The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-05-14

seventh and buttonWo0o street, VII
mineton, Del, resides Captain Will
liam B Bsy,is. well known TO the
sboiitionisrs. through his periIous sd-
ventures as captain of . slave trad
Ing schooner. The captain is now
on the weather side Of sixty years,
and bis ARE worn features make man.
i!ess the result of bis trying career.
About 1854 Captain Bsylis be.
came CONNECTED with the abolition
movement then on foot, and, trading
a grocery which At that time be pos.
sessed for q Schooner, be started ia
the BUSINESS Of carrying slaves from
the S nth and delivered them 10 The
Underground Railroad Company in
Pniladrlphis The business al that
ume was pet sctly svsrematiz ID. and
tie captain o, the vessel had NJ DIM
Guilty 10 obtaiu, og the negroes beg
ular agencies were established VI
d f-reDtpsrts Of the South and N"rth
Those in Toe S ,uth secured ibe ne
groes, aud reeiug them lately aboard
1T the ship their work Was complete
When the vessel arrived North the
ageuIs here received tue slaves. sho.
ia most cases. were sent to Ciuads
Bat the C Of carving the negroes
out of port was The IN at dsnger,us
part vf The operation, and over IL y
severe prual y h.'rersd.
At the time Captain B.ylis left
the pesceahle calling of the tow.
grocer FIR that If Master of q slave
ship, The ) Iatbern plsnters aud those
owning slaves ere terribly exk>per
ared at tue perzistency with which
their slaves wers bsiug stolen Sps-
cial and severe laws were enacted 10
prevent it snd every exp-dieot that
the different authorizes could devIs-
was Invoked. Special ageots snd
detectives we're located at every
port as thick as mosquitoes at a J-r-
sev watering place, watching and
searching nearly every vessel thai
left the barbnr. Notwiibsts oding
I'll This The captain went into busi-
ness, ana soon became noted among
the abolition agents because of hi-
great ucces His vessel was 6ued
up especially for thar trade. She
was known as the "Ksskis." aud
was q fast sailing schooner. Direct
ly for ward Of the cabin, in the hold.
a false bottom WAS built.
The space between the regular snG
the false bottom was where the me-
groes we're slowed. this being acc-s
-ible through 9 secrst door 10 the
cabin. When Captain B.ylis set
uur, his principal csrg" to the s nth
was powder snG smsll arms. There
be generally landed ut Petersburg.
Va. be always received a very high
ale for this cargo. aud for every day
bis vessel remained 10 6 Southern
port be received sic. There vas 40
much secrecy connected With the
loading and unloading of the vessel
that the captain began 10 apprehend
the real use the powder was to be
put to, and 6oally helrefused to forth-
er deal 10 il However, il bad brought
hin 10 contact with the officers of the
port, and this aided bin greatly 10
carrying oe tbe negroes. OF course,
when the powder was unloaded the
schooner would take q cargo of
something else for The North. When
ready for starting. the negroes. about
Eve 10 number, we're brought aboard
sod Just before daytreek the Ksskis
would slip sway.
VERY ireqoeadp." says the captain,
ION The night before | yes 10 start,
aud while my negroes were s,s Sed
sway, officers would come aboard the
vessel, sod, sitting ia the cabin. re.
late how they wefs after an infer
nal slave vessel and waas.d to CON-
ceal themselves on the scbooner uDtiI
the vessel uuder suspicion bad pas
sed down, when they would pouuce
upon her,"
On one of these occasions, while
three of the detectives were enjoying
themselves smoking his good cIgsrs,
there was 8 poise just ia frJut Of the
cabin. the ea2tsip and the mate
The oaly two supposed 10 be aboard
besides these offcers-were also iD
the cabin. Though it tasted but =
moment. yet il startled the officers.
who. appreheodsd at once that there
were slaves concealed oc the ship
probably the very ones they we're
looking for-demsnded that the cap
lain immediately prodoes tarm
He denied that be bad sny ON board,
as be spoke a foolstep wss beard up
preaching the cabin door. IL was
q fourth officer. who had just come
aboard to inform the officers that the
vessel they watching was NOV
ing down the stream
"Oh, it yes you who made the
noise" said one Of the officers. ad-
dressing the newcomer, as they hpr.
ried away TO board the schooner.
That was a nerrow escape," said
the captain TO the reporter. "0se
of the coons had made q noise, aud
/ thought it was all up They dida't
get any Oh the schooner they went
for l had the men they were
looking for"
On another occasion, while lying
at Petersburg. ready TO start "a, sew
ersl officers boarded the vessel aud
said they were going to wait until
about twelve O'Clock, when, they
intended 10 board the schooner VI
Fountain, also of Whining |
ton. Del, which wasiyiog further up
the stream Captain Bsylis kae "
that Fountain bad several negroes
away. Bsylis remarked th Al
be vas going on shore to make 9
purchase, aad leaving the officers
with bis mate, tCek the yawl boat
md rowed 10 a circuitous rou. 10 Cap.
aio Fountains vessel aud informed
Tim Of the proposed raid that was 10
De made upon him. After an agree
nent between the Two captains Bay
is returned TO bis crsft and eotertsin-
ID the officers With brandy, wine
md song The song was ths -isqsl
all is we'll" and as the music fiat
d over the still water Captain
fountain slipped his anchor. aud. I
nth q sail raised, noiselessly sneak
d BY the rendezvous Of the officers.
'onntsin was nearly three hours l
one before the detectives were aware
T The fact, and as be had q fair w,ud ]
apture was almost ont of the ones. :