The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-06-16

Correspondence of the n Y. Evening Post.
The case of Manuel Reconsideration
of Man for Harboring his own Child.
WASHINGTON, May Pal have al.
luded once or twice to the hard case OF
Manuel Mason, a colored man, in Wash
ington. The case has just been opened
afresh to me by responsible parties, and
have gathered the following facts,
which are SO startling that overture to
send them to you at the risk of firing
your readers with the case. Let me
promise by saying that the facts can be
procen in any decent court.
Said Manuel Masen and his wife were
slaves of white woman, living a few
miles out of the city. A few years ago
Manuel was taken sick with inflamito-
ry rheumatism, and was given up by
the doctors as incurable. Under these
circumstances his mistress offered tn
sell him for $500, Nobody would
touch him at that price. Finally she
offered to give the cripple his freedom
for $500, he to pay her in instalments.
He accepted the offer and paid off Che
entire sum in due eourse-of time. He
partially recovered his health and hired
the time Of his scite for SO much a year
that she might keep house for him in
Washington. They raised a large
number of children at their oacn e.c-
pense, but invariably at about the age
of ten years the mistress took away
each child and sold it off or appropri-
atcd it to her own use.
At last only one child was left-'slit-
tie Ben" He was, like all youngest
children, favorite-the baby-the
comfort of the old man and woman.
In September last one of our new
police approached the small dwelling
of Manuel Mason in search of Little
Ben" for the lost child must be taken
to minister to the voracious appetite OF
the monster, Slavery. Benjamin was
missing, however. The father never
had him in his possession for one
moment, yet he was suddenly arrested
" for harboring slave p The law
under which he was takenis dated 1907
and the literal penalty is Zone hundred
pounds of tobacco per hour" for each
hour of harboring slave. You viii
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 neglecting to do this
he was thrown into jail Although no
evidence was offered against him, vet
the Justice would not let Mason out on
less bail than 81, 800, which was fur
nished by kind hearted citizen of the
district. A jury brought in verdict
Of guilty, though no more evidence OF
guilt than is to be found in this letter.
Mason was remanded to Jail, where for
days he lay without bed, and all the
time with scant clothing. He lay in
Jail forty-nine days before Judge Craw-
ford would deign to sentence him. The
sentence was to pay a fine of sl66. g.
being SLIGO "for every hour the slave
was harbored-one-half to go to the
use of the owner of the slave, and the
other half to the United States" ]
quote from the the Judges sentence
as reported in the Nationol Lntelligen
Ger. Mason was also sentenced to pay
all costs, and to remain in Jail until the
entire sum was paid! The District At
torney was at last prevailed upon tc
consent, upon ample security that the
money will be paid at the end of three
months, to let the poor negro go, and he
is at liberty once more.
In the meantime petition is in cir
cuIation asking the President to remit
the fine; but without shadow of hope
for success. If any one at the Nortl
wishes to help Mason and freedom, the
Era Office will receive and apply suct
moneys.