Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1883-12-07
BUTLkR' NEGRO JUDGE.

Hou Old Ben Succeeded in Giving Mssssa-
ehusetts Its First Negro Judse-An Ac-.
es'unt of the Rescue of Shadrach,, the
Slave.
Boston, Special Correspondence, Nov. %.
Quite al important event has just occurred
IN this State, and that is the appointment of
colored man to a municipal judgeship. On
Monday Gov. Buffers council confirmed the
nomination Of Mr. George l. Ruf6n (colored),
as judge of the Charlestown court. and the
oath Of Office was at once administered to him
by Gov. Butler himself. Mr.. Ruftin is. the fret
co;ored judge appointed in this State, and his
brethren Of similar complexion exceedingly
jubiiant thereat Mr. Ruffin came to be ap-
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 MI. Edwin G. Walber,
(colore0, to. be confirmed as judge.
Walkers record was looked up, aud
fund TO- be ban; and, consequently
the Republican council refused to confirm, HIM
Butter used this refusal for campaign thunder
alleging that he was rejected because OF his
color, and claiming the credit Of having NOM
mated him. Before presenting Walkers name,
however, Butler had offered that Of an Irish
politician who mad small law practice This
man 8 record was exceedingly ba and the
good people Of Charicstown arose III tneir might
an ! induced the council Lot to confirm him.
Then Walkers name was handed in, and the
sensible ,colored people said to themselves that
Butler Simply did it to get their votes, arguing
that If he really intended 10 advance their race,
and had goodwill toward 1t in his heart he
would have offered Walkers name first, and
not offered II to that gentleman second handed
Consequently, they got mad and voted al
most dead against him. After his defeat,
Butler, the hypucrlte, 10 make it appear that
he nrQSPOtiny " tlEar,s
name, nominated Mr.. Ruffin, another colored
man, and the council, to SHOW that color
had nothing 10 do with it, imm ediately con-
filmed him. Mr. Ruftin is well-educated
man, and is entirely fitted for the position
which has been gwen him. He is a native Of
sole Vrginny," and came of free parents,
who, app, eciatlug the worth of The educational
advan ages offered in Massachusetts, came
here before the war IN order that their
CHILDREN might be, well taught Young
after graduating, but later went into Gov
Gaston's law Office Alter working there
a few years lie went to the Harvard law school,
graduating III 1868 In the seventies he was
III the legislature and in the city government
In almost every walk of life the colored man of
Massachusetts, aud especially of this city, has
gained a firm footing, and in every office and
Position which he fills he is ma king an honor
abe record. Slavery was introduced into Mas
sachusetts soon after it's settlement, aud less
tIAu AuO scaIs dSO tu6 SldVo Idu6 uOufiSU6Q
II Boston. and negroes We're sold in the market
place. IL was not until 1856 that the colored
children of Boston were allowed the benefit of
her schools, aud then they were obliged to
flock by themselves"
EosToN's coLoRED. ELEMENT
should judge that there were about 5000
negroes in Boston, most Of them comfort ably
we'll of-that is, out of reach Of actual wanl-
but mono Of them what you would call wealthy.
They support half-a- dozen churches of the
Baptist and Methodist denominations, each of
which has its pastor There are q couple of
colored doctors in regular practice, aud three
or four lawyers. all OF whom rate high. Rob-
crt NORRIS who died hut a few months ago, was
the first colored man to be admitted to the bar
He was an uncommonly 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
responsible position III the Office Of the Sec
rotary Of state He took prominent and act
I've part in the famous rescue of Shadrack the
slave from tho United States authorities in
1850 It wa. only tue other day that he told
ma all about that affair briefly. He said:
l was one of a party Of ten men, all coored, who
had determined to rescue Shadrack at any cost
We carefully made our plans and settled upou the
k-pt secret, and don't believe single out
SIDE OF the ten knew anything about it.. When the
day arrived we were all on hand, eager to mako the
rescue. Two of the stoutest men were assigned to
go into. the court room close to the dock. WHY the
rest were sta ionsd in the entryway. doorway ,ne
along the staircase leading down j =, the street.
The court had adjourned and the officers were
about to take Shadrack out to Jail wien the signal
WAS given aud the two stout men III de suddenly
seized him, tore him from the clutch of the off,
Gers and in e. twinkng had rushed him out into the
entryway before the authorities could realize what
was up. My part Of the work was to clear q pass
ageway for them in the entry 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 before could. shad-
rack was successfully taken o0t Of the building and
into the street where carriage and pair Of good
horses were in waiting He was hustled in the
carriage, the horses were whipped up and we tore
through the streets until we were safe from the az
thorities. We then took nm to Mrs Riley's
house. On Cambridge street, and riggel him up as
sailor We then hurried him ont of the back
door into another carriage. and drove to Cambridge
and then to Watertowns where no stayed all night
Tbs next day he was taken back to Cambridge and
secreted. Robert Norris Deacon Scott, myself
and few others were arrested, but none OF were
ever punished for the part we took in the affair.