Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-06-02
GEO. W. LATIMER DEAD.
Was the Famous First Slave Hunted
on Massachusetts Soil.
And for Whom Phillips. Garrison. Douglass
and Others Fought.

Lynn, Mass, June 1-George w
| I.atimer, who was the first slave
| hunted on Massachusetts soil in 1872
| and whose subsequent arrest and in
| generation in the old Leverett street
| Jail at Boston. loOsened the tongue OF
Wendell Philips, aroused William
Lloyd Garrison to renewed activity
and moved the poet Whittier to write
| his famous lyric, Massachusetts to
Virginia." died of apoplexy. Friday. at
| his home on Mariana street. He il
survived by his wife and three chill
| dren. and his aeath was announced
| late this afternoon.
| He was born. July 4. 1920, at Norfolk
Va. and left his birthplace at the age
of % and came to Massachusetts in the
early '4o's. Soon after he came tc
| Lynn. mastered the trade of paper
| hanging and worked until three days
| ago. when paralysis struck him at his
work.
He was born a slave. but when he
started to come North his mistress by
will gave him his freedom. but her
daughter would not allow this and the
will was never probated. To settle the
estate he was sold to James B. Gray OF
Norfolk, and il was from him that Lat
liner escaped. In September. 1871, with
his wife. Latimre took steamer from
Norfolk. They concealed themselves III
the hold and landed at Frenchtown.
They finally reached Boston and
were sheltered by colored friends. until
one day man from the South recog-
nized Latimer in Boston. Two weeks
later his master reached Boston and
caused Latiner's arrest on the charge
Of larceny. The slave was taken to the
Levcrett street Jail and Gray began
proceedings to return the slave to Nir-
gina as a fugitive. Sewell. Garrison
and others learned of this and fought
the case at every point. Chief Justice
Shaw ruled that Gray had right to
take his slave back If he could prove
property. Latimer was in Jail several
weeks. and Massachusetts was shaken
by the Abolitionists, who declared that
no man should be taken back to siav
cry from the free soil of the old com
Elonweaith.
Sunday. Oct. %, a public meeting TO
protest was held in Faneuil hall and
the Abolitionist cry echoed through
the building. Lawyer Samuel T.. Sew
I'll IItSlutu, anu tif Spcdhtls were
Wendell Phillips. George s. Hilliard,
Chas. l.. Remard and Frederick Doug
lass. himself a fugitive slave from Bal
timore. The next day meetings were
held in Lynn, New Bedford and other
places. AS Judge Story was taken
sick. Judge Sprague granted respite
in the case. Samuel r. Sewel and A.
b. Merrill appearing for I4atimer.
November II. e. $. Austin. counsel
for Gray. was notified by the jailer at
Loverett street. that a petition was in
circulation to remove him from his po-
sition unless he released Latimer from
custody. AT once Austin went to Lat
liners friends and offered to free the
slave for $500. Six hundred dollars was
offered. That evening. at Marlboro
chapel. there was a meeting of men de
termined tn move on the Jail and re-
lease the slave. but just as the mob
was about to move. word came that
Latimer had been liberated.
Austin. hearing of the intention Of
the anti-slavery leaders. acted quickly
and had taken $400 for Latimer's re-
lease, a sum which was raised by DR..
Samuel d. Caldwell. the pastor of Ire
mont Temple. The South demanded
the return of Latimer to Virginia to
stand trial on a charge of larceny, but
Gov. Davis refused to grant the neces-
sary papers and the slave was free.
Soon after he came to Lynn.
His body was laid to rest by kind
friends in Pine Grove cemetery.