Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-04-11
CITY & NEWS ITEMS.
MONDAY MORNING., APRIL II, 1893
lRepored Tor the Lsader.l
UNITED STATES COURT.
Trial of the wellington slave Rescue Case


FIFTH DAY.
Court convened at o'clock Judge VII.
SON presiding. The defense in the case of the
United States vs. sundry citizens of Obern and
Wellington was continued. By permission OF
the prosecution, Mr.. Dixon, Prof Peek, Mr..
Plumb and Mr.. Fitch, were allowed to remain
in the Court room during the examination Of
other witnesses.
Prof Henry +. Peck, sioOIn-Am Professor
at Oberlin. Was there on the 18th Of Soptem-
Der last On that afternoon, in company with
Mr.. Fitch and Mr. Plumb, | did not meet Mr..
Bushnell, at or near the bookstore of Mr. Fitch,
and he did not ask me- OF either Of "if they had
got John" Did not hear any inquiry from him
in relation to the departure ,f the boy John,
either there OF anywhere on the street No
such conversation occurred between us as was
testified by Mr.. Bartholomew, to have occurred.
prof Peck here repeated, at request, the testi-
mOny of Mr. Bartholomew, as he had heSrd it
and % it was told to the COurt) No zach con-
persation took place, and did not meet Mr..
Bushnell OF talk with him on this subject am
acquainted with John and know his personal ap.
pearance. He was a black man-fvo feet 8 or
10 inches high-broad shoulders aud heavy
built-would weigh at the time OF being taken
away about 1875 pounds
Cross eramined-In health John would weigh
100 pounds, but had been sick before he was
taken away. Had known John from the early
part OF the spring of 1888 He then boarded
with Mr. James Armstrong and was not employ
ed. | saw him nearly oT quite every day. Saw
him, should say, from early in April every day
in the yard OF Dir. Armstrong Never saw John
after tie 18th of September.
! (Upon the question as to the conduct or con
versation of Bushnell after the rescue, sharp
discussion ensued between the defense and the
prosecution as TO allowing such matter to be
brought out upon cross examination as had not
been touched upon by the examination in chief
Tho objection raised by the defense to such cross
examination was sustained by the Court.)
Last saw him in the neighborhood on the I3.h
Of September. Saw Mr.. Bushnell at Oberlin
on the 18th. Saw him in a room over Mr.. Ellis
store. Saw him at no other time during the
day At this time Mr.. Ralph Plumb Mr. Sam.
uel Plumb, and Mr.. j. NJ Fitch were present
One or two others were present at same time but
perhaps not at the time Mr. Bushnell was -
This was about 3oclock-probably a. little al.
ter. This room looked out upon the street --
The windows were closed. We We're in the
room for perhaps an hour. Met these gentle
men before upon the street. Had not seen
Mr. Bushnell In front of Mr.. Fitoh's store
Mr. Ralph Plumb, Mr. Samuel Plumb, Mr. j.
NJ. Fitch and myself were present. The people
had collected in and in front of Mr.. Watson
store which is about so rods from Mr. Fitch s
store This Watson's store was the rallying
point towards which all were Fastening. / dc
remember clearly oil that took place. Upon
any question oftIe Fugitive SidDe LaiO am
positive that should remember precisely what
did and said. | did not 90 to Wellington
A little past 2 o'clock l walked down town to
ward Carpenters store from the South. Saw
Samuel Plumb, who met me Just in front o
and HdipgmlierSS mF. SETH bartholomew came along anC
stood at my back. He stood about four fee
from me. We stood thus for about a minute
We then went toward the East. Saw MIR
Fitch coming toward US in the street Mr.
= Fitch made some exclamation Of indignation
at which time do not knw Wherein. Bartho'
lemew was. There was then no crowd abou
us / can remember all conversation. which
. had upon this subject Talked with many o.
the people that day upon the matter OF TINS res
cue Ihad frequently noticed John particular
ly, as his gait (rom apparent desease) was pc
culiar, and could not help noticing him an,
noticing his hight,
Ralph Plumb, slUOrH. Reside at Oberlin-
Was there on the 18th Of September last. Hear
Mr. Bartholemew's testimony relative to cor
versation which he said he heard between Mi
Bushnell and Mr.. Fitch, Mr.. Peck and myso
ls in front Of Fitchs store. (Witness reviewe
Mr.. BaFthOlemews testimony, as gwen !
Ouurt) No such conversation took place IN m
presence Did not meet Mr.. Bushnell there
Neither he nor Bartholomew were there
r. Never saw John in my life.
ls Cross eHaniiRed We were on the steps
Fitch's store. Know Bushnell was not pre-
ent. Saw Bartholomew in the crowd, but dl
not speak TO him during the day.
q James w. Fitch Si0Orn.-keep bookstol
at Oberlin. l was at home on the 18th of Sci
tember last Heard Bartholomew's testimon
as given ia Court. At the time of the conve
sation between Mr., Peck, Mr.. Plumb and my
4 self Mr. Bushnell was not present and no sue
conversation took place as Mr. Bartholome
testified to took place. Did not see Barthol
new there at all Bushnell had left the sto
at this time.
CToSs-eramined Bushnell was a clerk IN II
store at that time. Do not recolect ono co
yersation on my steps. Do not remember al
person being present except Mr.. William Bus
nell nv other clerk Did not see Barthol
NEW on that day. Bushnell was out of q
store part of the afternoon. Am one OF G
indicted,
Joseph H. Dickson, stoorn-Reside at w
lington Practice law at that place. W
there on the 18th of September last. The ero'
which gathered about the ruins Of the fire
the morning that day, would number perha
two or three hundred About ! o'clock l "
D., told that there was a negro kidnapped. In
% short time the constable told me that the Sout
erners who has charge of the negro wished
ses me- Went TO the hotel across the squa
The same crowd that had gathered to the i
was there at this time. Found same crowd
. tbebotel Went into the room with the neg
Mr. Lowe showed me the warrant for the
rest of the negro. M other papers were exh
tied 10 me / read the warrant through, a
remarked that It appeared TO be legal, save tl
it had no seal. Mr. Lowe said II was not c'
mary 10 place seals upon them. ! asked one
the other men what they would take for
negro. Perhaps we would buy him He a
swered SI4OO. said did not think he wo'
bring that in kentucky He said he thoug
he knew the price, but another man SAID, y
had better take $1,000 IT, you can get 1t. y
was not Lowe Did not know the name
either Of those men Think it was that tall m
(JenninQs) Nothing was said TO me about a
power of attorney and nothing was said to
AZ TO such paper. One said TO the other
ferrinp TO me,) "as he is lawyer, you had J
- ter employ him." Lowe introduced himself
Marshal At my request he showed the "
rant bV which he held this man in custody,
liz other papers were shown as their authority
takjoS him. Was in the room about twe
minutes Was told yesterday that the name
young man who was with me IN the 70
was Srimeger When spoke TO the crowd
regard 10 these papers leHPfessed no legal op
ion as 10 them. stated that the men were he
NNan nHfa