Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-04-25

at some distance; during this time two mel
! were sent TO search my room; they broke
open my trunks and bundles, unrolled eve
ry yarcel trying to find papers or letters
, but they found nothing they wanted
though they carried off one or two of my
, letters. When l got 10 the Jail was fain
aud exhausted; it was now 6 o'clock o
! the second day; had not had morcl o.
food for nearly forty eight hours. l sent
to my friends, at the house which l had
left, and just before the Jail was to be shut
up for the hight, the lady Of the house ap
peared at the door. She had not been al
lowed to see me before though she had
tried repeatedly. If she had not come
just then should not have had anything
until the next day when the prison rations
would be served. The jailor had strict or
ders TO show me no favors; l was TO be
lodged with the common prisoners of the
female ward; no one outside the walls was
allowed to give me aid or comfort; was
to remain here four months, and then take
my trial for sedtion and treason. The
iailor told me must take leave Of my
friend, and go to my quarters with the
rest, as he was TO lock the Jail for the night
The lady asked him if should be com
Portable? He said yes; should fare with
the rest; he could make no distinction
without orders. Sc then l was to be a
prisoner again, and not alone, but with
such poor creatures as are the usual in
mates of such places; two drunken, aban-
doned women, were TO occupy the room
with me.
"This is Jail, Madam said the jailor,
as he opened the door of the miserable cell /;
you cannot expect much here. l thought
he was indeed right; there was not the
least comfort of any kind; not an article of
furniture; retliing but dirty blanket on
the floor 10 sleep on. Locked in here with
such company, with the roar of blood
hounds, that were loosed for the night to
guard the yard, with the yeilings aud
clanking of chains of the male prisoners,
passed another terrible night. | am GER
tain could not have endured all the pri-
vations of this place hid the orders of the
magistrates been strictly crrried out"
The sisters of charity interfered in her
behalf, to those kind attentions Mrs. Bolts
ford probably owes her life. Through the r
efforts she was allowed to have a room by
herself, though their endeavors to procure
her relief wers Intellectual, and n kind
hearted German, who spoke warmly in her
behalf and otfe; to procure bail was driv-
en- from the cty. A protestant minister!
also visited Mrs. b., whose conduct is in
striking contrast to that of the Catholic
Sisters OF Charity, as witness the follow
ing:
"As for myself, sent no petition, wanted
no favors. But justice and my liberty l
demanded. The Rev. DR.. Howe, of St.
Philips Church, visited me with Judge
PringIe, on hearing that 1 was member
of his Church. They said they were sor-
~ to see NE a prisoner, asking, "Why are
you here, and what have you done?" l
told them my story, and that l was there
on charge of treason and sedition, which
was most ridiculous, as well as false; the
treason was on their own part, not on mine.
"You said you were an Abolilionist,"
said the minister.
"Yes''
"Oh, that's treason, that's sedition, most
decidedly" waving bis hand, as though it
were foregone conclusion"
"Oh, no" answered; sit is quite useless
to try to persuade me that have been
guilty of anything like that. know what
treason and sedilion are as well as you. l
know what the constitutional laws of our
country are; claim their protection. You
are accountable to them; you are not out
of the Union yet"
"Well, we have slaves, andwe mean to
keep them; own them myself. We are
irrepressible despots, you must know; we
have laws here mat strictly forbid any snch
expressions as you have made"
"Such laws are nothing 10 me; let those
obey them that choose to. am no slave
if you claim to be despots. have my
rights and mean to have them respected.
"The minister advised me TO send Pc
tition to the Mayor and States Attorney.
If would go home Immediately, he would
see what he could do for me. positively
refused to send any petition, asI had suffer
ed and been most shamefully wronged, l
would not consent to be smuggled off in
disgrace, would be very glad 10 leave as
as soon as Icould 60 honorably. | turned
to Judge Pringle and asked him if he would
grant me writ of habeas corpus. He
would hear what the other party had to
say.
"The minister showed me some trifling
favors in the way of afording me some
bodily comforts, which l declined. They
both seemed much perplexed, and to do
these gentlemen justice, | believe they were
heartily ashamed of the whole transaction.
Mr.. Norlhrop offered his services as my
counsel. He seemed convinced that what
said was entirely true; but they were
talking of revolution, and legal proceedings
would be Of little account, so l was con-
vinced that need not expect anything but
to remain in Jail, did not know how long.
Mrs. .Bottsford then wr,te to Mayor Wood
of New York, of which city Mrs. B. is a
resident, asking him to use his influence
for her discharge, to which that disgrace to
the world responded, by commanding her
to acknowledge her errors before the
Charleston authorities, in a contrite spirit,
und added:
"No other power can aid you in the dis
tress you have brought upon yourself, and