Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-03


At this point it was necessary to resort to q
ruse, as the officers were receiving rein
torcements. Two buggies. exactly alike,
were procured and Jerry was slipped into
one of them.
''The crowd, led by two of the committee,
followed, hooting and yelling, after the car
riage in which Jerry was-not; while the
other carriage was driven to the house of q
prominent citizen (the late Caleb Davis),
whose political views were entirely different
from those of the Government rescuers.
The companion of the slave entered the
house.
"'Friend,' said he, I have brought you
human being in distress, none the less
human for being black. He Is fugitive
slave, and the friends of humanity thrown
him upon your generosity
"'By-p and the citizen swore terrible
oath, whoever takes him out, takes him
over my dead bodyP
sMUGGLED TO CANADA.
"Those who knew Gale Davis were satis-
fed that he would keep his word. A place
was arranged in the garret and Jerry in
stalled there, being made as comfortable as
his bruised body would permit. From
Wednesday until the following Sunday
evening he remained In strict seclusion;
then, during furious storm, he was re-
moved in close carriage by the late Jason
Hoyt, to Oswego, SO miles distant, and put
on board vessel just leaving for Canada"
Then began a series of prosecutions.
Eighteen persons were indicted and taken
to Auburn. They went, accompanied by
nearly hundred of their fellow-citizens, in
cluding ladies. A convention of citizens
OF Ouandaga county met and justified
the rescue. Some Of the public jour
mails denounced Mr.. May as the
most responsible person in this act of
"treason." Mr.. May, Gerrit Smith and
Charles A. Wheaton published an acknowl-
edgment that they had assisted all they
could in the rescue of Jerry; that they were
ready for trial; that they would give the
Court no trouble as to the fact, and should
rest their defense upon the uncostitution-
ality and extreme weakness OF the fugitive
slave law. As it was not found expedient
to punish the chief persons concerned in
the rescue (and it was not creditable to the
Government to continue its persecution of
obscure offenders while distinguished ones,
who avowed their responsibility, were un-
molested), and it was impossible to i'm.
panel jury which would not contain per-
sons who had formed an opinion against
law, the Jerry Rescue Causes" were
finally abandoned.
From this time on Mr.. May was the
greatest champion of the abolition cause in
this section, and his work stands out grandly
and gloriously with that oil his abolitionist
conferees. Longfellow, Garrison, Emerson
and Phillips. 'The Jerry Rescue" had
started tide of tremendous energy in the
North, which was felt long after the sur
render at the Appomattox.
MR.. MAYS GRANDSON.
Now that peace has once more resumed
her gentle sway over the North and South.
and the air is redolent with the orange
blossoms of the approaching Davis Wilkin-
son wedding, it seems truly wonderful that
the nuptial ceremony should not only be
the browning act of the great Rebellion"
but also should witness the beautiful con-
clusion of the Jerry Rescue" which con-
tributed so strange, yet real, an element to
this most passing strange" story.
There was an affinity that shaped the ends
of Miss Davis and Mr.. Wilkinson, and
there was divinity that shaped the ends of
Jerry McHenry. JEFF Davis passed away
little dreaming that grandson of Mr.. Nav,
the arch-aboIitionist, would one day wed his
daughter. Mr.. May died peacefully. little |
dreaming that his life would be so wonder
'ully fruitful-frstly, in that his daugh- |
'er's child should years afterward marry the |
Daughter of the Confederacy;" and second |
", that the slave he had liberated should |
bless not only him, but also
humanity. After leaving Syracuse, as above
stated, Jerry went to Canada, where for |
many years he kept up regular correspon- |
ience with his friends. After the eonclu-
lion of the war he was able to return to his |
native town in the South, where he found |
onr of his children, two boys and two girls, |
lis wife having died.
BLACK JERRY's GRANDSON,
A letter was received by one of the |
participants in the rescue several weeks
ince, in which was enclosed a clipping
rom local paper stating that a colored |
1outh, Thomas Blackhurst, has received
lipioma from Western college emitting
lin to the degree of NJ. D. The letter went
N to state that the young man was a grand
on of Jerry, who was yet alive, though
uite feeble.
Alter leaving Canada, he had gone to
colorado, where, prospecting in business, he
invested his savings In lands which turned
ut to be quite valuable. Several letters
ad been sent to him by his friends, but for
ONE unknown reason, they had never been
eceived. When the announcement of the
YllklDson-Day1s engagement was made in
be press, Jerry determined to make another
tempt to reach his friends here and inform
hem of his own and his grandson's success.
nd this attempt, fortunately, proved snc-
ssstul.
And when the wedding bells ring out the
Apply union of the children Of the North
nd the South, it will require no stretch of
lie Imagination to see ABOVE the nuptial
lcture the happy home of Jerry, the slave,
no has been redeemed, regenerated, and
lsenthralled. Truly did Cowper write:
God moves in mysterious way.
His wonders to perform.
f. LEON CHRISTIAN.