The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1860-06-30

fendents, Notwithstanding the presence Of
the United States officers, several hundred
of the city police and thousands of specta-
tors, it is alleged, rushed upon the carriage
to rescue their brother from the thraldom
of slavery. They failed, however in their
noble effort, were arrested and cast into
prison. and remained there several days al
most in starving condition, declining, as
they did, to participate of the prison fare,
which ia not at all palatable. There was
every probability of their remaining there
until their trial. The Committee of Five
took the matter of obtaining bail for them
in bonds of $1,000 each, except johnson,
which was $1,000, and after untiring eff
forts for several days succeeded in obtain
ing it, and having the men liberated.
1t being generally understood that the
Abolition Society had retained counsel for
them, that there should be no doubt or
misunderstanding on the part of the Com
mittee of Fvie, | was appointed by them
to make inquiry. | accordingly had an
interview with Mr.. VIM Still, stating to
him, explicitly, that had been deputized
by the Committee to inquire whether it
was true that the Society had retained
counsel or not for the men. He replied
that the Society had engaged Messrs.
Earle, Coffey, and PIERCE, besides several
eminent gentlemen who felt very great
interest in the men had kindly volunteer
ed to defend them, and further-that there
would be ample counsel provided. | then
informed him that as such was the case,
the Committee would cease making collec-
tions, and bring our labors to close, leav-
ing the whole affair, as we supposed, in the
hands of the Society. I reported to the
Committee, and public meeting was call
ed forthwith, and the facts laid before it,
whereupon resolution was adopted, that
we do not desire, and will not collect, any
more money, as counsel was provided by
the Abolition Society, and that the balance
(about $lO) in the Treasurer's hands be
divided among the men.
The Committee, believing all accomplish
ed by them that was necessary, remained
inactive, until the chairman a short time
previous to the trial, was informed that the
Society did not intend to have anything to
do with the case. Why this sudden
change 1t is not in my power to say,
but such was the fact. We were placed,
as for the time being, in very awkward
dilemma. Another public meeting was held
Immediately, and statement made by the
chairman of the state of affairs, that the
men were about to go to trial without coun-
sci, a circumstance that would reflect dis
gracefully upon the colored citizens of
Philadelphia, and must not be; but the
men must be defended, and we must raise
the means to do it.
I then stated the conversation between
Mr.. Still and myself, as before related,
when to my great surprise he, Still, had
the effrontery and audacity to rise up in
the meeting and say that he never told me
counsel were engaged. thus endeavoring to
make it appear that had reported falsely
| charged him on the spot with telling
deliberate falsehood, and further, that there
were gentlemen present to whom he had
made the same statement, and who rose
up and corroborated all that | said, one of
the persons, Mr.. Buck, said that Mr. Still
told him and the other men while in pris-
on, that counsel were retained, and further
that he read letters from Miss Watkins and
Mr.. Hayden, stating they would raise
means to aid in paying counsel, if necess-
airy. Whether they ever done SO or not,
we do not know.
| must, however, remark that this would
be-oracle of the Anti-Slavery Society did
very magnanimously tell those heroes,
/" the satchel of whose shoes he is not
worthy to unloose," that if they would
come up to the Anti-Slavery Office and
state they had no counsel, and desired it,
perhaps it might be obtained, a proposition
which was scorned by most, if not all, the
men, who were utterly disguised with such
prevarication and yet remembered that a
member of the society had charged the
colored people, when called on by the
chairman of the committee, as he informed
US, as being a set of ingrates, and that the
Society would do nothing for them. The
men said they would sooner lay and rot in
prison than demean themselves by doing
SO contemplate after counsel had
been promised them while in prison.
Tho nannit+aa onnaa1ad 4, %b.,