Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-10-18
The KIdnappins Case.
STATEMENT OF CONDUCTOR SHERMAN.

MEssRs. EDITORs; In view Of the existing
excitement growing out OF the kidnapping
case of Friday night last it seems but proper,
in Justice to myself and the public, that |
should make statement of the facts and the
circumstances connected Herewith, as they
actually occurred. From the fact of the SUE
cessful escape oil the kidnappers, the public
seem TO infer that the conductor Of that train
was implicated in the transaction. | feel
deeply grieved that such an imputation
should be cast upon me. 1t is as foreign to
my feelings as it is in reality from the truth.
To be brief;
Friday, man came to me and enquired if
I would stop at Venice to take on six or eight
passengers to 20 South. That was not par
ticIlarly an unusual occurrence, and | told
him | would-not having the remotest idea
of the character of the passengers. On my
trip North, Thursday night, several men,
representing themselves as Cincinnati detec-
tives, came up with me. Some stopped at
Castalia, and some came to Sandusky. With
out particularly thinking of the above request
| supposed some of these men were about re-
turning. | had not the least knowledge that
they were TO have negroes with them, much
less that they were kidnapping. When we
were signaled was in the forward car, and
by the time got through the train they were
all in the hind car. This car was put in the
train by Superintendent Rice to go to Spring
field. It was not intended for our use, and
was not warmed or lighted. l collected
their fare and did not 60 near them
afterwards until daylight. | then found
the car locked They had got the key
from the brakesmRn and locked it with
out my knowledge or consent. l left the car
at Springfield At Castaha, saw three men,
but was not spoken TO, while there, by any
one We made, at Castalia, our usual stop
without any deviation from our usual course.
Directly after leaving Castalia, Mr.. Ogden,
gentleman from Republic, awoke lat my re-
questl Mr. Shellabarger, a Republican Con-
gresham from the Springfield District. My
FEELINGS dictated to me the course of cutting
off the car and leaving it. and it was only
by the wise counsel of Mr.. S. that it was not
done. Mr. s., Mr.. Ogden aud myself, then
concluded that while at Kenton, where the
train waited one and three-quarters of an
hour, we would get out legal process and
retain the negroes. After this, at Mr.. S.s
request, l made the Marshal produce his
writs, which were examined by Mr.. S. and
pronounced legal He then cOunselled me
not to attempt to retain them at Kenton, as
it would not only make the company liable,
but would subject me to imprisonment. The
negroes were not retained.
Under these circumstances, can be
blamedy Would not any other course have
subjected the Company to loss and myself to
Imprisonment l do not see where could
have bettered things by acting otherwise. /
made earnest endeavor at Springfield and
Dayton to telegraph ahead and have the ne
groes stopped.
feel that the facts, well understood by the
public, will exonerate me from blame
Below are letters written by my request
Baying gone down the road TO Dayton Sun
day night and returned yesterday morning,
tlis is the first opportunity have had to
make this statement B. F. SHERMAN.