The sun., 1893-06-04
HE WAS A FUGITIVE SLAVE.
OLD JOS DEATH UNSEILS LTPS THAT
KEPT MS SECRET 10 YEARS.

slavery bnyN, hc Escaped
the Toiis thnt Reset fIis wicked Master.
HARRISBURG. June g." An old negro who
had lived in my family for nearly forty years
died one day last week. and ain now at In-
orty to tell his story" said citizen OF soUtn-
arm Fulton county. well known on both silys
OF the bordcr " Early one morning in the iall
OF 1853 1 went out o. my houss to BEGIN nv
farm chores and saw u negro sitting ou tie
bottom step OF tho back stoop with his head in
his hands. lie rniscd his head ns came out
and looked up. He was coal black. His cheeks
and eyes wero sunkou and tho whites Of his
eyes were bloodshot. Before / said word to
to him he said:
~ am runaway slave
"The remark was entirely UNNECESSARY. %.
Itnow what he was the moment my eyes fell
OIL him. although fuRitives did not often cyme
over the border to that part OF PcnnsyivlnI.
for there were few sympathzers with thcn
there was tho strongest Kind OF Stdios
Riuhts Democrat myself and approved OF no
fugitive slave law. but there wGs somn'hng
about this poor fellow that awakened feeling
in NJ OF entirely in accord with my doctrine
and belief.
"'Where are you from 2 asked.
Louisiana the fugitive replied.
"I couldn't have been more amazed II he
had told IN he had come from Patagonia.
Ind, Of course supposed that he was one of
the usual runaways from some Maryland or
Virginia farm or plantation. Such n thing as
q fugitive slave from any OF tho far-away cot
ton or sugar plantations was an unheard-oi
thing, and that ono had succeeded In making
his way to free State through oil the inter-
ycning hundreds Of miles OF slave territory
was something incredible. at once cons
cluded this runaway was lying to me.
"Louisiana is a good way on. said.
aNlto toJf IN havn
been two years getting here
This was another amazing statement. and
whilo tho mans manner was straightforward
and evidently sincere. could not help but
have my doubts about him. He seemed to un-
derstnnd that mistrusted him. and he said;
'If belong to any one In this ncighhor-
hood, they will soon DO after mo. Will you let
mo stay here until they come and claim mef
will work for you until they come
"Whlle was opposed to harboring or aid.
ing runaway negroes on principle. wasn't
making it my business to look up slave own
ers who had lost slaves and notify them OF tho
whereabouts OF their missing property. was
rather inclined toward this poor fugitive. and
went into the house and told my wife about
him and ask ed her what We had best do. She
went out and talked with the runaway little
Thon ale said:
I've will keep him here.'
THAT was oil there was to It, m orc grateful
creature never lived than was this runaway.
and that night he told us his story. His name
was 10. He was born in Vireinln. on the Hop
klns plantation. When he was twenty years
Oldest son. John w. Hopkins. who was doc
tor. and wicked. desperate man. 10 was tho
became ineens cd at one Of his iemai slaves.
and he ordered her to go to her cab In. Then
ho handed pLsit0l to oo and taking KIN,
They wen went .ote to the cabin whegs the
up she did 80. Then he ordered 70 to shoot
her. The woman begged for her life. and 10
head Hsd't and orered him to shoot OK have
sas sSd s at ae to snss
his master and he and 10 left the cabin. =,
ordering him to shoot the woman, was only
training him for more serious business. DR..
msp4y ySas ss MSsn q Ss t.
the daughter Of a rich planter. The girl did
not favor his suit. but accented the hand Of q
or two after HOPKINS had forced Jo to shoot
the female slnye. he handed Jo q shotgun, and,
to ioow f him. Ie Tne Miswcl % pantaton neFe was
two miles from the home Of the young woman
suitor was In the habit OF riding over. to the
ms bnnt o. t eyenbng an
lonely one. JOS master led him to that road
and mile up it. There he ordered him to
hse s Gehna some b. GIihes and tex place by
drew nearer. HOPKINS put his revolver against
-; the rider oi that horse passes by hsra
knew his master would blow his brains out IL
the Implied order was not carried out. The
5ad o its his fdsa massp ws s
Ro5s. iesned e one sids. sna its rider ss sssnm!leS
q t. t. follow him. made his way through tIs
done do it it By taking young Wisxells., ,ahhouE6
mans horse ,galoped, homo riderless. the
sas WAS Tas SSen and slaves hurried PHSS
>, When It was discovered that he had been
sh9s strNn, va. variety OF ciEeumstanres led to
result e young Wlsweiis ,ininFiss. When
sreat inag nation, and Hopkinss % rearress @1l and
nncareerat9n nc n without bail was demanded; In
fhoy xot safely to louisiana. i Where H vi" HopEins
settled nt Piaquemine Brulee. He was never
P1fa isS g. Fss%Ge sooS after taking up
1s residence in Louisiana. Hopkins formed
! ne ac1uaintance Of II young woman named
!;yon. and married. her Within tho year A
lister OF here married planter named John
D. Moore. The father OF tho two girls died
soon nt!erward, and Hopkins was dissatisfied
WIN ths dlsposttion he made Of certain prop;
'rty. He quGrrelled with Moore and declared
nat he would have revengc. Ono day in tho
AZ OF lS5l Hopkins took his bowie knif9 ard
lis revolver and. giving Jo shotgun ordered
ne negro to accompany him. He mounted his
iorse and rode to Moores honse. 10 RGrw
hat ne was being taken on another murderous
'rrand. and made mental vow that II he wns
orced 70 shoot any one that day it would be
lis master.
They found Moore at homo and unarneL
hs soon as Hopkins and 10 enI,ri,i the house
Moore snranG upon Hopkins ana throw him 10
he floor. graphing him 81 that ho could use
ieither MS pistol nor his knife. hopkins shou&
~ 10 70 to shoot. 10 could not iira with0ie
,illing Moore. but he replied that if ho fired
e e was afraid he, would Kill his master.
Ioore, Of course. did not know that 10 had de-
ermlnod to XII no one unless 1t was his mas
or. and so whom he heard what 10 said ne
pIhng from the floor and threw him EFF uron
o 70 secure the gun. 10 made no attcmptto
loid i: but Moore. after securing the gun. ran
ut oi me house. His wife had come INTO tho
N IN has