Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-04-16
TIN RESCUE CASES.
THE following extracts are from the report OIL
The trial as we find it in the Clerelaad Herald.

THE following extracts are from the report Of
the trial as we find it in the Clereiaad Herdtd.1
TESTIMONY OF TIE CLAIMANT.
John G. Bacon, of Kentucky. was sworn and
tsstifed-Was born and bred in Mason county,
Kentucky, owned, from the spring of ls47 to Jan
uary 1856, a negro slave named John. Don't
know who owns the slave now (laughter)-don't
know where be is now. The niger is S feet 8
inches high, about Is years Of age, copper colored
and heavy built. Johns mother was = slave, and
10 still so. The slave ran of from witness Janu-
sry '46 with another slave named Frank and a wo.
man named Dipah stealing two horses. Witness
gave power Of attorney to Jennings (which was
shown and identified as executed September Alb,
1851, to catch the niger.
Cross examined BY Mr.. Baekus.-Witness' faith.
sr died in lS45 leaving witness aud five other
children. John was born on witness fathers, farm
witness was on the farm whea the Niger was
born, heard of tho event probably within an hour
ater the boy was born. Witness was Is or lG
ycarsola when the boy was born and was at home.
Don't remember the time of the year when the
boy wos born ; witnesses father had Is or so slaves
lmale and female the witness knew the mother Of
John to be a slave in his fathers family witness
title to John was by inheritance; was on q visit
when the thrsc negroes ran away left them in
charge of an 1rishman named Peter does not
now own q slave-he corrected himself-ercept
John (gsoat Iaughter). When witness was away
from home, John the negro and Peter the Irishman
were about equal as far ns being captain. Resides
about one fourth Of a mile from the Ohio river OF.
posits Ripley don't know whether the horses ran
AWAY with John when going to water or not;
found tho horses in a week or ten days about 20
miles from Ripley. Jennings was in Ohio and
saw the boy, and was going to hunt q slave Of his
own in the neighborhood of Oberlin, and witness
gave him the power of attorney. Jennings said
he found plenty Of niggers at Oberlin. Jennings
was to have half the proceeds if he brought him
back.
WHAT The NEGRO CATCHER SAID.
Anderson Jennings was sworn, and testified:
Was born and raised in Mason county, Ky. Knew
she negro John" for two or three years before he
ran away. as belonging to Bacon, "who owned
him as we own any property. Witness saw john
after aeran away, at Wellington in Lorain county;
II had him there" (Laughter.)
lie had the power Of attorney at the time he had
John at Wellington attempted to take John to
Columbus from Wadsworth's hotel. Had him be-
low stairs. and saw people gathering with guns.
Did not like the room no had John in it was too
large and had folding doors got landlord to let
them have a room up stairs, and took John up
there. Lowe, Mitchell and Davis were assisting
witness, and went up with them. Don't know the
Defendant. Bushnell. Witness thought there were
about n thousand people around there. Intense
laughter.l They bad shot guns and other arms.
A.. - $780,. q 49, atoloo1 - 49,
people commenced gathering in pretty soon. and
hung around till pretty near dark. The people
enquired for the men who had the boy a good
many were let into the room: they said they had
brought a Sheriff to arrest US they did not say
much to us but talked TO the negro asked if he
was a slave and if he wanted to 60 back; the ne
gro said he wass slave and wanted to 60 back
and that he was Bacon's slave. Tho negro ant
witness went cut on a platform from q door, anC
tho negro was going to tell the crowd that he wa
going back to kortucky, bur two or three rife
we're pointed up and scared the Niger back into thu
house without telling them, what he went out to do
Coon after that the mob broke in q window, havin,
got up with ladders on to that platform. Witness
was holding the door of the room by n rope, anC
held on until he was punched, and q hole mad
through his hat; witness was stunned by the blow
the crowd came 10, and took the negro down stairs
the last the witness saw Of the negro he was goin;
over the heads Of the people down the stairs wit
ness looked out Of the window and saw them put
ting the Niger into a wagon that stood in front o
the house. John was driven off towards Oberli
and The crowd scattered. We showed the peopl
she power Of attorney and all the papers we had
Witness had proposed, before the boy was rescued
thai the crowd should 60 to Columbus and have a
investigation about the negro. but they said tha
was a lille foo far South. The last he saw Q
John he was going pretty good speed. Laughter.
Witness can identify only one man, Watson, a ye
low man. as icing in the room at Wellington
Witness pointed out Watson among the auditory.
Cross examined by Mr.. Backus.-Have know
old man BacoR's niggers over since witness was
boy, can't recoilect the name Of the Diggers, prett
nsar ell the niggers Bacon had were copper color
ed. John Bacon owned but about two niggers. Johl
and the girl Dinah. Have known John four or fv
years ago. Never noticed that john had eyes O
different eolors, think his eyes were Of Ole color
but don't know what that color was, know the
were not blue. John was between FIVE and si
feet high had a good head Of wool had a fai
forehead pretty heavy eye brows 3on't kno'
whether be ever shaved had a pretty lively wall
This was witnesses first expedition to catch Niger,
'was in 0berlin and saw John and wrote to Baco
that the niger was there, and If be would send
Power Of Attorney and a witness hs would try an
get Joha back to Kentucky. Did not make an
arrangement for ore half tho niger, or one'hal
s'i his vahae there wac mot q word said, or write
shout compensation; net q word passed about tn
d, pay; witness undertook to catch the bigger purel
q ~ q neigtbor5 act; thought it was his duty
did the work as a friendly action, and did not e,
7 poet to mako anything. Witness was at 0berli
looking for a different Niger one be was Limse
~ Interested 10 alter be wrote the letter to Ksr
tacky, and while waiting an answer, went %
stAid al a hRe place up there = ssudusky. Fro'