New-York tribune., 1885-03-08
HUNTING A FREEMAN.
STIRRING MEMORY OF HoosIERDoM.
MARROW ESCAPE or FREEMAN FROM BEiN"
DRAGGED INTO BONDAGE.

INDIANAPOLIS, March 2.-Early in june
1888 Pleasant E. Ellington. STAKEHOLDER OF western
MISSOURI came to this city aud claimed one Johh FREQ
man an his property. 1t conspiracy 10 stea an"
convey into slavery freeman. This State az that te
was largely Cemocratc and being largely settled oy
emigrants from Kentucky Tennessee and North caro-
na was deeply tainted with pro-slavery feelings But
freesoil sentiment had sprung up among the peorie
and the leaven Of liberty fast leavening the whole
lump writ was issped and Freeman arrested EiiinS-
ton swearing positively that in him he recognized slave
who escaped from him while living In Grecnup county
Kentucky. Upon his affidavit Freeman was cast into
jail. The spread through the city, and the
excitement was intense Freeman had lived here ior
years and was highly respected sober, honest ana
industrious citizen. So great was the excitement that
business was almost wholly suspended.
John l.. Robinson was at that time United states
Marshal for this district and rabd pro slavery man.
He lent all the power its to further the scheme
OF Ellington. Ellington brought witnesses from keh-
lucky to Identify his property The marshal took them
to the Jail and compelled Freeman to strip In their
presence. On one OF his legs found soar. They
declared they could identify him by that scar upon
the testimony Of these witnesses. Ellington insisted
Freeman should be at turned over to him. But
Frcemaas friends rallied to his BY his industry
and economy he had been able to accumulate little
property in the city. To this Ellington laid claim. II
Freeman slave the property he had earned by his
labor belonged not to him. but TO his mastor The case
was set for hearing before William Sullivan United
States Commissioner, fearless upright ana honest
official The friends OF Freeman employed the law nrm
Of Barbour. Ketcham & Coburn. Judge Barbour. the
senior member OF tho firm. man learned In the
law standing the head OF his profession in the oty
Mr.. Ketcham scarcely less eminent Mr.. C0Durn
the youngest o: the firm, and had only commenced
the practice OF his profession Ellington represented
by Thomas and Robert wapole, and Jonathan A.
Liston, all acute and able practitioners. The attor-
for da,na ndad fttuQ Al IL
TO prove that he was treeborn The attorneys
for the claimant vehemertly demanded an Immediate
hcarns They would hear OF no delay, but stood upon
the rights OF the secured by the Fugitive slave
act by this time the excitement In the city was NJ
fever heat and a riot imminent The friends oil
liberty omen I'm their declarations that the man
| should not be taken away until after a fair trial
Squire Sullivan. as familiarly called. paid no
heed the blu-ter Of Ellington aud his attorneys but
put his foot down." aud declared that the prisoner
should have tho right To be heard through wtncsses
| that man. by his consent should be taken into
without having chance to prove Ms right 10 DC
free. lie remanded the prisoner to Jail and continued
the case for seventy days And occurred another
outrage by Robinson. the tool OF slavery Upon pro
tended fear that might 10 rescued from JAIL ne
employed guard and required the prisoner to tear the
cost OF keeping this guard His friends, televing there
was danger that he would be spirited away secretly py
the very guards employed watch him. and taken South
! oreaniked n committee to prevent this, by mounting
guard over the Jail. This maintained for more than
six months
| THE SEARCH FOR TESTIMONY, ..
Immediately upon the decision OF Mr. Sullivan. the
search for testimony began. Mr. Ketoham went 10
Georgia aud In Macon County found abundant testi-
mony establish that the claim of Ellington was iase
Freeman hal been there oi free parents ana lived
| there until he had grown up. Mr. Ketcham brought
hack with him three leading citizens OF the county
who promptly identified Freeman. The frosecntion no"
asked for time anu served notice Of the taking OF dcpos
tions In rrenup County Kentucky MT Coburn was sen'
10 the defendant A. the place could only De
| reached by boats anu they very irregular. he
that reached there two or three days before
| the time appointed for taking tho testimony lie 90
cuniel his time WE'LL making friends with many OF the
Old rcsidcn.s had known Ellington aud his runaway
| slave Among othors was tho landlord OF the ho'e'.
He took great interest In the case. aud when tho persona
of Frceman described To him. he Mt once
said ho was the person Ellington claimed hm 10 p'
lie a.o sald that up recent period the real runa
way had lived In that ON recent visit
10 that state had heard OF him through Methodis
| preacher named Adams This was m important Dit oil
and Mr. Coburn not slow In seiLnS on
it. To and real to MAKE sure OF his case.
The landlord did not where the preacher was u
he found but knew that he had married daughter v'
ing back the mountains and oneroi 10 furnish morse
and n guide the lawyer. After concluding the taxing
OF the dol osons Mr. Cobirn started over the noun
seaCrh OF preacher Ho "o''
and gained tho information that her father WAS living al
place called Jackson. In Ohio. Certain now OF ma
triumph he hastily returned 10 Indisnpaois secured an
other the aud started Tor JACKSON
There were railroads In those days. ana most OF the
Journey had to II ade by boat and stage IL was long
and tedious; the water low IN tho river ana tne
stage roads horribly bad. Ho reached Jackson. q
| dlapdated and almost deserted village Years sor-
ward Coburn spoke OF 1t ~ the most fori"rh "ho
lopesome place he WAS In He found Adams' and
gained him most important Information lie knew
Ellington escaped slave. He told now tbe sa''
escaped and lived for years In Salem. ONO; now Ehs
ton had then found and claimed him, causing MS ares
and Incarceration the jail how. by tho help of frendS
he had q second time escaped. and about MS hight
Canada Mr. Cobnrn went TO salem and cOnversed with
| many who had taken part In the rescue Amoh'
Others he met John Butler, with whom the slave ha'
lived This Butler the man who had raised Copic
the friend and confederate OF John Brown few year.
later ut Harpers Ferry. Copc was then living VIII
Butler and had participated In the rescue MT Coouri
WA. shown letter tho slave written from MS Nc"
home In Canada
Armed with all facts, he returned 10 lndianapoS
and announced that knew where the real slave was U
be found He offered to take the opposngg, oo,se. ~ ~
Canada and satisfy them that the slave OF Ellinson w
living there out OF all danger from his master " nc
failed offered To pay all expenses put u he
with scorn and laughter. Freeman all this tne nao
been JAIL watched By the double guard hs0n nd ,Ss aS
cItsmen again waved high. AZ last the rionas ..
man determined to appca to the courts o ilo ,'o s
udee Major, OF the Circuit bench, asked Tor VIII
OF habeas corpus Freeans attorneys Offering 70 prove
By witnesses from Georgia that ho ad Deeh ooru oo'
go" MARSHALL on THE SCENE
The writ granted and the trial began 30 grea' WI"
the excitement and large the attendance 'n'' i'
hearing OF the adj surnoi from tho oourtous'
10 tho Hall OF In Capitol For three
days the legal battle and while the attorneys
battling tue streets Of the city we're hlled with eh
cIted inou many armed to tho teeth ant" many
times It looked as II collision could not 10 voued
Ellngton's attorneys claimed that nhier 'ho fus''o
Slave law the State courts nad jurisdioo ah" cou
,ra,, mn vri, ay,,,st I'm, United states Marshal The