Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-28
IN SLAVERY TIMES.
How New Albany Moved on Bran
denburg with Men and Cannon.


From the NashUjlJs Kramer
For many years prior to the late war
there lived upon the bank of the Ohio
river, and opposite to the town OF Bran
denburg, KY, one David Bell, whose only
occupation, so far as any one knew, was
that OF ferryman. He had small patch
OF land, upon which was a good and sub
stantial house, He kept good horses, al
ways had plenty OF money and it was the
wonder OF every one who knew him how
he made 1t. He had three sons and when
the gold fever broke out in 1849 he equipped
the two eldest, John and Horace, for the
overland route to California, which was
quite expensive In that day and time.
1t was not an unfrequent occurrence for
slaves to make their escape from their
masters in Brandenburg and the surround
ing country. Many were caught by men
in Indiana and returned to their owners
for the rewards offered, while many made
good their escape into Canada. An I'M
derground railroad was supposed to be
working, but no one could detect 1t while
many had suspicious of the route.
About the year Of 1855 or 1856 very
valuable negro belonging to DR.. Ditto
made his escape into Canada, and the
Ditto family, being quite numerous and
the possesscrs of many slaves, they set to
work to ferret the matter out. A detect
i've living in Indiana was employed, VINO
soon found that David Bell and an old free
negro named Oswald Wright, living near
Paoli, Ind, were the secret agents for the
underground railroad. He represented
to Bell and Wright that he had seen the
Ditto negro in Can ada, who had furnished
him money to steal his wife from Bran
denburg and convey her to MIN in Canada.
They readily fell into the trap and the ar
rangement was made for the detective to
go to Brandenburg and have the wife in
readiness some dark night upon the bank
of the river, for the Bells to come over and
get. or course the object of this was to
catch them in the act and on Kentucky
soil. At the appointed hour ola Bell and
the negro, Wright remained at Bells
house and sent Charles Bell overt in skitf,
who was met by the detective and woman,
but was Immediately arrested by the
Sheriff. They then went across the river
and got old Bell andRi Wright by some
means TO come downto thewater's edge,
where The Sheriff would have jurisdiction,
and they also were arrested and lodged in
Jail. This occurred in the fall of 1857, and
the two Bells were held to bail In the sum
of $4,000. John and Horace Bell were
supposed to be rich in California, and that
they would come and bail their father and
brother out and take them away; but
when they came they failed to give pail.
and the following summer of 1858, when
a great many of the people of the town
were In the country to barbecue, the
two brothers crossed the river and, under
pretense OF carrying a oarpetbag OF CLOTH
ing to the father and brother, Overpow-
cred the jailer and liberated them. Hor-
ace had been an officer ID the Peruvian
army and was eonsidsEsd q daredevil.
He remained at his iathefs house In In
diana, but kept out OF reach7O the Ken
lucky authorities; but the Kentucky
shareholders were exceedingly anxious to
kee Bligh, of Louisville, $500 for his ar
rest. Horace had girl in Louisville and
she would go to New Albany to meet him.
So one day Bligh and bis men followed her
over there, and when Horace came down
to the ferryboat with her in TIE evening
they kidnapped him and landed him in the
Brandenburg Jail, 40 miles below. before
the next morning. The excitement was
unbounded in New Albany over the kid
mapping of citizen by Kentucky with
out lawful authority. Indignation meet
ings were held and a steamboat was
procured and loaded with volunteers to
rescue the prisoner. They came to Bran
denburg but the whole county rose In arms
tO repulse them. They had a cannon on
the steamer, and in case they were COM
PEELED to surrender the town Bell was
taken out Of Jail and carried to the coun-
try, and the gentlemen from Indiana were
informed that if the town was fired upon
Belps head would fall from his shoulders.
A flag of truce was sent on shore from
the steamer, which was met by the good
citizens, and it was finally agreed that
Bell should be brought back, tried and
given bail, all of which was done. And
thus ended what seemed to be very Sc
rious matter, but was nothing more than
a large sized farce.