The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-02-11
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
A SLAVE CATCHER BAFFLED.

A SLAVE CATCHER BAFFLED.
One evening a colored woman and her
daughter arrived at the house of Mr.. VIM.
Stewart, In Florid, near Hennepin. They
we're there day or TWO, resting from the
severe fatigues of their previous long jour.
ney A sharp fellow appeared and claimed
TO own the fugitives, and demanded them
from Mr.. Stewart. The women denied that
nounced him as m imposter, who was
probably specializing on getting reward.
lie remained over night at Mr.. Stewards
and that gentleman believing the womans
estimate of the fellow to be correct, quietly
slipped of to town and got a warrant to
arrest the sharper as a kidnapper, and Il
constable gobbled him up next morning
lie took 1t cooly, and managed his own
case with ability before the justice, and
proved himself In legal lore and the ms
and outs of the law, more than match for
the attorney on the other side, and won his
easel But while the trial was going on,
Mrs. Stewart had conveyed the colored
women away and hid them In Mr. McCoy's
smoke house, and when the sharp fellow
got out of the clutches of the law, he
couldn't find his women He hunted
around the neighborhood In vain for n
week. In the meantime the women had
oeen safely spirited away and he lost them
forever! Ten years afterwards Mr.. Mccoy
mad occasion to return 10 Ohio. Riding
along on horse back through the woods In
Indiana one day. he was surprised to see a
colored woman at n wayside cabin, swing.
ing her arms excitedly, and heard his own
name spoken, Returning, he was aston
lshed 70 find the woman who had hidden
in his smoke. housed The daughter had
met, and WAS married To ner lover eff the
old plantation, who had been in slavery
and who, like herself, had obtained his
freedom by running away.
HOW NEGRO JOHN ESCAPED
In lS49, a negro, who like all slaves, had
only given name, and that being John
scarcely distinguished him from some
thousands of other Johns, had run away
from his master In Missouri, and was living
in Princeton, Bureau Co He had become
quite popular with the aboitionists, though
nil slaves were much petted and cared for
by these people. But Johns was u jolly.
hoppy disposition, and withall he was very
trustworthy and obliging. One day while
moving grass for ono OF his friends in the
suburbs of that village, his master and an
assistant swooped down upon John and
gobbled him up" a couple of drawn pis-
tolls being the conclusive arguments which
persuaded him to surrender. His arms
were pinioned by rope, each of his cap
tors holding one end of his tether, and he
was being led through town, when an
excited crowd rescued him, and at the
same time served q warrant upon the
S0utherners en- charge OF kidnapping.
They and their captive were marched to
the court house for trial. Soon an excited
crowd filed the court room, some favoring
the negro and others the master While
the trial was going on some one cut the
rope and the negro bounded for the street.
horse bearing lady's side-saddle hap
rened TO be tied In front of store near by.
The fugitive was quickly mounted and told
10 ride with all speed to Owen Lovejoy's
house, . few blocks away. The excited
crowd, emptying the court room, followed,
some TO help his escape, and others to
catch him. Away they went, shouting,
yelling, and surging, In hot pursuit. He
reached the premises and dismounting,
rushed In and the mob surrounded the
houss. While waiting outside, not wish