New-York tribune., 1885-10-25
A SLAVE HUNT IN NETWORK.
AND A RESCUE BY THE UNDERGROUND
RAILROAD


I" | have seen slave-hunt within the very
shadow of the New-York city Hail."
The snbect had been suggested by the ftieth anni-
versa-y last Wednesday OF the mobDing OF William
LLOYD Garrison In the streets of Boston The speaker
Mr. william johnson, was formerly an architect ana
builder in this city, AMI in the days before the war
divided his energies between tho prosecution OF his
business and the rtberlng OF the sntislavery cause
He now lives in retirement In New Jersey.
The decade of years from abo1t 1Si2 to 1892, he
continued saw Ncw-York abounding in sensations Of
every conceivable kind. Mesmeiism and Millersm
were studied with equal earnestness Sylvester Graham
depored the eating OF bolted -four well flesh. while
CARLYLE ridculed Alcotts ntteranoes potato gospel
The universal erment OF that period has never been
better characterized than by Ralph Waldo Emerson in his
description of the Convention OF Friends of Universal
Reform held In In 1912, In which account he
says: II the assembly disorderly 1t was pictu-
rescue; madmen, madwOmen. men with boards Csic).
DunSers Muggletonans, Come outers Groauers.
Agrarlans Seventh Day Baptiss Quakers Abotonists,
Cayinlsts, Untarians and Philosophers all came
successfully to the top. Every crank In creation
appeared been let loose and overy cause in the
world was being advocated or denounced. Spirituasm
was beginning to make itself manifest and farsceing
lecturers were passionatey warning their audiences
against the treason and immortality of the then new
Mormon delusion. The . Cursed be Canaan theology
had leen approvinGly preached in the Old Brick
Church. and Isaiah Rynders with his gang was gener-
ally haad to clear those pcstilenti"l fellows out
of the broadway Tabernacle.
It about the middle OF this period that the slave-
hunt have in mind took place; only one OF many
similar however, under the old Fugitive
Slave Law My Office that time not far from tho
City Hall, and one morning, as ] was on my
way th:ther walking down Park Row. l
nogro running for his life across the Park.
with crowd of roughs in full pursuit. recognized him
AT once as the negro who had been claimed by alleged
owner from sonth days before. aud arrested
But that very morning Judge Elmonds. in his court In
the City Hail. had discharged him from custody. As was
the custom in those days, his alleged owner Mt once
trumped up new charge against him-thet think
and sought to have him rearrcsed And 80 chase was
given him the moment he got outside the court room
Well ioined the chase hoping TO be OF some service
to the fugitive. An intimate friend Mr. Smith, who
was connected at that he with THE TRmUNE aud was
firm friend oppressed also entered the The
negro ran we'll. He crossed tho Park. dashed down
Beekman-st to Nassau and then along Nassau TO Ann
AS nc turned the and down Ann-st. his pur
sucrs were at his heels he sprang downstairs
into n basement occupied q pie bakery. aud disap
peared OF course ali rushed in after him; but he
was not TO be seen. Smith and had worked 0ur way
to the foremost rank OF the pursuers Presently Smith
noticed that door OF the peshop opened Into the
engine OF The Anti Sdpery Standard publishing
honse, the made rush for 1t. he led the
way in There only tie engineer TO be seen IN there
Where's that niger roarcd the crowd. Niger
1 cont know anything about any niger, replied the
engineer gruiy, and II you've business here, you'd
better get ont. mighty sudden We'll, the engineer was
nan that not a crowd OF New Ork rOuGhs cared
TO fool with, so after good deal OF grumbling and
threatening they fell back and returned to the street
Smith had been foremost in demanding the Niger
bnt noticed that significant look passed. between him
and the engineer and few whispered words that
else heard When got out-the baff crowd never
suspecting that two were friends oil the fugitive
Smith said to It's all right He's upstairs hid in
one OF the lofts
SWELL the crowd hung around therc all day believing
the negro must be hidden In The Anti Sarery Sandard
buldjng This weekly Journal by the way, then
conducted by Sidney Howard Gay and subsequently by
Oliver johnson: and though In the estimation OF pro
slavery fanatics 1t hopeessy tainted with the one
idea, and was dreaded along with The Boston Lberator
as an incendiary sheet 1T edited with great ability
and was noticed eulogistcay By Evcrt A. Duycinck
In the then Literary World. Night came on. but still
watch was kept up Next morning 7 went down to
business little earlier than usual, aud walked do gn
| Nassau.st rast tho suspected building policeman
was walking up and down in front Of IT, not TO protect
the building from probable mob but to help catch the
negro IL he shoul1 bc about the premises. For
two days the negro aimed hidden In that place They
were days OF great anxiety to ns. We knew that he
was reasonably safe there but he coud not stay IN ere
forever it seemed impossible TO get him away so
| close q watch was kept ,,,
slavery workers, hit upon plan Ia Box Brown
OF orleans fame. Dennis Harris, shhch Aboli-
ZIONIST was OF q huge ugar-rcnnery IN Duane
St near West Broadway. We knew that the negro would
be absolutely sale we go. MN over t, anu en ne GS o
his trucks with faithful driver to me Manddrd Office
was securely nailed up in not large packing box
helped get the box downstairs and the truck and
Uarriss sugar house. telling the driver to follow.
There mad been two policemen standing on the oppo-
site sido OF Nassaust, incntly watching the whole
performance AS the truck moved along Nassau 81 to
Beekmnn and theuee TO Park Row they followed It, 1t
turned down Park Row to 70 around the lower corner OF
| tae Park Broad way. There one OF tue policemen
stopped 1t and the driver what in the box.
The driver replied that 1t was none OF hs business by
this time crowd began TO gather ana saw the ganc
horses while the other examined the box smell
niger said he and then in louder voice. Here's the
roughs came crOwdng to the spot Tie box was broken
open and tue dragged out and taken 10 tho Tombs
:" He was imprisoned day or two, and then bis case
came up for trial The Hon John jay end other eminent
counsel retained b us for the GSGnee and
| OF New-York on t.e side Of tho prosecution. The
was crowded. . Mna s ID on ntbes
ladies' The trumped-up charge OF theit was mali it
dismissed the case and discharged the prisoner
"Tben in some OF our fine work as managers OF
the trai, but remained outside with others. liking
things We knew that tho negro would he arrested again
pln OF his alleged master to arrest him and under legal
| euse kidnap him into slavery. so we got q covered
resolue men the divers box. Y.u know the main
entrance OF the Tombs is on the east side OF the 6nng
side Well. the slaye-EuEter and his f1enfs were IN
strong the main entrance on Centre st. and MS
the was over the negro surrounded oy bis
friends started III that direction Ills friends Kept Oh 10
a unobsSTyed serve y his e"olues had the carriage ready
thrust him into It, closed the door and the horses were
| instantly a caop headed for Kjngsbrdgc, They
| we're mile away before the crowd at tue main door
discovered how the, had been fooled. .,..,--
am glad to say. added Mr.. Johnson In conclusion.
s ss .es ss and sound oa The side OF the
border-where many white man has gone since, n1er
less creditable Circumstances