The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-28
An ANTE-bELLUM incident.
DEATH OF JOHN LANGSTOy. OF
ANTI-SLAvERY FAME.
One OF the Scenes Which Were So
Frequent a Few Years Before the
Civil War-Strugxle Between Pro-
Slavery and Anfi-Siaxery states.

EVERETT. Nov. ss.-The death Of the
Hon. John NJ. Langsson. which was an
houaeed N Washington dispatch on the
18th. removes one Of the men who was
prominent IN shaping the course OF events
previous 10 the civil war. With a twin
brother, he was born OF slave parents on
the plantation OF one OF the proud families
Of Virginia whose name they bore. The
brothers were sent 10 oberlin. o., to be
educated. where both graduated from the
college course. After completing d law
course elsewhere. John returned 10 ober-
lin 20 practice his profession. The excit-
ing political period was his opportunity.
tie soon developed into one OF the ahlest
speakers IN the state.
In the famous Wellington rescue case.
which occurred in the spring of 1888 and
aroused the public mind North and South
TO fever heat. filing columns in the daily
press of the country for months. the Lang
sson brothers took prominent part. John
being clearly the hero in the exciting
drama.
young negro slave who had escaped
from Kentucky had tarried too long in
Oberlin. the headquarters of the Under
ground railroad. One morning a son of a
pro-slayery Democrat drove into Oberlin
and hired this slave to work ON his fathers
farm, just west OF the village. They had
driven barely a mile into the country when
trey We're met by a United States marshal
and the negfos master, whose name was
Jenkins. Handouts were placed upon his
wrists and he was driven 10 wellington a
small village nine miles north on the rail-
road between Cleveland and Cincinnati.
The news OF the arrest spread rapidly in all
directions. Long before the kidnapping
party had reached Wellington the wire
had announced their coming. and the peo-
were arriving in great numbers. Hundreds
went from 0berln. Unfortunately for
Jenkins. no train went south for several
hours.
In very short time the hotel to which
they had taken their prisoner and the
streets about it were thronged with thou
sands. the majority of whom were deter
nlised on reseUng the negro. 4 meeting
of the leaders was held in the barn In the
rear of the hotel Between the two build
ings was an inclosed yard. Into this yard
was gathered a sufficient number 10 carry
out the plan adopted. which was TO march
up the back stairs in two lines, work their
way along the hall TO the parlor where
the kidnapping party were gathered, and
up 10 whore The negro might be located.
One of their number was selected by
casting lots, who was to g,ive the negro the
signal. This was a difficult task. he being
ignorant of what was being done for him.
The lot fell to a Mr.. Bushnell, relative
of the present governor OF Ohio. He placed
himself on the side of the negro. opposite
the two lines of men. and taking advantage
OF moment when the marshal and his
deputies were engaged In argument with
those who had been selected to thus engage
them. threw his weight against the negro
pushing him between the lines Of men, at
the same time saying, you rum
The two lines opened before and closed
hEh nd hGf "A tNtc
the back yard, where carriage was wait
ing which started him on the Underground
railroad for Canada, where he was safely
landed early the next morning. The
writer's father was one of the conductors
on the line.
Many arrests were made, among them
the brother of John NJ. Langston Prof j.
NJ. Peck of Oberln college; A. NJ. Fitch.
superintendent of Sabbath schools at Ober-
lin and prominent In Sabbath school work
throughout the nation. All We're taken to
Cleveland and lodged in jail Bushnell be-
ing the prominent actor and the chief of
fender. was given the first trial. The best
legal talent In the state came TO the help
OF the rescuers, d. X. Carter. afterwards
chief justice of the supreme court OF the
District of Columbia. being among the
number.
The Sabbath schools OF Oberln over 900
strong went by special train TO Cleveland
to visit their superintendent. They alight-
ed from the cars In Cleveland while bands
were playing and cannon were firing.
Cleveland was decorated as never before.
The school marched up Superior street
singing Il Am Glad I'm In This Army"
Bushnell was convicted and sentenced
to ninety days imprisonment, dating back
TO the day of his arrest. The case had
made Jenkins hero In his state and he
was nominated for congress. On one &C.
he .fsfr-t ing
the train upon which he was riding ar
rived at Elyria, the county seat OF the
county In which Oberlin Is located the
sheriff boarded the train and arrested him
for kidnapping, on a warrant sworn out
by John NJ. Langston. The case at this
stage presented peculiar situation.
IanCston for the time being had become
a champion of states rights, and Jenkins
representatives did not dare 10 attack his
position. The constitution OF Ohio pro-
vdes that any person held to service or
labor In another state escaping into Ohio
shall from that time and eyer after 5s
free IL the doctrine of states rights "a
held by the South was sound. the fugitive
slave law was imperative In Ohio. and
jenkins efrense was kidnapping and pun
isha BILE by a term In the penitentisry- On
the other hand. II the fugitive slave law
held good over the state law, the doe
trIne of states's rights fell 10 the ground.
AT that time for a person south Of Ma
son and Dixon's line 70 take a position
antagonistic TO state rights as held by the
South was objectionable. Il meant social
ostracisra and would relegate the advocate
"a political oblivion. In vain several at
torneys came from Kentucky TO get Jen-
kins out OF TAIL. For weeks Langsion baf-
fed all these attempts to lifserate him.
Already Jenkins saw the doors o: the state
prison opening 10 admi; him. for he dare
Ia
cape from the clutches Of the isw present
ed by n master mind. Jenkins proposed TO
withdraw the charges against the rescuers
OF Cleveland If Langston would do ike
wise in mis- case and let him get out OF the
state. To this Lsngston agreed. and thus
the case was settled.
The return Of the reScuers 10 Oberin
was the occasion Of rejoicing IN Cleveland
md all along the route. such as the people
OF this genera ton never witness. The fol-
lowing Monday, Bushnell having served
his Tins, in prison. returned when me DEM
constructions were repeated.
After the war Mr. Lsngston was APP
pointed one If the superinEendents Of the
Freedrnsn's Bureau He was afierward
e,,nlayad by an Eastern lecture bureau at
So, a night: was appointed minister 20
Haxtf and prezidea; OF Howard Jniver-
sStv OF washington y. c. When Gen Ma
hone vas in the sEce ndsues in N.rg mia
he look up hts residence Al the place OF his
birth and was elected 10 congress. After
th4 Democrats again obtained control OF
t,s state ne returned 20 Washington. N
which city he resided Until his death.
in all these iahors he appeared restless
ana dissatisfied and took BAT little inter-
est IN paSstFlg events. RE said 10 paTtF
~ aid friends waon he me- ia Chicago
snogs years ago. tfsat win this conSiItu~
,ioual amendments making slavery Ina
a