Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-03-01

county, came 70 tn Jail and identified this nsrfo
a. the slave OF M. Andrew Chapman, that his
name was Abfaham Taylor, and stated thst he
which be had been confined, chafged with q
very dangerous or deadly assault on the overseef
OF MIR. Chapman. Mr.. Hunt paid the Jail fees
and also the reward for the apprehension Of Tsy.
The negro was discharged, and Mr.. Hunt went,
a. understood, to the Provost Marshal to get
passes to take the negro back to the jail In Charles
county.
On the same day the negro was brought back
under his true name of Abraham Taylor, and
committed by order Of some Justice. The com.
mitment is at the jail, and win speak for itself
On Monday morning last, about O'Clock, In
the watch Of Mr.. Ammoh Duval and myself he
being fast asleep on the settee, was startled by
a noise outside the building, on the north side
and rousing Mr.. Duval, rushed out into the yard;
In passing, aroused two Of the colored servants,
and they followed ne, but when we reached
there, for a few minutes we could see nothing.
M. Duvai then came up, and was followed by
Mr.. Robinson. We then searched the yard, and
found the negro hid behind u bsx at the furthest
end OF the yard, first laid hand on him IL 10
utterly untrue that put a revolver to his heart,
az that he told me to shoot, or anything Of the
kind. Ii IL true that had revolver in NV hand.
az did also Mr. Robinson, and when on duty we
threatened to shoot him.
We brought him into the jail, and had him
put into safe cell on the ground floor.
We then began a search al to the means Of his
escape, and found he had made a rope of bis
blankets, which had broken. and, a. / suppose,
ne fell about ten feet. heard this, but nv at
tention was principally aroused by the dogs in
the yard On further examination, found that
this fellow and three Others runaway slaves and
who have been identified and reclaimed by their
masters, had passed through a hole In the ceiling
OF their room which led into the loft of the jsif
and following up these, l discovered the other
three, and brought them down and put them in
the cell with TAYLOR =.
MIR. Wise, the jailor, who was at home during
the night, came 10 the jail about nine O'Clock in
the morning, and we reported to him what &C.
Cured. He made an examination into the affairs
and directed the four negroes to be punished /.
The punishment inflicted was by stripping them,
tying their hands around barrel, and spanking
them on their posteriors with paddle.
On Wednesday, Mr.. Wheeler, late Sheriff of
Charles county, MARYLAND, came to the Jail,
Identified the negro as the same who had escaped
from Charles county Jail last summer, got an
order for his release, aRd made an arrangement
with Mr.. Wise to take him to Baltimore Mr.
Wise and Mr.. Duval took the negro from the
jail, and that 10 the last saw Of him.
so far as know or have means 10 form iudg-
ment, no disposition has been exhibited by the
Marshal or any OF his employees to evade the
order Of Secretary Seward for the discharge of
persons committed as runaways, and on the con-
trary' know it has been promptly executed
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 18th
day Of February, 1862.
B. w. FERGUSON, Justice.
This testimony disposes Of the whole charge,
unless Senators are willing to stand In their places
and hurl condemnation upon a public officer for
the execution Of legally imposed duty In arrest.
Ing and holding In confinement q person. white
or black, charged with crime next In degree only
to murder. 1t 10 fact, also, that the punishment
administered to this desperate jail-bresker was
without the order or even the knowledge of the
Marshall who learned the fact for the first time
from the speech Of Senator Wilson in the Senate
assailing him for offences Of which he was not in
the least guilty.
The whole conduct Of this assault has been un.
warranted and unprecedented. II would surely
seem to have been the duty Of Senators to have
apprized high public officer Of the charges pre-
ferred against him before they proceeded to con.
denim him, unheard, upon testimony since proved
to have been utterly false, malicious, and with
out the slightest shadow Of foundation In fact
Ii Is now apparent that the Marshal has been most
grievouslv mlsused, and that the offences alleged
were not his, but those Of the witnesses against
him, and Of the laws, which Congress has per-
mitted TO remain upon the statute book through
all the years during which these same Senators
have occupied positions which made Il tAei, duty
to correct all such evils In the code Of laws In
force In this District. Like the Indian " boone
rang" the faults they imputed TO the Marsha
have turned back upon the men who hurled them;
and the apparent virtuous indignation with
which the attack was made turns out to be only
cloak for the personal malice and partizan hos
tility In the persecution Of an officer who has
done his duty, his whole duty, and nothing but