Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1861-04-06
From the N. X. Tribune
THE REIGN OF RUFFIANIsM.
SOUTHERN
wONAN's STORY.

4 I'LL ALAI
A woNAN's STORY,
Without claiming any distinction as a martyr, ]
wish to make q plain statement Of the facts res
Pecting my ares. and confinement 10 the Jail at
Charleston, S. c., during the months of October
and November last, which l feel 10 due to many
friends who have kindly interested themselves in
my behalf, and who are DESTROYS Of more s~asisfac-
tory information concerning my case.
left New-York for Charleston on the FRS.
day Of December 1859; when l arrived in the latter
city, | was not aware of any ill-feeling or prejudice
against the Northern people, but ! soon learned of
cruel outrages and violent threats against strang-
ers from the North, and these called forth the
indignation I could not always conceal, as I was
quite unprepared for such Developments, ip a civ
Iized community. For this reason | con6oed my
self quietly and closely 10 my business, seeking no
aoqusintances.
/ had gone thi,hor with tho most peacesblo and
friendly intentions, har5oring no pupose Of med
ding with local institutions, though my sentiments
were by no means favorable to slavery. / was
very careful to hold no conversation with any Of
the colorsd people; they knew nothing Of me, and
= Woo III 0hACN ohouECE w BAL ohA HNN
have remained so, had not the persecution l suf-
fsred gwen me notoriety. Inever forced my OPP
Unions on any one, but when asked what l thought
Of Slavery, / always told them the truth, in q
friendly spirit discleiming all intentions of inter
feriDg with them. l had too much respect for
them TO suppose they could respect pandering
lhypooEits, and l, therefore, told them my senti-
ments, which were the result of early education.
admitted that their education and habits made d
natural for US to differ on the question of Slasery;
and, on their eide, they appeared to have nossns,
picion ofdme. The summer passed thus quietly
away, and ! had no more fear there than il / had
been living in my Northern home. ha
1T was on the 9th Of September that, as L vas
aloDein my room. having hardly recovered from q
severe illness, q largo and coarse man presented
himself before me, withous permission or on
~nouneemsnt. lie demanded my name; l told him,
and asked what he wished. lie stated that he
was one Of the Vigilaut Pclice, and ordered me to
20 with him to the Mayors Court, that officer hay-
ing sent for me. l said | would not 60, and asked
him what right he had to insult and. modest me;
whether he had any written Authority to demand
my presence. He sAid No. Then followed this
conversational beginning it by asking:
"What does the Mayor want of me 2"
al understand you are an A5olitionisk"
eyes; and what Of that 2" E7sak
9 "You must come with me, or / will take you by
force" said he, angrily. s8l7gj se
3 Z / considered for a moment, and decided on the
. whole it was beat TO 90 with him quietly. ]
thought it probable the Mayor had been imposed
$ upon by some idle reports, and that after hearing
8 what / had to say, be would dismiss me with ar
s apology for being the occasion of this unwonted
. intrusion. Immediately made myself ready, and
went With the man to the Guard House. / wa.
= ushered into the comnon court room, where sever
al idlers were assembled, who seemed to have ne
other business Than to await my coming, but th,
Mayor was not there. l waited an hour, expect
ing every moment he would make his appearance
; those around me in the mean time Whispering
8 among themselves, though they said nothing q
t me. | took nc notice Of them, bat began to &c
very impatient for my expected interview. Arui
fanly Hooking man soon came 10 carrying a larg,
bunch Of keys. "Slep this way. Madam" sat
! be. l followed him without the least nppreben
g sion, snpposing the Mayor would be respectful
enough to hear me in his own room rather thai
before a crowd, for l had done nothing, and hat
nothing to fear. | was led through two or tire,
large rooms. and through an ~infrmary, whsr'
there were several sick people in bed. q
"Where are you going?" said l to the man
"This way, ma'am, . said he, opening a door tina
led by a flight of steps TO a long. dark passage
On each side we're the underground cells. / look
q ed around me. Two c. three rough looking fell
lows stood by me ready to do the jailor'a, bidding
while he opened one Of these dirty diamAI cells.
e. r"come down" said he, ''and 60 in there"
asked, in surprise, what does this meant, II
+ means that you are to be put in here; it 10 tn
Mayors orders" tsa. 5 l& .tsg,4 ~
: 4 was thrust in and locked up. Shortly after
: the same mau opened the door and wished me Il
1 give my nams in full. j told him l should no
: answer his questions; ] wished TO see tina Mayor
/ immediately. Ho said must wait until l wa
} called for, and then locked the door. ! sa Y n.
one again that day. Night camo--9 o'clock. ]
} grew sick and faint from breathing the foul Air
I had scarcely recovered from recent sickness. TIT
, poor wfetehes dragged in from the streets. scream
ing and grOAniug, were ihroWn in cells around me
from which was separated only by 3 thin board
partition. No place could be more painfully dis
agreeable to pass Digbt 10 than thai. 81 iiBl
knocked on the door to attract the attention Of
the turnkey rs be was %passingi hs opened III,
ldOor and asked what 1 wanted; | told him I wan.
tod 10 get out OF that place, aud asked him if he
would pat me 10 a decent room, No, the Mayor