Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-04-07
From Norfolk to Philadelphia.

among some score or more Of the
.'chattelsn of a number Of F. +. VS.
of Norfolk and vicinity. This activity
was, of course, carried on in such a
manner as to attract no attention. and
interfere with no hours of duty or SER
vice. for native shrewdness and tact
Of high order came to mark the ac-
tions Of all those who sought the
guidance sob de Of Norf", as the
Cynosure of freedom came to be
called. Canada and liberty were sy-
nonymous terms, and nothing ever
exceeded the shrewdness with which
passengers, real or prospective, over
the Underground Railroad, sought the
one that they might enjoy the other.
OF the '.chattels'' above referred to,
only few can be specified.
ISAAC was tall, well proportioned,
intelligent mulatto, of about fifty
years of age. The property of one
George Brown, a cruel master. OF
whom he had for thirty years hired
his time, the sum exacted increasing
with his years. This tribute he
wished to dispense with.
HENDERSON belonged to the estate
of A. Briggs, deceased, settlement
of which necessitated a sale of per-
sonal property, and knowing he was
expected to bring at least 1920, he re-
solved to reaitze on the amount him
self, tho he had to abandon his wife
and two children to do so.
REBEcCA LEwEY, wife of Henry
Lewey, better known in the town as
Blue Beard, " was of light complex
ion, lady-like and intelligent. She
and her husband had loug been Of the
opinion that they could endure the
climate OF Canada, and it had been de-
termined between them that she
should embrace the first opportunity
to start, thus becoming advance agent
for the family.
Mas. WALKER, the most conspicuous
figure in all those gatherings, was
some less than forty years old, with
an avolrdupois of 26O pounds, being
well calculated to give Uetght if not
dignity to any gathering. She be-
longed to one Arthur Cooper of whom
she could ''say nothing good" For
20 years she had hired her time, pay
ing $500 a month therefore. Seeing |
no prospect of any "lettin' up" she
concluded to go on prospectin' tou'
up Mort, trusting her husband might
follow.
Aside from these there were eleven
others male and female, whose inn
purpose it was to strike for
freedom They had all become dis
with the peculiar institu-
ton and were ready to make any
possible sacrifice to rid themselves OF
it. The leading spirit in the deliber-
atoms was ''Blue Beard, :" who, tho a
slave, was man Of intelligence and
tact, and had long been connected
with the interests OF the road
TACT beginning to be suspected, and
now. as has been said, preparatory to
availing himself of its advantages. he
was anxious to confer them upon his
better half in advance.
Among the vessels from the North
frequently stopping at Norfolk was
the schooner Clipper, Captain Baylis, of
Philadelphia. With this man. Blue
Beard. 7 in his labors about the dock, |
had not only become acquainted, but,
quietly on confidential terms Bay
lis was keenly alive to the evils of
slavery and had entered into arrange
mants with the managers of the road
in Philadelphia to establish regular
salt water track To make this the
IN )re feasible and safe, he had COM
partment constructed in the hold of
his vessel, and entered by small
trap that could easily be concealed
Here. tho kind Of BLACK Hole the
passengers had TO be confined in case
Of any apprehended danger.
Early in June the Clipper was due.
aud Blue Beard was busy perfecting
arrangements for shipment, con-
sigued to the proper authorities in the
City Of Brotherly Love, hence the ire
quent nocturnal and Sunday confer
ence in which all preliminary ar
engagements We're perfected. On the
arrival u the vessel tickets were soon
secured for fifteen persons, two Of