Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-08-25
MEN STEALING IN ILLIN0IS-INTER
ESTING FINALE OF A LATE
KIDNAPPING CASE,

Southern Illinois hos been for q long time the
hunting ground Of the men stealers, and it is stat
ed that within the past ten years, scores, perhaps
hundreds of FREQ men, have BEEN kidnapped. Tho
Tho law is powetless to punish the villains, or to
bring the c~aptives back. There are dozens OF
counties in which no man of color is safe, and
there arc men who live by making negroes their
prey. The Chicago Tribune says there is hope
in the future and gives the following interesting
account of the finale of the recent kidnapping case
at Clifton, Illinois.
On Sunday, June Sd, three colore6 mon living
in or near Clifton-a village near Ashkum, a sta
ton On the Illinois Central road, about sixty miles
from Chicago-were enticed by seven or eigh'
whites into a country store or grocery, and when
there, were bounced upon by their armed decoys,
now turned assailants, and under threat of instant
death from yevolvers pointed at their breasts, were
compelled to submit to the commands of those who
by isrSs ana fraud, had ov%erpowered them. They
were instantly hurried off to Ashkum. and their
esPtors. Lavipg timed their movements to cores
pond with the motions of the down train, thrust
their prey, still guarded by On array of pistols and
bowie knives. into the cars, and bore the poor
men off. All this was accomplished without q
process of any sort-by brute force alone, illegally
and diabolically, The indignation of the quiet
community 10 which this occurred, was thorough
~ aroused by the outrage but all parties-the
wronged and tho wrong doers-were gone-hid in
q slave State, under the shadow Of the institution
that iustifes all such atrocities, and everybody
d~espaired Of being able to bring the captives back,
or the scoundrels to the punishment that they had
richly earned.
MI ooD onrrioI 10 CT Inpia NJ
fast as stem etlld c,L,,y hem, .e.lls.
guarded all the way. Arrived there, they wer'
thrust into a negro pen, which still-disgTaces tina
free. soil city, and the work, with a view to tn
profits Of the great crime, was commenced. Il
answer to the inquiry directed to each, Who i
your master 2 one averred that he was then, an
always had been, q free man ; another refused t
answer; while the third, the man Jim, said that h
had been the property Of Anne Pernard, q farme
near Carondelet, seven miles from the city. Th
man who claimed to be free and his silent fe
low prisoner were tied up and cruelty logged, til
one to refresh his recollection of the serVitude tha
his captors suspected, and the other to open hi
mouth to q confession which he would not make
Whipping proving Of no avail, other forms Of cru
elty, hunger the most potent, were tried, but wit
DO lelter SUCCESS. AT idet, JUN VI bucSo
one torn ruthlessly from his wife and children
and the other from a neighbcrhood in which hi
industry had made him respected, and each from
life of freedom and enjoyment-wero sent Sout
and sold. They were prisoners of war, and g
such in this time of peace we're compelled to sui
NIT to their captors will. In q State which pc
mits the buying and selling Of men and wOme
and accounts it patriotism, what could they do
Poor, friendless and black. a~djudged to have 4
rights that white men are bound to respect, whit
could they dor The tide that has overwhelme
four millions Of their kind has overborne then
They sunk into the great vortex never to be hear
of more. A niger neutrality-suspicious. Of som
unfortunate creature who has died under the las
for his repeated attempts to regain freedom, or G
one whom a rife shot sent into the swamp ha
killed, or Of a mau prematurely worn out by labor
and tue whip; hunger and the branding iron
viii close the earthly career Of each. There is
hereafter. blessed are the poor in spirit. fC
theirs lie the kingdom Of heaven blessed are the
that mourn, for they shall be comforted J
While this whipping. shipping and selling va
going Oh, Anne Pernard. the owner Of Jim wa
visited by one Of the kidnappers. lie went wit
offers. to buy Jim, running--buy the chances Of
capture after FIVE years of absence. One hundre
dollars was the sum named for this fugitive piec
of flesh aud blood. Bttitwas Indignantly refused
The sum was doubled, trebled, quadrupled, and q
last multiplied by ten but all temptations faile
TO get them o legal title to their prey. They serV
cd this purpose, however. The owners suspicion
we're aroused by the amount offered by the scour
drels, and their unconeealed eagerness to effect
trade. On Saturday then, a week after the capture
he scot a negro woman into st. Losis-the woman
by the way, the mother Of Jim-to make the il
quiries that the case seemed to demand. Her mott
ers's instinct led her to the right place. Admitte
to the pen, she recognized her son. learned fror
his lips his suffering and danger and then wit
such speed as she could command. hurried back