Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1859-04-26
The Rescue Case.

ut Cleveland under the Fugitive Slave
Law. Some time last Summer, company
of kidnappers were discovered prowlng
around Oberln, and from the known char
acter of some of the crew, the people OF
that place kept up such yigilent watch
that for several days they were unable to
sieze victim At last, by paying tool
of the slave power twenty dollars, they got
him to induce one of the students of the
College, by false pretenses, to go into the
country with him in buggy. AS soon
as lie Yae'farely out of town, the kidnap-
pers. VINO were lying in wait, seized and
ironed him, and started for Kentucky.
This disappearance of the young man
aroused the fears Of the citizens, and in
few moments large number were in pur-
suit. They overlook them at Wellington,
where they had stopped and had their in
tended victim locked and manacled in an
upper room. They claimed that the man
WAS fugitive slave and ordered the citi-
zcns who had collected, to assist them in
carrying him out of the State. This they
refused to do, as the man was nearly white,
and had been for long time student in
the College, and no one believed him to
be a slave. But as the Fugitive Slave
Law makes it high crime to refuse to aid
kidnappers. these precious williams had ac-
complished their purpose, and so pretend
ing to be alarmed they ran away, knowing
that they could make more money, by.
prosecuting the citizens than by selling
their prize.
The world has come TO know that the
Judges of the U. S. Courts are appointed
with a sole view to their subservency as
the instruments of the slave power, and
that the Marshals and other officers, hold
their positions by the sole tenure of their
willing completely. So the Marshal (and
our readers know the material of which
these Marshals are made) summoned a
Grand Jury of such creatures as can be
found on the Western Reserve suitable for
th is purpose, among whom, was the man
whose son had decoyed the student into
the clutches of the slave -catchers, and
his Honor Judge Wilson. procured indict-
ments against the venerable Prof. Peck,
Rev. Mr.. Fitch, Hon. Ralph Plumb, and
some thirty-scven others of the best citi-
zens of that county, for "rescuing" this
student from his captors.
Well, the trials commenced some ten
days ago before Jury packed by the Mar
shal, every one of whom were the most
brawling pro-slavery fanatics to be found
in Northern Ohio; and as it turns out,
part of them at least, if not all, were dep
atty MarSAaiS, Il, the time. Simeon Bush
neil, was the one first tried, and although
every honest man looked upon the trial
before Such Jury as mere mockery,
yet it was not supposed that even they
could render a verdict Of gully on the
evidence. But in this the public were
mistaken. We give the account of the
scene from the Cleveland Leader" and
hope our readers will read it carefully.
The Court convened yesterday afternoon
at Q O'Clock, and a verdict having been
agreed upon by the Jury. they came in and
took their seals. The prisoner being pres
ent the question was put by the Court
"Genlle men of the Jury, lave you
agreed upon verdict"
1--WE have, your Honol."
| What is your verdict, Mr.. Foreman"
| "GUILTY.'
The room was filled with Spectators
who heard and received the verdict with
quietness.
This case having been disposed of, the
District Attorney called the name Of
James Langston as the next case. The
| defence remarked that they were ready in
none of the other cases except that OF Prof.
Peck. The Attorney insisting upon that
of Mr.. Langston, Mr.. Spalding thought
they might be ready with that case by the
time the new Jury was ready to proceed,
| Judge Wilson said the present jury was
one struck and selected for the term, and
it was proper that they should try all the
cases.
Mr.. Backus remarked that he was as
tonished to hear his honor intimate that
this jury, who have sat through and upon
this case heard all the testimony, and
who have now in the presence of the court
rendered verdict, i'll which their minds
are made up and fixed upon all the impor-
tant points in the case, are TO be held COM
pelent TO try another case almost exactly
similar. Tie ownership of John-whether
he owed service to Bacon-whethcr be
was the same John-whether he was le-
gally or illegally arrested by Jennings
and whether he was held by virtue of the
power of attorney or by the warrant-all
these points had been heard and deter
mined by these men, and could they come
to another trial with TO opinions formed
in their own minds? Why it was an un-
hauI Il If nj ..ill,