The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-07
SLAVERY IN NEW YORK,
Heart Rending Tales Of Abuse and
Oppression Of Captive Rail-
road Lahorers.
LurOd Into the Adirondack Region
In Mid Winter by False
Promises.
Insufioient Clothing. straw 10 Sleep ON.
Putrid F0od-Murdered by Guards
Misery IndsscrIbabls.

U71cA. N. X, April 6.-Under date OF
March e a representative Of the New York
World sent that paper the following. This
city to-day rssemblcd Warrington during
var times. Its citizens have suddenly
awakened TO the fact that they must do
something At once for the victims Of the
slavery which sxists almost nt their doors.
Hundreds Of penniless and destitute ne
Rross are oampod tonight In the Temporary
placss Of shelter given them. and the citi-
zsns and authorities of Utica are consulting
aAto the best means Of returning them to
their homes.
All last night and this morning struggling
parties Of negroes. with some white men,
have been coming into town. They are
slaves who have escaped from the system
Of tyranny and compulsion pursued along
DR.. Seward Webb's Adirondack railroad,
which he insisted upon building shrough
the heart OF the wilderness in the depth Of
winter.
The work can only DO performed through
deception, and abuse has sntailed untold
suffering upon the victims. one Of whom,
after escaping, died yesterday at Ogdens-
burg.
The unawn slaves fromtthe Adirondack
railway, witkin a few miles OF the place
where John Brown lies buried, arc moro
helpless and destitute than those who
hocksd to his side at Harpsr's Ferry. One
hundred and fifty Of them have arrived in
Utica during the past twsnty-four hours.
after walking nearly q hundred miles from
the rude camps III the woods. where they
wors imprisoned. Guards armed with Win
chssters. as was testified to to-day,
patrolled thoss camps aud when the poor
blacks escaped thoy took their lives in their
hands.
II WAS forty-eight miles from the camps
to the nearest railroad station, and the
ground was covered with snow, while the
poor escaping negroes had the thinnest OF
covering to protect them from the chill
winter blasts. Arrived at Lowville. or
Bonneville. they were renniless. friendless
md afraid of tho railway agents, who have
Offices there; 80, keeping to tho woods, they
started on the long journey to Utica. Al
various points in the woods they picked up
other parties. n all headed for Utica,
trusting to find sucoOr there.
A sort Of general revolt against further
tyranny and subsection seems to have
broken ont ut the camps last week, for
nearly all Of the $50 refugees who came
here to-day loft there since Wednesday.
Their suffarinGs during ths journey to
Utica have been severe, mainly because
they had insufficient clothing in the cold
winter weather. 1t must be remembered
that they are southern negroes from Ten
nessee and the C%arolinas, unaccustomed to
snow Or cold. They were induced to come
north upon PROMISES Of Q inc, genial oil
mate, where tho Thermometer was only two
degrees lowcr than in the sunny south, and
they wero to work, it was said, within = few
miles Of New York city. That, however,
was only one of the receptions rractised
upon them.
But for the timely arrival of the eacapad
slaves from the Adirondack railway in
Uticn to-day 200 more victims who reached
this city from the south this morning
would now be on their way to the lonely
camps. They were stopped just in time, as
the journey, and are here tonight, penni-
less and helpless, but being taken care Of
by the city authorities and charitable citi-
zens.
They came from Columbia, Tenn. ragged
and shivering, but stilI hopeful Of earning
something from the work that had been
promised them.
A few had copies of the notice which is
being circulated through the south by the
representatives of the railway, and which
with other promisss induced them to come
north. Here it is:
LAST CHANCE FOR NEW YORK.
1.-TWO hundred railroad laborers will
leave the depot at Columbia 81 Saturday,
March 26. at $50 p. M, for Bonneville, N.
Y, for Mcdonald, Shea Il Co., contractors.
Transportation furnished. Pay $3.50
per day; board $1.D per week.
"Be on hand. First that como will 60, to
the number Of 200.
CHARLES N. VAUGHN or JAMES ROBERTS,
Many women and children and some old
men were among those who had just como
fromthe south. All were ragged mi hungry
and there WAS not one dollar in money
among the whole company.
As the ears were standing N a side track
near the depot many Of the negroes at
had accompanied them from the south,
tried to keep them in the cars by promising
them free whisky, being evidently afraid
that il the men onos talked with any OF the
people about the depot they would not re-
turn.
Just at this moment some of the refugees
from the camps in the Wilderness walked
into Utica along the railroad track, and
were instantly recognized by sone of the
negroes in the cars. They Immediately
fraternized. In an instant the news spread
like lightning among the people in the oars
that some OF their brethren had Just
escaped frsm the woods. and had warned
them not under any circumstances to go
forward.
In spite of every effort of the slave
drivers to keep them in their seats the poor
negroes, now thoroughly frightened, lsaped
to the ground, many Of them Trembling
and weeping. They huddled together i'll
little groups and walked up and down the
station exoitedly discussing the news.
The men who had them in charge made
an earnest effort to induce them to return
to the cars by lavish promises, but. being
under the eye of numerous citizens OF
Utica, they did not attempt compulsion,
such a. 10 practissd in the camps.
The negroes, however, refused to return
to the cars and for two hours remained
aimlessly hanging about the depot. Then
the municipal authoritiss took charge OF
them and they were taken to the city hall.
There were many signs Of growing indig-
nation ~ the poor blacks passed along the
streets to the CITY hall. 1t was resolved
that everything possible should be done for
them. A. p. Stafford, a we'll known citi-
zen. offered to feed 100. Janitor Supple. OF
the city hall, agreed to care for forty, and
Secretary Leete. of the Young Mems Chris
tinn association, looked after clothing for
them. Other people volunteered assist
nnce, and Charity Clerk Conrad asked that
donations of old clothes be made. The
charity commissioner met and discussed
tho situation.
The negroes werc divided of into groups
and distributed temporarily among the
charitable Institutions. Lato this after
noon appeals were issued to the citizens for
gifts of old clothes.