The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-08-18
A KIDNAPPER KIDNAPPED.

That mild and moderately Republican Jour
nal, the Philadel ehia Inquirer, is responsible
for the following good story:
Several owners Of slaves in Frederick coun-
ty, Maryland, discovered that some of them had
taken refuge in Cumberland county, in this
State, and they sought the surest means to OBJ
tain them. Accordingly, they selected Mr..
Emanuel Myers, who lives upon the turnpike
road leading from Westminster to Gettysburg,
in this State and ust beyond the State line, to
be their agent, and to carry bach the iugitiVes.
Myers went TO !GIarllse, and applied TO MIR. Bid
missioner, for IA warrant under the celebrated
Federal act of 1850. lie did not obtain IT, for
Mr.. Blddle's powers had terminated, and there
was no Commissioner, IL is said, to supply his
place. Myers then returned for further IN
structions from his employers, and after ma
ture deliberaton, and with full instructions,
he entered Pennsy lvania, to take the slaves
wherever he could find them, without commit
ting breach of he peace Taking assistants
with him, he went TO the house Of the chief fu-
gitive, who passed under the assumed name of
Butler, and under the cover Of night he took
the man away his wife and children following.
This took place on the 10th of June last. OF
course this step caused excitement No form
of law had been used to discover whether or
not the person seized was bond or free, and if
I one person could thus be taken, why might not
the liberty of any one be at the mercy of Eman-
mel Myers, or any other similar agent? The
kidnapping of Butler, however, was not to be
passed over without some attempt to discover
Elbow far he was entitled to conduct himself as
! he did toward a person living under the agis
Of freedom in Pennsylvania. y colored man,
named Coleman, on the 18th Of June, made
oath and affidavit to the facts substantially as
| we have stated and a warrant was issued for
the arrest of Myers. The warrant did not de-
clare that the parties taken away were free,
and Mr.. Mccartney, the Sheriff of Cumberland
county, went to Westminster, Maryland, to see
the Sheriff Of Carroll county, and endeavOred
to obtain his aid to secure Myers, but without
success. He then returned to this State, and
devised plan for arrestng Myers. He placed
a posse of assistants in the mail coach, and il
was driven this side of the house of Myers, and
| this side Of the State line. The driver then
called to Myers to come and get letter di-
| rected to him, and as he climbed to the drivers
seat, he was arrested within sight of his own
| family. The kdnapper was himself kidnap
ped-the only difference being that he had
seized persons without the color of law, while
he was taken with all its necessary means and
appliances. At present the matter stands thus
Myers is to appear at the August term Of
Cumberland County Court, he having given
bail in the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars
to answer the charge Of kidnapping.
"The Maryland journals complain of the
treatment that Myers has received, and argue
that, as the persons taken were slaves, full
permission should have been given 10 him to
take them away. This is not precisely accord
! ing to our view of the case"