The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-10
"Eliza's" Escape Across the Ohio.

"Eiiza's" Escape Across tho Ohio.
The incident on which Mrs. Stowe based her
narrative of ELIAS" escape across the Ohio ca
the ice is thus related in Mr.. Greeleys "Ameri-
can Conflict
their wives and four children. escaped from
Boone county. Kentucky, drove sixteen miles 10
CovngtoD, and crossed to Cincinnati on the ice
They were missed before niehtfall. and the
master of five Of them followed rapidly on
horseback After q few hours INQUIRY. he
traced them to the house OF a negro naped
Kite, and, procuring the necessary warrant.
with marshal and assistants, proceeded thither
90 Monday. He summoned them TO surrender.
They refused. Whereupon the officers broke in
the door, and were sssailed with clubs and pIs-
tolls by the desperate fueitives. Only one OF
the marshars deputies was struck. and he not
seriously injured; the negroes being disarped
before they could reload.
On a first survey of the premises thew had
captured. horrible sight met the officers
eyes In one corner OF the room, q child nearly
white lay bleeding TO death, her throat en-,
from ear 70 ear. 4 scream from adjoining
room drew their attention thither when glance
revealed a negro woman holding knife drin-
ping with gore over the heads Of two children.
who we're erouched on the floor. uttering cries
OF pain and terror Wrestling the kniie from
her hand, they discovered that tho children
were cut sctoss the head and shoulders. enr.
though bleeding freely, not dangerously wound
ed The woman proclaimed herself the mother
OF he dead child. as also of these. whom she
desired also Kill rather than them returned
to savery. Ali were secured and taken 20 the
marshais Office, where they sat quiet and &C.
jected, answering all questions 10 monosyllable-.
OF not answering at all. An excellent character
was given TO the adults by their owners. The
mother Of the dead child, Margaret Garner. a
dark mulatto, twenty three years OF age, seemed
simply stupefied and dumb from OF
agony; but on being complimented on the looks
OF her little boy beside her. quickly replied,
"You should have seen my little girl thst-that
that died. That was the b:rd,' That Girl
was almost white, and OF rare beauty. Tns
mother alleged cruel treatment on the part OF
her master, and said she had resolved to Kill ali
her children and then herself in order 70 ESCAPE
the horrors of slavery. A eoroners jury having
rendered q verdict, 10 the case OF the dead
Garner with knife. great efforts were made
by the State authorities 10 held her for trial on
o charge of murder AL the adult slaves de-
clsred that they would GO dancing 10 the
eallows rather than be sent back 10 slavery.
But Judges Mclean and Leavitt. of the federal
court decided that they were 10 the custody of
the United States marshal. and could not ;e
taken out OF IL by the habeas corpus OF State
court, whether under a civil or criminal process:
80 they were all returned to slavery. The own
Or of Margaret pledged himself To hold her sub
ject to a reauisition from the Governor of Ohio
to answer the charge of crime; but he failed to
keep his promise, and sent Der, with the rest OF
the fugitives down the river for sale, where ali
trace of her was lost The cost 10 the federal
treasury OF this single rendition was about SD
GOO, whereof at least SIC, 900 was shsmefully
squandered or embedded, as s., 600 would have
amply suhicei.