The Cecil Whig., 1881-11-12

Yet flrmer Swan, who from the Stir
Had watched it all, ne'r ceased to smile
''tiod bless her purity face, She be
y regular tomboy, Sartiulee.
MY ESCAPE FROM SLAVERY.
Fredejick D,"gitss IN tie CsDt,rg.
In the first narrative Of my experience
in slavery, written nearly forty years
ago. and in various writings since, have
given the public what | considered very
good reasons for Withholding the manner
of my escape. In substance these rea-
sons We're: first, that such publication at
any time during the existence Of slavery
might be used by the master against the
slave, and prevent the future escape of
any who might adopt the same means
that did. The second reason was. if
possible. still more binding to silence
the publication of details would certainly
have put in peril the persons and proper
ty of those who assisted. Murder itself
ished in the State of Maryland than that
of aiding and abetting the escape of a
slave. Many colored men. for no other
crime than that of giving aid to a fugi-
tive slave, have. like Charles r. Torrey,
periShed in prison. The abolition of
slavery in my native State and through
out the country. and the lapse of time,
render the caution hitherto observed no
longer necessary. But ever since the
abolition of slavery, have sometimes
thought it well enough to battle curiosity
by saying that while slavery existed
there We're good reasons for not telling
the manner OF my escape, and since
slavery had ceased to exist, there was no
reason for telling it. shall now, how
ever. cease to avail myself of this for
mula. and. as tar as ! can, endeavor to
satisfy this very natural curiosity. |
should, perhaps, have yielded to that
feeling sooner, had there been anything
very heroic or thrilling in the incidents
connected with my escape. for am sorry
to say have nothing of that sort to tell;
and yet the courage that could risk be-
trayal and the bravery which was ready
TO encounter death, if need be, in pur-
suit of freedom. We're essential features
in the undertaking. My success was due
address rather than courage. TO good
luck rather than bravery. Ny means of
escape were provided for me by the very
men who were making laws to hold and
bind me more accurately in slavery.
land to require the free colored people to
have what were called free papers,
These instruments they were required to
renew very often and, by charging a fee
for this writing. considerable sums from
time to time were collected by the State.
In these papers the name, age. color,
height and form of the freeman were de-
scribed. together with any scars OF other
marks upon his person, which could as
some measure defeated itself-since more
than one man could be found to answer
the same general description. Hence
many slaves could escape by perSonating
the owner of one set of papers: and this
was often done as follows: 4 slave,
nearly or sufficiently answering the de-
- !
borrow or hire them till By means of
them he could escape to free State and
then by mail or otherwise, would return
them to the owner. The operation was
a hazardous one for the lender as well as
the borrower. \ failure on the part of
the fugitive to send back the papers
would imperil his benefactor, and the
discovery of the papers i'll possession OF
the wrong man would imperil both the
fore, an act of supreme trust on the part
of freeman of color thus to put in
jeopardy his own liberty that another
might be free. 1t was, however, not un-
frequently bravely done, and was seldom
discovered. | was not so fortunate as to
resemble any of my free acquaintances
sufficiently to answer the description of
their papers. But ! had one friend-a
sailor-who owned sailors protection,
of free papers describing his person,
and certifying to the fact that he was a
free American sailor. The instrument
had at its head the American eagle, that
gave it the appearance at once of an au-
thorized document. This protection,
when in my hands. did not describe its
bearer very accurately. Indeed, it called
for man much darker than myself, and
close examination of it would have cans.
ed my arrest at the start.
In order to avoid this fatal scrutiny on
the part of railroad officials, | arranged
with Isaac Rolls, Baltimore hackman.
to bring my baggage to the Philadelphia
train Just on the moment of starting.
and jumped upon the car myself when
the train was in motion. Had | gone
into the station and offered to purchase a
ticket, | should have been instantly and
carefully examined, and undoubtedly ar
rested. In considering this plan | con-
sidered the jostle of the train, and the
natural haste of the conductor, in train
crowded with passengers and relied upon
my skill and address in playing the sailor,
as described in my protection. to do the
rest. One element in my favor was the
kind feeling which prevailed i'll Balti-
more and other seaports at the time to-
wards "those who go down to the sea in
ships Free trade aud sailors rights
Just then expressed the sentiment of the
country. In my clothing | was rugged
out in sailor style. had on a red shirt
and tarpaulin hat, and black cravat
tied in sailor fashion. carelessly and loose.
ly aheut my neck. Ny knowledge OF