The weekly Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1872-190?, 1873-07-05
Story of Fred Douglass Escape.

Fred Douglass lectured before large
and intelligent audience in the Philadel-
phia Academy of Music on Monday
evening, on 6 "reminiscences of Slavery
and nti-Slavery," and for the first time in
public related the story of his escape
from bondage, as follows:
81 was owned in Talbot County, on
the eastern shore of Maryland, in 1885,
and few years after that time l made
my escape. 1 had been sent up to
Baltimore by my master to brother of
his for safe keeping, but it was strange
movement to send me sixty miles nearer
my liberty. When l determined on
escaping, | looked about for the proper
means to accomplish my purpose. At
that time great vigilance was exercised
by the authorities. Everybody was
strictly watched, and if slave was
found outside the limits of his masters
plantation, he would be liable to show
by what right he was out of place. i
was put to work in ship-yard, and |
commenced to learn the business of
ship-carpentering and caulking. Here
l had frequent intercourse with sailors,
and in them l thought discovered a
feeling of sympathy and kindness. AL
though the difficulties and obstacles
against escape were apparently insur-
mountable, l conceived an idea that l
could secure my release by dressing in
sailors clothing and making surrep-
titious retreat. But l had no papers
by which l could pass from place to
place. Fortunately met man named
Stanley, who lived in Baltimore, and
who was free. He resembled me in
stature, and from him l obtained suit
of sailors clothes, and his protection
papers; and in this apparel, provided
with the necessary articles, l, in Sep
TENDER, 1888, secured my liberty. l
got Isaac Rhodes to take my bundle,
and by arrangement, after the train
started he threw it in, and l ran after
and jumped on the car. If compelled
to buy ticket it would have been nee
essary to undergo the most rigid ex-
animation, and all descriptions in the
papers must correspond exactly with
the marks on my person. Accordingly
the scheme was carried out, and l soon
arrived at Wilmington. Here l met
Frederick Stein, for whom 1 worked,
but was so perfectly disguised that he
did not know me. In few moments
the train from Philadelphia, bound south,
arrived, and on this was Capt. Mellow
an, of the revenue cutter at Baltimore,
! whom l had known intimately, and who
had also been acquainted with me, but
he, too, failed to recognize me. When
the conductor come through the train
he rudely called on all the passengers
for tickets, but when he came to me,
instead of speaking in arrogant manner,
told me kindly that he supposed l had
my free papers. l responded in the
negative, but his surprise was great
and his indignation not apparent, when
l told him that my only pass was an
American eagle. Looking upon it, he
stated that l was all right, and with
this assurance l came through to Phil
adelphia, and proceeded to New York.
l got there at o'clock, and strayed
about and slept in the streets until
morning. l did not know that l had
a friend there, but on the next morning
| met Isaac Dixon, at whose house l
had lived in Baltimore, and he referred
me to David Ruggles, a philanthropic
and generous-minded citizen. While
in the city, where l remained several
DAYS, | visited the Tombs, and there