Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-02
A SAVIOR OF SLAVES.
An Odd Reminiscence of the Days Of
the Underground Railway
TOLD In A MUSTY OLD LETTER.
Matthew McKeeVer's Method of Assisting
Runaway Negroes
TO GET FROM TIE STATES TO CANADA

When Percy T. Smith was one of the
Pittsburg reporters, he was assigned, in
1880, to gather information about the fUn-
| derground Railway" as it was called, that
was used to transport fugitive slaves across
the States into Canada. He wrote to
Matthew McKeever, who lived near FL
dersvilie, in Washington county. Nc
heever was famous old Abolitionist, and
ne assisted many runaway slave to make
his escape into Canada. Mr.. MeKeever re-
piled in long letter to Mr.. Smith, which
for some reason or other was never pub
lished.
The other day, while cleaning up an old
desk, Mr.. Smith found a poeketbook in
which was MeKeever's letter. It was
musty and stained, and could only be read
with difficulty. He managed to decipher il,
and kindly gave copy Of it to q DISPATCH
reporter.
A WORKER IN THE CAUSE.
Matthew McKeever will be remembered
by old Pittsburgers for his work during the
slave days. He died two years ago at the
age OF "a years. He was almost blind when
In the epistle he speaks of some
transactions he had with old John
Brown, whom he met often
and knew well. He refers to a contract
which Brown had written in a clear, beauti-
ful hand, but when Mr.. Smith returned it
to Mr.. McKeever it passed through a num-
Der OF hands, and was lost.
Mr.. Smith prizes McKeeyer's letter yery
highly. He explained that friendly Aboli-
tlonists who lived certain distance apart
were in the habit of concealing runaway
slaves and forwarding them in the direction
OF Canada. The route was toward Pitts
burg, and up through Butler and Venango
counties to Lake Erie, and then across the
border, where they were sale. The slaves
were often pursued with such fury, and the
laws against suecoring fugitives were so
strict, that the Abolitionists were often in
danger Of losing their lives, as we'll as going
to Jail. With this explanation from Mr..
Smith, McKeever's letter, which follows,
can be readily understood:
AN INTERESTING LETTER.
NEAR ELDERsvILLE. Pa,
Sep: ember IL, 1880. \
was intimately acquainted with John
Brown. He came TO me in the winter of 1912
to buy some fine sheep. 1 sold him 30 fine ewes
Il do not remember the price.) He said he had
rented a large IarIn and would ike TO 20 into
the sheep business. but had not the means to
buy. He said he would like to have some on
the shares for four years. gave him 200 head
of tine ewes, for four years. on conditions
which send vou. written by his own hand, and
also a letter after he had taken off the first
clip. The wool was sent to Lowell, and re-
ceived half of the money. After that a
wealthy man named Simon Perkins. who lived
near Akron Summit county, o.. who owned
large farm. agreed to go into partnership with
Brown, and carry on the wool growing largely.
My interest being in the way. they wrote TO me
sSars So snGT U whss t5s 200 would take for w0s s
to them that they knew what
they were worth better than did, and for them
to state what they would give. and 1 would an
swer whether would take it or not They an
swered by making me an offer of 81. 400 s., 500
in hand and note for 5000, to be paid in the
Massillon. o., Bank When got the letter
went out. got the money and note and assigned
my right over to them and came home.
Among hands l lost that note and wrote
the bank if any one offered it not TO receive it.
When the note came due L wrote receipt
against the note, got my brother Thomas to
sign it and went over TO get the money. Mr..
Perkins SAID he did not know me or my
brother. but if l would get Samuel Patterson
to sign it he would pay the money. told him
1 could get 80 names to it if he wanted them.
1 sent it back with Campbell McKeever and
Perkins paid him the money-all but 81,
which he kept out to fee lawyer. Old John
Brown followed Campbell out. and told him
his father (the writer) had no right to lose that
dollar, and gave him one. If ever there was a
man honest to fault it was this old John
Brown. 1 believe if he owed man 10 cents he
would go ten miles out of his way to give it to
him, if he could not get it to him any other
way.
THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY.
You wished to know something of my ex-
perience with the Underground Railway. I
was a director of the road for 40 years. The
kind of cars we used was good spring wagon,
with chicken coop in each end and the
1arkies in the middle, with a good cover over
them.
The most slaves I ever shipped at once was
eight. They came to our house at daybreak
,ne morn, before any of us were up. except q
,olored man. John Jordan. He took them and
lid them in the sheep shed loft, and kept them
here four weeks, and although we had a fam
ly of Is or 20, not one OF them knew they were
here-not even my wife. They were fed all
hat time out OF our spring house and kitchen by
Iohn Jordan. There never was anything dis.
covered. only hired girl told Mrs. McKeever
somebody was stealing our bread. That was
me longest we ever kept any of them. The
-eason we kept them so long was we supposed
heir masters would be watching the Canada
hore, which proved to be true but they got
ired waiting.
The next Job that we had was five or six,
which were brought from Wheeling to Beth
n.y. Brooke county. to my brotheT-in-law's
Joseph Bryant. who lived there, and who
vas great ADolltl0n1St AT that
ime nv son Campbell was going TO school
here, and Bryant sent them up to my house by
William Arney and Campbell. and l shipped
hem to PIttsburg. The fellow who brought
hem to Bryant'S turned States evidence and
old their masters of Bryant's feeding them
nd sending them away. and their masters sent
he Sheriff on Bryant and took him TO Wheel
ng. Bryant refused to give bail, and theyput
i'm in jail in Wheeling and he was there Is
avs before the court came off. While he was
here they offered 500 to anyone that would
ring me down. As the reporter heard this
Incident it was that they offered $500 for Mr..
dead or alIve.1 But L did not
enture down about that time. They kept the
elbow who brought them to Bryant's for wit
ess against Bryant. and when court came of
ne Judge decided that they could not punish
n accomplice while the principal was at large,
nd Bryant was sent home
We had other cases similar. MY brother
ommy shipped a good many. AS near as
an recolect. the number shipped was 35 or 40
was acquainted with good many slaves and
,eir masters. never advised a slave to run
way from his master. but when they came to
e helped them all could.
When Brown was to be hanged. his brother
lme to me. We went to Wheeling. He tele-
-aphed to A. Wise to know if he could see his
-other IL he would come. We were answered
e could not see him if he did come, so we
Lme back to Middletown, and Brown delfv-
ed two or three Abolition lectures and went
lck home to Ohio. Yours, respectfully,
MATTHEW MCKEEvER.
MUST PAY FOR THEIR DRINKS.
inter Rates TO be Charged for All Houses