New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-01
KIDNAPPERS IN LANCASTER CO., PA.

Correspondence OF The n. 4. Tribune.
LANCASTER, Pa, Nov. %, 1850.
For some weeks past the South and their allies in the
North have been clanorng for the repeal of what they
call personal liberty laws said TO be in force in seven
Of tie Northern Siates Pennsylvania among others
Although no such law IL in force in this State it Is
much needed especially for the County Of Lancaster
Ever since the passage Of the Fugitive Slave law our
county has been infested with a set Of Villains who
steal and sell into Slavery free negroes whom they cam
either by force or lying pretcxt, deGO into their
m, shes. most villainous and desperate gang has
infested the neghborhood of the Gap dong celebrated
tie haIbOr OF all manner Of desperdoes and when
any OF citizens had the courage TO prosecute any OF
II M the torch APP lied 10 his house or barn. thus
kee, ing the ntighborbood in terror.
Therefore they could commit crime with inpuniy
for no dare inform upon them. TWO OF them Were
convicted for kidnapl ing free negro at our Court OF
Quarter SesflCIs last week, Which may result IL the
utter anDitilatiOn of the whole gang.
Before giving a history of the case, permit me 10
bring 10 your notice two Others, OF not 30 recent
a diie Where the guilty parties escaped punishment
through the cOnniyance Of public officers III hh p ices
In the sTIng of 1852 police officer named kligely
of Bal more, Md, aud Sol. Snyder Of harrisburg
.fince convicted for kdnapl ing) came 10 COlnm, -
Sn ih coIored man. wi lie AT lis work il Of the
lunl Yards ard because be made feeble effort to
eject lis rtlease from the grasp OF these TWO men,
kidg,ly drew revt lyer and blew out Smiths br'Lls
IN
John L. TT omI 8 n, late District Attorney OF this
county Immediately came to the Of the murder,
and procured The aihda,iis u persons who saw Smith
murdeIed and proceeded 10 Harrisburg to lay them
before Gov William BCler for tie purpose of obtii4
ing a Ieouition on the Governor Of Maryland for the
rel diiion of kidgely. Mr.. ThOmpsOn assured NE At
tie line that BIZ Ter would Immediately grant requ-
siiCD He failed to keep his promise but sent private
" 10 the Governor Of Maryland and requested him 10
send commi sioners Buchanan and Scott, friends of
tie acculeG) to Columbia. They came, and, by ex
arte statements made 20 them, they were sshed, and
ratified Il Governors Of Maryland and PennsylsaniA
al John L. Thompson that harm was intended, that
that the purely accidental and there the nr
terminated they seemed TO think the quit or innocence
Of is could better be tested out OF doors thn by
tie hummery Of trial before twelve conscientious and
borest men, under oath, WHO light probably iilk
q at killing negro In murder becau-e they would be
Iees enlightened than the public Off ,ers.
Encouraged 10y the success with which Riigely
escsred a lumber Of free negroes spiie aw ~
from Columbia in the night and conveyed to B-Isi-
more. and Il ere sold a. slaves.
Only one OF the numbereyergot back; he, however,
prosecuted one Of the wilkins, who was duly tined,
convicted and sentenced to the Lancaster County Pson
for tenn Of years vi ith has not yet ext ired. 80 ne
of the OIL or lares concerned in the outrage held Office
under Biglers Administration and now reride IN the
Stse Of Maryland in perfect security from any inoies-
taion on the part of the authorities Of that or our Com
mCnweslth.
Since then there kidnaprers seem 20 have made the
Gar" in the eastern section OF the county, Their
headquarters.
A few wears ago a bright mulato was abducted from
that neigLbOrhoOd, and taken 10 Baltimore, and soil
into SlaSery The Ter-On with whom abe lived pnr-
sued tie Patty into Maryland where II few days she
was found murdered I believed that the perpetrators
of The act were well known TO the authorities IN
Baltimore, but no effort, 20 far a. ! Gun learn, hAs
ever been made TO bring them TO justice.
On tie night of the ID If March last Gillmor Hull,
Francis Nilson, Edward Mackry, Sylvester Gordon
md Franklin Bostit k went 10 the house Of John
Brow H. fee man OF color living in Sii bury town
slip by the pretehse TINT they were taking hl Tor
CCuD ittg an alleged laTcely, succeeded IN decOy-
ing lin into vehicle, where they Immediately
ana, led his limbs and drove Oft raj i-ly 10 MCCALL
Ferry, on the Susquehanna River, some twenty miles
CistaI l.
arriving there about daylight, confederate named
Firber, VEO keeps low groggery, seeretod them II
Lie par1et until tire eveI ing # the same day. when the
,iD1i known only 10 tie members e tie gang, wiS
given and II party proceeded 70 the Mary hand shore
Suffice il 20 s0y, Brown was taken to BALTIMORE ana
Ilated in slave.Ien, where he was recognized as
fre+.n all, and returned 70 Il home.
lie Immediately instituted suit against oil persons
cor cerled IN bic a'duction far as he knew them:
True lnls Of indictment were found for kidnapping,
al tie Court Of Quarter beesions held IN the month o
lie defendants gave bail In the sum of 5000, for
their appearance the Court Of Quarter Ssl us, TO
be held In the City Of Lancaster the I'd Monday OF
koveu her inst TIE parties forfeited their recOgniLn
ces. except Gilmore Hull and Francis Wilson, VINO
wee trit d. convicted and sentenced last week 10 pay
fne If two hundred dollars each one-hal thereof to
90 the prosecutor John Brown, and 70 undergo An i
Urirt nnent by separate or solitary confinement ~
Lard labor in the Lancaster County Prison, Tor the
rericd of five wears and three months, and TO pay the
CCsds of prosecution. I'll,
~ friends Of the defendints Possessed OF wealth
wi ich they cid not fail L. IN the employment OF
able council 70 defend them. The prosecution whs
ca, dpct4d with consummate tact and ability but Tor
,rbicl the defendants would have euded the require
,ants IL The la through toe usual dodge III oil ruch
c, Of nm 1lfJi proven Of course by coniederAtee OF
paid witnesses
The public owe debt Of gratitude 70 Emien r nuk
lin The able Distinct Attorney and To Alexander II.
Uo,6 e.o. who INSISTED him IN the proeecntlon iJr
-, ;rg out "A norton OF the notorious " zap Gang
l. l. 20 b. hoped that the conviction OF these ieo"s
viii eike terror among The rect OF the Nnans y9e ~
- The community which bar known them ~ long
win know them no longer.
A ,,s,.r4sble farmer for whom John Brown hborea'
aarvcs aIso great credit for bringing these parties "
;nti,e n, do Ing which since their nrreet I've hAs hhu
liz ban DESTROYED by ire, supposed 10 nave oeen uoe
Ly Ftanee Wilson, one Of tie delehuanH. Su
before the ir broke out, be wiz seen IiuiiE ~ va. IL
a: ity on horse back; tLe hone "as uacheu ~
ham and from thence 10 the premises o. iIs o"o'I
bo was arrested aud IL under bonds 10 oflte1s
81 The pcgt Court 10 BE- held IN and for the County Oh
~ 4ster IN tie Borough Of Westcbes'er, 70 answer,
,,t,e il IL boyed, II guilty, justice viii be mee1 OUT
20 iiLD.
As Ialss FleHT.-On Thursday night PATH X
Hatey and lser Currnn Eo into wLNy hght a. The 10"