Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-08-17
rSMWPoRr NEWS.


terday morning, at the hour appointed for
the final decision of James Waggoner's right
to freedom the Courthouse was crowded
with spectators, anxious TO hear the judg-
ment of the Court. Although no one
doubted its nature, yet so great was the in
terest felt in the matter, that all that could
avail themselves of the privilege of attend
ing the Court, did 30. IL is certain that
Waggoner had the sympathy Of large ma
iority of those present. and the few, who, for
pecuniary consideration, would have en-
slaved him, did not assume that confident
and arrogant air which they had exhibited
on former occasions, when they knew that
those who were sitting in the case had pre-de-
| termined that he should be sold, no matter
what testimony might be adduced in his be-
| half n
When the proper time arrived, the judg-
ment of the Court was rendered as follows:
From the proof in this case there can be
no doubt but that plaintiff is a free man,
wherefore it is adjudged that the injunction
herein be perpetuated, and that the sale Of
| the plaintiff be taken for nought; that he be
released from custody and enjoy his freedom
| in some other county than this common
| wealth, and as defendants are officers and
| plaintiff is in their custody by force of law,
there can be no judgment against them for
/ Costs
The announcement that Waggoner was
| Tree WnS feCelVeu WlLu tVlueHJ SdllSlHCJlOH
| by those present, fact that will go far to
vindicate the reputation Of our city, which
has suffered greatly from the outrageous
conduct Of the kidnappers of Waggoner, and
| their aid ders and abettors.
Immediately after the judgment Of the
Court was pronounced, Waggoner was con-
Quoted to Cincinnati, and is now stopping
with some friends. He will return to his
parents in day or two, but returns an in
valid-perhaps for life--a necessary conse-
quence Of his long and loathsome confne-
ment in prison that would disgrace an
Austrian, or Spanish dungeon, and bjected,
as he was, TO a malicious and demoniac ine-
briate, large portion of the time. Indeed,
had not he been transferred to the care of Mr..
Horsfal, he would long ago have wasted away,
and his wrongs been beyond the redress of
any earthly tribunal.
The conduct ofhi attorney, G. p. Webster
ESQ.,, throughout the whole case, is worthy
of the highest commendation. A citizen OF
! Newport-born and raised in a slave State,
! and fully aware of the odium he would bring
upon himself from junto Of political spoils
men, who, in every county town, are patent
! and without the hope OF pecuniary reward
he not only twice brought Waggoner out o
prison on hdbeds coTpus-once before Judge
Boyd, and once before Mayor Hawkins-but
he signed the bond required to enjoin the
sale, which was in the sum of $1,000; and in
addition assumed charges to the amount o.
$50, before he could obtain the return Of the
boy, and afterward paid about the sam'
'' amount in incidental expenses, in procuring
witnesses, bringing him from Lexington
: paying for horse and buggy hire, &c.
e Some money was afterward paid to MI
l. Webster by parties in Cincinnati, q grea
n portion of which was raised among tn
colored population; but the amount wi
l. hardly cover his actual expenses, and hi
is | ~ ~, fha rartotplu !
's be rewarded by handsome fee, which, W
y hope, will be raised for him.
E, The bond was likewise signed by MI
!, Hainsworth, whose disinterested friendshi
;, will long be remembered with gratitude
D, Waggoner and his friends.
OF some other persons connected wit
l. this transaction, we shall speak with free
= dom, but with a scrupulous regard for trutl
q making no assertions which can not be SUI
~ tanned by the record.
le Messrs. Stewart and Weaver, the origina
" kidnappers, are, as we have frequentl
y stated, notorious villains, and it was n
doubt their intention to take him South /
~ the first opportunity and sell him, and ft
y this purpose he was locked in the cellar
Id the latter, in jamestown, and was acc
eI dentally discovered by some officers, WI
ID were watching the house to detect counte
e, Ieiters, who were in the habit of resortin
I'll thither. They have already sold their col
al tingent interest in the reward to three di
s, ferent persons, and obtained the cost fro
~ each. They have made money by the tran
II action, but we commiserate their victim
who have ere this, no doubt learned bett
~ than to put their trust" in profession
We negro-catchers-a class of men used by +
OF spectacle shareholders, but despised
them.
-. Sellman, his first jailor, is one of tho
~ characters that can be found in every tow
~ too idle to work, he stays, merely, and do
mr not live and his treatment Of Waggoner W
NJ marked by an unexampled brutality, whit
In ii, can only be appreciated by those who kno
. y his desperate character. ltrR ses. x
'' We have already commented with son
-, severity-but with more truth than severity
s aei upon the decisions of Judge Boyd and May
o. a. Hawkins, before whom he was brought oil
"a habeas corpus, and who denied him time
aa na prove his Freedom, which he alleged he col
ot at do, and we will not repeat what we ha
w already said, nor multiply words, except
say that the promise Of the latter that su
,., evidence should be produced, within q mon
- to prove that Waggoner was slave, that
~ who denied il would be ashamed Of the pi
;u' ;u they had taken, has hardly been fulfilled.
ii With reference to some other parties W
~ VI had contingent interest in Waggoner
ue' proved a slave, we have only TO say Il
they are not much to be blamed. 1t is
Sc such ignoble business that they manage
ce- live. Brutalized men, they aresincapable
at manifesting noble feeling, and as good fr
ow can not grow upon an evil tree, SO the co
we mon attributes of humanity can not be
she pected to belong to such as have long siI
ceased to resemble, save in physical fol
the genus homo.
nd We have already given DIR. Foster mott
I'M and we only refer to him now as part
acn pant in a controversy with Sheriff He
ate who is charged by him with having beel
ne partner in the purchase of Waggoner,
which charge is emphatically denied
Helm. Foster however, emphatically reit
ned ates his declaration, and Incorporated il
ing his answer in the Circuit Court. We '
tine not attempt TO decide the question Of veraC
I, OF which has been raised, but will only say I
MS the sale was but three minutes pendi
which certainly looks rather suspicious.
His claim that he was upon the block
eph minutes, will hardly eradicate suspicion
had auctioneers are not generally in the habi
d selling such valuable articles Of property
lng Waggoner, in SO short time, especially W
rect not half the market value is offered
when it was known that several of the par
desiring to purchase were on the road
Alexandria But let a scrutinizing and
:" telligent public judge between the parties
rre- Two acts in the great drama have l
ties been concluded; the one ended in his sale,
other in his liberation; third has been
upon the stage, in the arrest of the kidI
. " oS pers, and fourth may yet follow.
in DRIVERS Transfers, d
=. - IL