Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-04-06

quently seen him and knew him we'll Had
seen him len or fifteen times. Mr., Bacon own.
ed him as we own any property. He neverhas
seen him at Mr. Bacon's since he ran of, but
did see him at Wellington. He sent for him to
Oberlin lie had him at Wellington. To the
question as 10 whether the boy recognized Jen-
nings when they met, Mr., BAcEUs objected
This trial was founded upon the negro being q
piece Of property, and it was not competent to
bring into tho case any signs of recognition
given by this piece Of property, any more than
to bring the wag Of a dogs tail as proof Of
identity. The Court sustained the objection
raised by Mr. Backus on the ground that the
witness was not there to testify to Johns acts
This decision is strong point, as jstrong re-
lance must necessarily be placed on such testi-
mony by the prosecution. He recognized the
slave Saw him first at Wadworth's Hotel at
Wellington. They were first down stairs, but
Jennings did not like the room 1t was too
large aud there were too many people coming
in with guns, DC They then went up stairs.
Mr.. Lowe, Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Davis asserted
him and went up with him He was taking
him to Columbus to bring him before the u s.
Commissioner, but diu not take him there. He
does not identify the defendant as any Of those
who entered the house. There were he thought
about thousand people about the building,
guns, rifles, DC, mo doubt be thought he saw
Paixhan and Dahlgreen guns and "a pounders,as
he evidently was thoroughly scared at such an
exhibition of Northern pluck 1t was about
or o'clock p. NJ, when he first saw John
The crowd soon gathered. The oWd came
around enquiring for "those men who had got
John" The crowd asked the negro il he want
ed to 90 back to his master, to which the boy
replied "Yes" Tho boy and Jennings went
out upon q platform outside of the window
While there several rifles we're pointed up at
the two and the boy was scared (Of course
the man wasn't scared Soon after the crowd
broke in through the window. He held the
door against the crowd while others were at
work at the window. While doing this, he was
struck with gun through stove pipe hole in
the PARTITION. This stunned him fer a moment,
when the boy was seized and carried down
stairs and put into a wagon which stood Is or
20 steps from the porch, and driven off The
power of Attorney and other papers were
shown to the crowd, aud freely examined by
them The company was also invited to 60 to
Columbus to see the matter through, hut they
thought that was a little too far South. Has
not seen John since he was driven off at good
speed toward Oberlin Watson Ga coloTed mani
is the only one he can now identify by name.
There were over fifteen or twenty negroes in
the crowd
Cross eramiaed Has known Bacon for 80
years. Has known his ''niggers Knew John
well enough TO recognize him when he saw
him Johu was about 2l or %; will weigh
about l65 or I70-sqGare and heavy. He had
never before tried "nigger catching" He was
in Oberm and saw John Wrote TO Bacon TO
send him the power of Attorney and a witness,
and he would try to catch him. Bacon sent it
by Mr. Mitchell lie made no arrangement
with Bacon as to remuneration for his trouble
in recovering the boy. He did it merely as a
neighbory action, and without any expectation
Of pay. CThis directly contradcts Mr. Bacon 8
testimony He first went to Oberln to find a
negro of his own, and had been there about a
day when he wrote to Bacon. Mr. Bacon sent
Mr. Mitchell as his "witness" He (Jennings)
went to Sandusky after he wrote, and from there
went directly home TO Kentucky. Mitchell had
left for Oberlin, to which place Jennings follow
ed him and found him. He got to Oberlin on
Friday night, and saw Mitchell the same night
lie stopped at Wack's tavern. He saw Mitchell
and left the next day Saturday for Columbus
At Columbus he saw Mr. Lowe and got a war
rent. Went back to Obern Friday evening
CThe witness was considerably mixed as to
dates) He went down two or three miles from
Oberlin Saturday evening to Mr.. Boynton's
with Mr.. Lowe and stayed all night. lie made
arrangement with BoyntOn's boy to 90 to the
village and try to get John to go down to the
house. He then told Boynton of the arrange
ment who told him to attend to his affairs as
he best could He got acquainted at the village
with an old man, and asked him if he knew Of
any one that he could put confidence IN, in get
ting John of. He was directed to Boynton
one who would not elbow upon him." and as
one who frequently hired negroes. This old
man was Mr. Warren, who told him he would
have trouble in getting him away.
The arrangement with the boy was that the
boy should 20 up TO town and hire the negro
to dig potatoes for his father, for which the boy
was to have 500 He did not tell BOynton of
the plan. Never told Boynton that he would
give him $500 if he would get the boy, John -
Sunday morning he went to Oberlin. Boynton
knew what his (Jenning's) business there was.
Boyntln's boy accordingly went to town in the
morning, but Frank having got his throat cut,
John had to stay and take care of him, but
would direct Shakespeare (Boynton's boy) to
another negro who would go and work The
plan was then laid to catch Johp while on the
way to find the other negro. Lowe and Mitch
ell soon started alter them to take John and he
(Jennings) lett in two or three hours after
Shakespeare had returned AMI reported John as
taken. Shakespeare is about Ia or 10 years of
age.
At this point the Court adjourned until this
at 10 o'clock
The tial is exciting great interest, The
Court room was crowded during the day, yes.
terday, with citizens and strangers. Reporters
are here from the East, and detailed report is
being taken for the Law Monthly
The indicted gentlemen came into Court yes
terday morning, and a more respectable body
of prisoners have never appeared at a bar
They are now in tho jail known as Bennet's
Forest City House at the expense of Uncle
Sam, and we understand find their jailors and
keepers as kind and afTablc as the circumstances
will permit, The Slave Catcher now on the
witness stand, although man six feet four at
least in hight, evidently feels i'll at ease in his
postion,and "shifts from side to side by turns"
His examination viii be resumed this morning.
Session PrOtracted!
The Democratic majority concluded not to
adjourn on Monday and extended the session to
Wednesday noon. Neglect to pass tue Appro-
priation bill the assigned reason.