The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-26
INDIANA AND SLAVERY
TRAIL OF THE SERPENT N THE EAR
LY HISTORY OF THE STATE.
Incidents Occurring I'm the Time When
slaveholdiEg Was Commonly Con-
sidered Divine Right.

were largely proslavery I'm their political
opinions. Their early education and tradi-
tons tended to deepen their convictions on
the subject. and so strong did that senti-
ment become that the territorial Legisla-
ture, during the summer OF 1894. passed q
law permitting the partial Introduction OF
negro slavery. but a reaction OF public SEN
timent having set i'm. the law was repealed
on Dec. IA 1870 When II became evident
that Indiana was 10 become a free State.
there quickly sprang into being a class OF
INSCRIPTIONS men who were animated by
purely selfish motives. and TO crafty their
inordinate longing for quickly-gotten
wealth, turned ther. attention 10 trafficking
in human flesh as the easiest way TO realize
their unworthy ambition. Thus il was that
kidnapping became a business which. al
though a little hazardous was rich with the
dazzling splendor OF anticipated possibilities.
and so the kidnaper entered upon his chosen
occupation, not always caring whether his
victims were slaves or free negroes. so they
were black. Various devices were used 10
lure the ignorant blacks into slave territory.
More than one calous-hearted individual
generously offered TO take colored per-
sons back TO the ''old Kentucky home" on
a friendly visit. with the assurance Of a safe
return to Indiana, but the home" they
were most likely destined 10 finally see was
the rice swamps of South Carolina, the cot
ton fields of Alabama or the Red-river coun-
try of western Louisiana.
While IL was not always difficult to entice
negroes away TO their former haunts In
Kentucky and then run them of South
among strangers, occasionally a stout re-
sistance was made by the blacks. and some
times with disastrous results TO the pursuing
party. Such a case occurred In Gibson
county. where a negro named Pete" fancy
ing he saw preparations making to send him
South determined, with his wife, TO make
their escape, and. IL need be. sell his life
as dearly as possible. Aiming himself with
a rife. he and his wife started towards
Princeton, the county seat. Not far from
Owensville they were overtaken by a party
of white men, and the negro thinking his
time had come, made good his threats by
killing Mr.. Montgomery Warrick. promi-
nent citizen, son of Captain Jacob Warrick.
who lost his life at the battle of Tppecanoe.
The negro was killed on the spot. and his
widow was afterwards sent South and sold.
Some years after this tragedy, Mr. Mont
gomery, one of the pioneer settlers of Glib
son county, happened to be in Alexandria.
La, on business. AS he was passing along
the street one day he heard some one call
him. and. looking around. saw the identical
black woman whose husband had taken the
life of Mr.. Warrick in Indiana. She had
caught a glimpse of him at "A squares dis
lance and Immediately recognized him. Mr.
Montgomery, entering suit, recovered her
freedom and took her back TO Owensvilie.
where she spent the balance OF her days.
KIDNAPPING CASE.
A case OF kidnapping occurred in Posey
county. near the village OF Cynthiana.
Two bright mulatto boys, twins, about six
years of age, were taken by two men
ramed Ford and Linn. living near Diamond
island, on the Ohio river. They were pur-
sued by a party Of citizens headed by Pat
rick Calvert, but made their escape and
the little fellows were sold into bondage A
few years afterwards Mr.. Calvert while
prospecting in Arkansas. stopped over night
at a farmhouse. In conversation with his
host he related the story of the KIDNAPPING
of the mulatto children, and scarcely had
he finished his narrative when the farmer in
formed him that two boys answering his de-
scription had been sold TO one OF his neigh
bors The next morning he called at the
neighboring plantation and found the chill
dren for whose release he. with others, had
labored so strenuously in Indiana Enter
Ing suit he recovered their freedom and re-
turned them to their mother These were
but isolated cases in which the cruel. heart
less side of human nature was shown, as
well as the charitable and sympathetic side.
IL must be borne in mind that at the time
TO which we refer the general treTh OF public
sentiment was not very favorable 10 the
colored race, and even the majority OF those
who were moved by compassion for the poor
creatures were sometimes animated more
by abstract principles of justice than by any
very active sympathy with them. so that Kid
naping, while II was not encouraged by the
people. was not Immediately suppressed,
nor were there many open and vigorous at
tempts made 10 suppress II. To be known
as an Abolitionist was an odium which Few
nen were willing should attach TO their
honored names
In course Of time kidnapping ceased 10 he
a profitable occupation and the fraternity
then turned their attention toward running
down and returning fugitive slaves for the
money there was in it. One case was that
OF a black boy eighteen years OF age who
was taken up by two men who were AT
work near the roadside not far from Ovens
willie. Gibson county. Naturally the boy de-
MED being a fugitive. but his captors, In
order 10 satisfy themselves Of the truth OK
his statements took him 10 an old farmer.
A former Tennesseean. who lived near az
hand. and submitted the case 10 him. Take
off his shirt; look at his back" contentious
ly grunted the Tenne-Indianian, as he Wig
orously expectorated quantity Of tobacco
Juice. Sure enough, the old fellows sur
misses were correct. The lads back was
literally covered with scars from the cow
hide. The boy was returned TO his master.
and the Jingle Of many dollar OF the
daddies'' was the reward for such faithful-
ness 20 the shareholders interest and also
soothing to the consciences of the captors-
A Presbyterian minister who preached in
the neighborhoOd, having denounced from
his pulpit the act OF returning the boy TO
slavery again, was dealt with by his
presbytery. "A charge having been preferred
against him Of favoring the escape Of fugi-
tive slaves, and the good man was silenced
from preaching for six months And this
I'm free Indiana and i'm the forties NJ that,
Nor was IL altogether an isolated case. but
was one OF many similar cases. showing
how deeply the fangs and claws of the de-
grading system had sunk into the body
polite and how completely were the moral
instincts of goodly number blunted and
even parslyzed on this subject.
HAITEsD A ssDIx-fNE DTCfTT-u