, 1860-12-04
i FUGITIVE SLAVE CLAIMED 1T TORONTO.
EE1E t1NHNESsnTUHVENs
11BtoTy OF the Case

Correspondence Of the t. :. Tribuns.1
ToRosro, {. ", Nov &C, 1850.
tbs people Of Canada, when reading the ac-
counts with which your columns are so fro
qucntfy filed, Of the difficulties which arise
consequent upon demands for the rendition Of
upon their freedom from such annuyauces.
1t IS therefore with peculiar Jealousy that
the people Of Cauada look upon ca,sc now
pending in our Courts and, though there is
no reason to suspect foul play In the matter,
sttl the circumstances surrounding itarc Of a
character which invest 1t will. the greatest In
tercst, and and command the fullest sympathy.
On the 18th Of September, 1859, Scncca 7. r.
Dlggs Of Howard Co, Missouri. when lctuEn.
Ing home I'd dinner, saw walking, across hfs::
plantation n Strange negru,, whom be hailed"
In reply to series Of questions addressed to
him BY Diggs, the negro told story to the fol-
lowidg ef1ect:;; He said his name VAS William
Anderson, and that he was the slave Of one
Macdonald, who resided about thirty miles
from Digggs's plantation. To this Macdonald
he had been f8ld IN 1883 By q Mr. Perkins,
whose estate was but short distance from
Diggs's abode, and he was soon on his way
thithcr Tor the purpose either Of getting Per.
change him for some other man. BE had two
reasons for desiring this; he had been much
iu-trcated BY Macdonald, and he had q wife,
slave to man named Brown, whose estate ad-
joined that Of Perkins's. It Is said that ac-
corlins to tue State Law Of Missouri, any ne
gro found more than twenty miles from his
masters plantation without pass may be NJ.
acstcd and taken back the person SO taking
him back becoming entitled thereby to IT.
ward Of IS, and Il mileage Of ten cent?.
After hearing Anderson's account Diggs ask
ell him for his pass. The poor fellow replied
that he had none. "Then," said the humane
STAKEHOLDER, u can allow you to 70 10 further
and will give you some dinner" The pair
walked toward the house for somc distance,
when the negro broke and ran. Digss i,nn,c-
diatcly called out to three "black boys" who
were near, "Catch that runaway, and I'll give
you tho reward" Away the three started in
pursuit Anderson ran in a circle, and was
cltased:: for near IN hour By them. Dit,gs, after
while was Joined by his son, lad ii fifteen,
mud upon signal from one Of the black boys,
they crossed the circle, and met the runaway
just as he was nearing fcnce. Over this fence
the planter lcapcd, brandishing in his hand 4
light stick Anderson waved 1arge dirk
knife; before him stood the cnraged planter;
twenty yards behind him were Fastening OH
his three puEsuers armed with stout Clubs
There was not moment to be lost. The Plan
ter commanded the brcathless, painting negro
to surrender; the negro said he would Kill any
one who touched him 1a$olent language to
fall from the lips OF slave! 30 thought the
planter rs he broke his stick over the gitiye's
head. But the fugitive was us good Us his
word; he dealt i true blow, he plunged his
knife into Digy's heart. 1t was now the plant.
cr's turn to tly; he cndcayorcd again to yet
ovcr the fsnce, and was insisted in his attempt
BY Anderson, who staDGed him again and tun,.
bled him into the ditch. III less than forty.
eight hours there was nn end to Mr. Diggs. Le
lived long enough to mike a full confession
aud then departed for 4 land where he will III
evitably be convinced Of certain facts concern
ing ''nigycrst" which he was fond Of denying
in his lifetime. Anderson succeeded in max
ing good his escape to Canada, and took M
his abode in the county of Brant. lie lived !:
quiet and industrious life, and being Joined by
bis wife, felt himself truly freeman. But
Missouri law found him out, and made de-
nand for his rendition under tho Ashburtou
treaty for the crime Of murder. He was ar
rested and brought before tho magistrate.
The evidence adduccd was III substance as
have given it above. The magistrates fell
ter was referred to John a. Macdonald, tl,s
Attorney General of the Province. This wus
SO long ugo rs the 18th Of September, since
which time the unfortunate fugitive las lain
in priton. He was even put in irons by order
Of one Of the aforementioned magistrates
named Matthews, notorilus fellow, whost
conduct has been most disyraceful throughout
ftar and feathers h.. fier s,rnne- love If la,x
which perrades the con,munifvs The Atforncy
General. after an inexni;rabi, d.lav Of f1s1
months, has decided that he is unable to de-
eide, aud has referred the case 10 the judges
On Saturday last, then, Anderson vas brought
| up in the Court Of Queens Bench, by yirtut
caiIe1 nnon to shn,c av ~ s;ou1l not ha %;'< H.;
| charged 0nthc mart II the nr;snorr a coT, M1
| netent connsr1- Mr, r freeman n +, ~,
Hamiiton. has l'een cn.,ared Ynn NAV ~ ,f;nl
| thjs a yerv stran~.. nrne.Sd;nr in 1,.nada H.,
have 1itf1c nati7nc1. II IL nn5 cont r1Js.a tbnt
ha,l Anderson hecn n s1ayc IF 1iyrs i,c sro1,,' %
hare heen n1,iItv ofmnr5cr,n tilI}, ;,1, wv, C',,
law rccorn1zes ibe rjrbt Of syerv MN ~ iibcrt
We con f2Ee m coyn;zanca If ra-,. ~ ~, ~,
| unfortnn,te1v tl,e Ashhnrton Tre,;- !. rn+l..,
yas.,,e On nne nont II Is rnntc,,,c5 t1.,t ~. !;
frorn the IInite States who ia ,1T,;tv If er;,,.
arcnr'linr to ronr Iasr uror;1ed ti,t tr,n ..r,
Iencc nf cr,nfnoittr hc snch os - aG,,iss;hI,
| in our conrfs- and snfticIent tn snste;n ~,
charsrc made Now accoriin~ ~ Nilsson ~, )
/ law. n1pps ron1d lan1lfv arrS,t anJere"n
thrrcis ~ onest;on aRon} that Than nda-
sn1, committed rnnrder in E;I1;,,, n;r+rs ~.
ncc1rding ~ Gnr G,ra1,;., ia,r +na' ~. ~
mr. co,1It. then co heh;n1 -" VOW ~ Law, ~. -
orrnst ond ;ncr;-5 boy. u s.,., ~. -.
enactcds T fct Ike ease ' h. rcrcrseS ~ r. c,ns ~
t}f.,, I,1r olo1ra i,rorIaon~,.nnt f,- g,h+ Tho.
aT. many States IN he fJninn .shcro m 1nu. s,r,
t},in.r cyists Snnnosc man rnnfinci j., :.
T.sn3dian nj, for geht t;ii..d h1e ;n;for ~ ~.
eff:cted hts cscanc t., thc I1nite,1 Ss,Ics wonis
| your authorities ssvto ~. 1Wt. .rn,,ot snr
| Tender him. hcsaus,: ". hive ~, 1ar ~ m,
nrisontncnt for debt ~ Wonld # not snf1i,r H.,
That The man kiiie1 h,s lco,I snstnt,i.n Cnui,
YOUR courts inquire how the nan came % to lt
In iail ran mr. courts tI,e,, ;nn,,rI. Low ~.
law carnc to i,c in Missouri whIct ,savr n1e1rs nv
| The LEGAL rirht to arrest Ant,crsnns
| Arc1rt]inIr to thc nracfics of nur Courts t3,,
counsel for The annejIant Ind fo sneak f,rst
| and thus Ind to antIcInate t]Ic ar,<,In,,n;s r.
| llis onnonents. # docx not onncaFto ne nm,
hc ft,fiv MET thie ro;rt .@;r,.i, .,,,,c j., H.
srcoch H. orxr,,ed n,,n, t,a ssuns,'t;,,,, 49,,
thc Missouri 1aSv IF s1s vc-r 1rn~1I h. sst M h'
tIe Crown cnnnscl ord co,,tand,.,, tbat ~ ": -
could not recognizc It hpcausc It w:.s = mn"i
c;nai law MT lie law of thc 3enuhlic n ,nn =
he howcycr, That thcrc Is a ,foo;i answer =
he canse sci forth hy The crow1, The freat,
is not uroyincIal Inv. nor a british law: Il !:
m n"rceT,ent hetwre,, fn,, trraat na,;ons an.
;rl;s t1,e cnnnsrl f,r t,,,. Crnwn st.tcd 40 a.,
1as;s nf their ar,nnent and Va+tci nc. ~ n,'at ~
cI to Tie cfct f5af n tha ,sors,r1,;n'r ~ tro..
tics MI thinrs which 1an ~ niacc tn ~
in, nations s,,non ~, can,f Esot;n,> ,n,,:t i.
taFen min cons;acrot;on Rnt ther joe. s;r1,,
nj thjs mint that thr Inv ofarrr., n si;ssnnri
il mt Tie law Of tho iInite.i States: ar If rn,
1ite that thc rcndition ~ t,. f9;;,vo i;s H. nn
demanded under the law Of the Union, hu
Union. Diggs could Legally arrest Anderson
| in Missouri. but mt in New York # certain
4