Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-05-30
tCorresnondence Of the Evening Post
The Case of Manuel MasOn-- Conviction OF IA
Man for HurbOPing his Own Child
WASHINGTON, May "a, 1859

NAsHlNGTONJ may ~ looS'
have alluded once or twice to the hard case
of Manuel Mason, eolured man, in Washing
ton The case has just been opened afresh to
me by responsible parties, and l have gathered
the following facts, which are SO startling that
venture to send them to you at the risk of
tiring your readers with the case. Let me, pre-
mise by saying that the facts can be proDeA in
any decent court
Said Manuel Mason and his wife were the
slaves of a white woman, living few miles
out of the city. A few years ago Manuel was
taken sick with inhamatory rheumatism, and
was given up by the doctors as ineurable, In
the circumstances his mistress offered to sell
HIM for 5000, Nobody would touch him at the
price Finally she offered to give the cripple
his freedom for $780, he to pay her in install.
ments lie accepted the offer, and paid off the
entire sum in due course of time. He partial
ly recovered bis health and hired The time Of has
10 ie for 80 much year, that she might keep
house for him in Washington. They raised a
large number Of children at their oloR expense,
but invariably at about the age OF ten years the
mistress took away each child and sold it off or
appropriated it to her own use.
AT last 0aiy one child was left--"little Ben"
lie was, like all youngest children, iavorite-
the bahy--tho comfort of the old man and wo-
man.
In September last one of our new police ap-
preached the small dwelling of Manuel Mason
Ia search OF " little Ben" for the last child
must be taken to minister TO the vOracous
appetite of the monster, Slavery. Benjamin
was missing, however The father never had
him IN his power or possession for one mo-
ment yet he was suddenly arrested for "har-
boring slave Z" The law dates 1907, under
which he was taken, and the literal penalty is
Zone hundred pounds OF tobacco per hour
for each hour of harboring slave You will
perceive that the father was simply guilty of
not finding his runaway boy, The officer told
Mason TO hunt up his boy, and upon his neg
lecting to do this he was thrown into jail
Although no evidence was offered against him,
vet the Justice would not let Mason out on
any less bail than 81, 800, which was furnished
by kind hearted citizen Of the district A
jury very quickly brought in verdict of gull
ty, though with no more evidence of guilt
than is to be found in this letter. Mason was
remanded 70 Jail, where for days he lay without
a bed, and ali the time with scant clothing
He laid in jail forty nine days before Judge
Crawford would deign 10 sentence him. The
sentence was to pay fine Of Sl66 66 being
81 66 "for every hour the slave was harbOred
one half of said amount to 90 to the use of
the owner Of the slave, and the other half to the
United States" quote from the Judges SEN
tence as reported in the National lnteligencer.
Mason " as also sentenced to pay all costs and to
remain in Jail till the entire sum was paid! The
District Attorney was at last prevailed upon to
consent, upon ample security, that the money
will be paid at the end Of three months, to let
the poor negro 90, aud he is az liberty once
more In the meantime a petition is circulat-
ing asking the President to remit the fine but
without shadow Of hope for success. lfany one
al the North wishes 10 help Mason and iree-
dom, the Era office will receive and apply any
such moneys,