace, all
talking laughing and enjoying themselves
apparently to the fullest extent and a.
Nigh. have been expected. l was socn IN
the thickess Of them, enjoying myself also.
In the course Of our trip | happened. to
drift up alongside the daFkey who turn
cd to me 81 faEailiarly as you please, and
said -
Hello ! Hare, il that your"
"Yss," replied !, astonished aimest be-
yond description. How on earth could
. Louisiana Negro know anything about
me, who had never been farther Soath
than Caire, in nay life. / was completely
" dumbfounded." Felt like / could crawl
into an anger hole, but didn't know why.
To Sdd to my discomtortune, several mem
bars Of the company behcld ny astenish
ment, and burst out into q loud laugh !;
which caused the thought to strike me
they were impressed with the idea that
| was an Abolitionist, and had been sneak
ing around through the woods with the
negro and had there formed his asquaint-
ancs. Even the negro could not refrain
from laughter, but let himself out in a
regular set ha, ha, ha That laugh did
the business. 1t sounded Is familiar as
household words" / could not be mis-
tsken-it was none other than the laugh
of my very particular friend, Jack Ander.
son. A new light began to burst upon
my vision. The whole thing was q hoax.
A very few words made ell plain to mo.
| Squire Brill, to whose house we were CO.
ing, had ridiculed to q great extent, the
decision made in the former fugitive slave
case, by Squire Hams. Squire Haims
was one of the best men in the world, so
the boys about town took it upon them.
selves to play off this trick upon Squire
Brill, and let him make a decision to his
own liking.
About eleven o'clock We arrived at our
place of destination. Squire Brill had
retired, but we called him up, and in.
formed him that another negro had been
caught, and that as there had been some
dissatisfaction expressed in relation to the
late decision made by Squire Hams.
Squire Hams had refused to sit on this
alone, and so it was thought best to bring
it before him.
Without further ceremony tae old fel
low hauled ON his dignity, complained
about his eyes being very sore. unfolded