The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-02-02


and bravest members OF the devoted
band whose words and deeds brought
about the abolition OF slavery, is dying
at Angelica, N, Y, His career Of dar.
ing and suffering, almost surprising
belief, has been unique. and when the
final history Of the abolition movement
shall be written he will deserve q place
beside Garrison, Loyeioy and Brown.
In relating his experience during the
trying days Of anti,slavery agitation,
Mr.. Fairbank tells the following thrill
ing s%toriesi
ain April, 1912, while in C~ovlngton, !
heard that Emily Ward, a handsome
girl OF eighteen, ~two-thirds white, had
been sold and was about to be taken
south to become the mistress OF her
purchaser. She was kept in the attic
facing the river. l went at nighttall,
and. attracting her attention by tossing
pebbles against the window, threw up
TO her, tied to q stone, q note telling her
/ had come to help her escape. By the
same means l got up to her first a cord
with a bundle Of mems clothes fastened
to 1t, and finally o stout rope. She put
on the clothes, and, crawling through
q rear window OF the room in which she
was locked, slid down the rope to the
ground, When we were a few feet away
from the house we met the master, who
apolog'sed for Internationally brushing
against me in the darkness. The girls
case was known to every one in Coving-
ton, and / did not care TO hire a boat TO
take us across to Cincinnati, so we. got
astride o sixteen foot pine log lying half
was out Of the water on the river bank,
and / padded across, using o piece OF
board for IN oar. Once in Cincinnati
we were safe. / took Emily to the
house of Levi Coffin, superintendent Of
the underground railroad, He tound
her a comfortable home and she did
well. She belonged to the family OF
Zeb Ward, with whom | afterward BIO.
came too we'll acquainted,
From Lexington / took her to Gin
clnnati and gave her into the care OF
Gamaliel Bailey, editor Of the National
Era, one Of the brayest and boldest sol
diers in the abolition army.
1.-THE most remarkable incident OF
this period ofmy life occurred in March,
1843, happened one day to be in the
Jail at Lexington and noticed that one
Of the prisoners was q young woman OF
exquisite figure and singular beauty. l
asked the Tailor who she was, and to
my surprise, for she looked the pure
| Caucasian, he told me that she was a
slave girl named Eliza, who was to be
sold a few days later upon the block for
the New Orleans market. talked with
the girl. She was very intelligent. 1
told her I would purchase her freedom
i'll possibly could. / hurried to Gin
cinnati and laid the case before Salmon
7. Chase, afterward senator, secretary
OF the treasury and chief justice, who
gave me $500 and went with me to see
Nicholas Longworth.i Tho latter was
worth millions, but was never known to
| give a dollar for anything.
"'Mr. Longworth," said Chase, after
we were seated in the little crib which
the millionaire called his Office, do you
consider yourself a Christian
"'I am not o very good one was the
aFWetl, we have got a case here that
appeals to both humanity and Chris.
tfanity. MI. Fairbank will tell you
about it,
II told the story. Longworth lis
tenedinsilence, and when was through
hitched nervously in his chair, drew his
check book from a drawer and began
filling out a check. While he was writ
ing Chase whispered, I'VE will get
about fifty from him. A moment later
Longworth wheeled around and handed
me a check; it was for $1,000! We
raised more money BY telling what
Longworth had done. When | went
back to Lexington the day before the
sale, l carried $2,275 and an agreement
signed by Chase, Longworth and Will
lam Howard, another rich Cincinnatiap,
empowering me to draw upon them, II.
necessary, to the extent Of $4,000. The
sale took place in the public square and
was attended by fully 1000 people,
drawn there by descriptions OF the
girls comeliness and rumors OF the
effort that was TO be made to save her.
The best people OF the town were there
and q number Of strangers from Boston,
New York and Philadelphia.