The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-12-14
BUTLER NEGRO JUDGE.
How Old ben Succeeded in Giving Massa-
chusetts Its First Negro Judsc-An Ac-

HOW Old Zen Succeeded in Giving Massa-
chusetts Its First Negro Judsc-An Ac-
count of the Rescue of Shadrach, tho
Slave.
BOSTON, Special Correspondence, Nov. %.
Quite all important event has just occurred
IN this State, and that is the appointment OF q
colored man TO a municipal judgeship. On
Monday Gov. Buffers council confirmed the
nomination of Mr.. George L. Rufin (colored),
as q judge of the Cbarlestown court. and the
oath OF Office WAS at once administered to him
by Gov. Butler himself. Mr.. Ruffin is the first
colored judge appointed in this State. and his
brethren of similar complexion are exceedingly
%jubiIant thereat- Mr.. Tuifin came to be np-
pointed in this way: Just before election time,
Gov. Butler, to make political capital and to
secure the colored vote, present.
cd the name Of Mr.. Edwin G. Waller,
(colored), to be confirmed as, judge.
Walkers record was looked, up, and
found to be bad; and, consequently
the Republican council refused to confirm hum.
Butler used this refusal for campaign thunder,
alleging that lie WAS rejected because Of his
color, aud claiming the credit of having NOM
mated him. Before presenting Walkers name,
however, Butler had offered that OF an Irish
politician who had a small law practice. This
mans record was exceedingly bad, and the
good people of Chariestown arose in their might
anu induced the council not to coutirm, him.
Then Walkers name was handed in, aud the
sensible co)ored people said to themselves that
Butler simply did it to get their votes, arguing
that IT he really intended to advance their race,
and had a goodwill toward 1t in his heart he
would have offered Walkers name first, and
not offered is to that gentleman second handed.
Consequently they got mad aud voted al
most dead against him. After his defeat.
Butler, the hypocrite, TO mako it appear that
he was in earnest in presenting Walkers
name, nominated Mr.. Ruffin, another colored
man, and the council, to show that color
had nothing to do with it, Immediately con-
man, and is entirely fitted for the position
which has been given him. He 10 a native of
"Ole VIrglnny," and came Of free parents,
who, appieciating tho worth ofethe educational
here before the war In order that their
children might be well taught. Young
Ruffn at first started . barber shop,
after graduating. but later went into Gov.
Gaston's law Office. After working there
afew years he went to the Harvard law school,
graduating in 1868. In the seventies lie was
III the legislature and in the city government.
In almost every walk Of life the coiored man Of
Massachusetts, aud especially of this city, has
gained q firm footing, and in every, Office and
position which he fills he is making an honor
able record. Slavery Was introduced into Mas
sachlsstts soon after its settlement, and less
than 200 years ago the slave trade flonrisued
in Boston. and negroes were sold in the market
pioSo. \ a. u " uut!i slSoO t3dt Iue COlOFeQ
children OF Boston were allowed the benefit Of
her schools, and then they were Obliged to
'1ock by themselves"
BosToN's CoLoREp CLEMENT
, should judge that there were about, 6 o
negroes in Boston, most of them comfortably
we'll off-that is, out of reach of actual want
but none of them what you would call wealthy.
They support half-a-dozen churches Of the
Baptist aud Methodist denominations, each of
which has its pastor. There are q couple of
nninraH DOCTORS in raunour r,ra < n nd fhroo
or four lawyers, all OF whom rate high. Rob-
ert Morris, who died but a few months ago, was
the first colored man to DO admitted to the bar.
He was an u%ncommonly sharp and shrewd law
yer, and had a large practice, as did his son,
also. One OF the most prominent OF. colored
men in this city is Lewis Hayden, now holding
a responsible position in the Office Of, 1.-THE sec.
rotary of state. He took a prominent and act
I've part in the famous rescue of shadrack the
slave from the United States authorities in
1850: 1t was only the other day that he told
me all about that affair briefly. He said:
l was one OF = party OF ten men, all celcred. who
bad determined 10 rascue 5hadrack at any cost.
We carefully made our plans and settled upoa the
day. Our determination and arrangements were
kept secret. and l don't believe a single person out
side Of the ten knew anything about it, When the
day arrived We were all on hand, eagerto make the
rescue. Two Of the stoutest mon we're assigned to
10 into tho court room close to the dock, whiS the
along the staircase leading down. 7 ~ the street.
The court had adjourned and thu officers were
about to take Shadrack out to Jail ns,en the signal
was given anl the two stout pen iiS dc suddenly
seized him, tore him from the clutch& of the Off
GERS and in a %twinkliug had rushed him out into the
entry way before tho authorities cenId realize what
| was up. My part of the work WAS to clear c pass
ageway fer them is the estry and then to,
| get into the way of any officer who sought to make
pursuit did my work up sharp, but had to
threaten one big. ugly fellow sefors / could. Shad-
rack was successfully taken cut OF the building aud
into the street wheLs a carriage AID n pair of good
! horses we're in waiting. He was hustled in the
carriage. the horses were xhippsd up and we tore
through the streets until we were safe from the au-
house. on Camboidge st:cet, and rieeeI him I'M as
a sailor. We then hur sied him out of the back
door into anotaef carriage. and drove to Cambridge
The next dag he vas taken back to Cambridge and
secseted. Robert Norris, Deacon Scott, myself
aud a lew others were arrested, but none Of us were
EEIsE,