Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-04-08
CITY & NEWS ITEMS.
FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL ;, 1859
tRepored for the Leader
UNITED STATES COUR
Trial of the wemlnaton slave Rescue os..

THIRD DAY.
| Court commenced at o'clock, judge VII.
SON in the chair Examinations continued in
case OF United States vs.. sundry citizens of
! Oberln and Wellington for aiding and abetting
IN the escape of fugitive slave
! Jacob Wheeler, sioorn Live in Rochester
(Postmaster,) about 10 miles from Oberlin-
! Was at wellington on the day of the rescue;
| dined there about / OF 2 o'clock Stayej
through the afternoon. There were about 400
people collected there, many of whom badquns
was in the crowd. The crowd said they were
after the slave. They said they would have
the slave If they had TO tear the house down.
Saw good many go into the house Went in
myself to the room where tho negro was. Mr.
3. Meekham, MIR. Seiples Mr. Walter Soules.
Mr.. Hines, Mr.. Vaudeville, Mr.. John Wheeler,
Mr.. Conrad Wheeler aud Mr.. Patten, went into
the room where the negro was Rsquires Ben
nett and Houk went into the adjoining room
and examined the papers. l saw the flower of
attorney, which was exhibited by Mr.. Lowe
MIR. Lowe called upon these men TO 90 into the
room to assist him. was in the room perbaps
three hours. This was in the upper room -
! When went down told the crowd that had
seen the papers and there was no question but
what they had right to take the man Mr.
Lowe said he was willing to 90 to the Town
Hall or any where to examine the matter before
a magistrate, il they had any papers to arrest
him lie did go out of the room for some pur
pose. Some of the crowd took hold Of John
and tried to get him out of the room Mr.
Mitchell, Davis and Jennings were in the room
with MIR. Lowe. Mr.. Patten stepped out upon
the platform and requested the crowd TO keep
out He was satisfied that the men had n
right to take John, and if the crowd did anv
thing they must take legal steps The crowd
was in front Of the house when Mr. Patten and
Mr.. Langston spoke to them Some in the
crowd said in reply that they would have the
| niger any way, Some of those who thus smoke
seemed TO be intoxicated. | saw the negro
brought down He was partly or wholly carried
some five or six rods from the house and nut in
to the buggy. Don't know who was in the bug
gy. Do not know Simeon Bushnell The car.
rlage was driven off toward Oberlin. Was
down stairs when the boy was brought down.
Did not see any one 60 in through the window
Was on the first flight of stairs to prevent the
crowd from going up at the request of Mr.
| Wadsworth Saw the ladder put up and found
the hall full above me. Have had no conver
sation with Bushnell in regard to the matter
Saw the negro go out on the platform. l talked
with the negro. Had permission of Mr. Lowe
Asked him where he belonged He said in
Kentucky, to a man by the name of Bacon. lob
lection raised by Mr.. BAcKUs to this conversa-
tiOn. Objection oyerruled) He said his mas.
ter gave him enough to eat and clothes enough
he spoke as though he had been misused.
| gave him some advice and counsel as to the ne
cessity Of occasionally correcting the children
of white people. He had lived at Oberlin long
enough to learn that To this the negro assent,
! ed and said perhaps his master had not served
him more severely than would be reasonable In
such a case. He further said that he started
once to 60 back to Kentucky and went as far as
Columbus, when the Oberlin folks followed him
and brought him back. | asked him if he row
wanted to 60 back. He said he supposed ac.
cording to the laws of the country (Ohio) he
was obliged to go back told him if he want
ed to go back he had better tell the crowd so
He then hesitated, and partly said that he was
Mr.. Lowe that t'tno'0ete9, the, crowd so, told
the boy out on the platform and let him so in.
form the crowd Mr. Lowe, the boy, Mr.. Mitch
ELL and Mr. Jennings, went out Ou the platform
and the boy commenced his story, when some
of the colored men below told him to come down
below. There was then call to order. The
negro requested the crowd to be peaceablo as he
said he should have to 90 according to the
laws of the State of Ohio" The colored people
below told him to come down, some Of then
pointing their guns at him Told him to climl
down the post. This was perhaps half an houI
before the rescue.
Cross Examined. There were probably 80 o.
40 colored people in the crowd. Rochester ID
about six miles from Wellington. | went dowI
to the FIRE Went over to Wadsworth's taverl
aud asked permission to 90 up an see the Ken
tuckians, as / had a brother in Kentucky and
thought perhaps these men might know him, o
perhaps he might be one of them. Went upt
the room and was introduced TO the men. Thl
= was about o'clock. When the crowd rushe
o | a. bo
scared The crowd surrounded the house, -
The negro said he was ready to go whereye
Mr. Mitchell chose to take him The door wa
8 fastened when / went into the room with th
negro, and was re-fastened after | came out
The colored people had most OF the guns am
stood guard around the house. Saw gun O
| rifle in the hands of Mr.. Lincoln, of OberiI
(vhite0 but few white men had guns (Thi
Lincoln is in Court as the reporter for Bailey
Free South, at Newport, Ky, and is one Of th
indicted) He was in the rear of tie house an
had five or six colored men with him, all bearin
arms. told Mr.. Lincoln that he ought to haN
more sense than to try TO force these colors
men up the stairs | staid there perhaps iiy
minutes They could 60 up to ascertain whetl
er the Kentuckans were holding the negro i
gally. then went up stairs and found crow
trying 10 rush into the room where the negl
was Saw one man have gun raised in d
act of striking some one in the crowd. caug
the gun and threw it out Of the window, inl
the street. / went down TO the street on
passed around 10 the front door, and found tn
crowd coming down with the negro.
Direct examination resumed In the crowd
the rear, Lincoln replied in answer TO my n
), marks, that he twas a child Of God, and hi
rather die ia good cause than live In b.
ONE / told him that if gun was shot
him, God would let bullet 90 through him
quick as if he were black man. (Mr Back
remarked that this was mere theological di
cussion, and need not be argued here. Laug
ter and applause, Joined in by Judge and JURY
Richard Mitchell s,5Ora.-Live in Mas
county, Kentucky Always lived there kno
John G. Bacon. Live within q quarter OF
mile of him Knew the negro boy john sin
he was a child He was the property Of Jo
e. Bacon He had him from his fathers {
tate In 1916 or le47. Know his mother WI
Is still slave. Have seen John frequently a
knew him we'll Went TO OieTlin at Mr.. Bacol
request. Saw John at ObeTlin while l "
at Wuck's tavern. He walked past and kn'
him Immediately, next saw him where we
rested him about a mile and half from OBJ
lin on tho 18th Of September, 1858 l TO
him TO Wellington Went tO Wadsworth's Il
: ern and took a room ia the second story.
. Jennings did not like this room and got anotl
in the third story. On the platform John T.
- the crowd that his master had sent for him q
IL that he was going home. He was willing
90 anywhere with Mr.. Mitchell for If so,
would 90 home and SEQ his old mistress.
wanted 10 see his mother, Ia! had rather see
old mistress a discussion here arose betwt
Mr. BAoKUs and Attorney BELDEH relative