New-York tribune., 1900-05-07
REMINDER OF .SLA VERY DAYS.
THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY"
SPADED UP IN AN INDIANA
GARDEN.

GARDEN.
Indianapolis Nav 6 (SpeciaD-Garnett Todd of
Upton while spading in his fathers garden on
Monday, unearthed copper piece which Is a
forcible reminder of the events which led TO the
War of the Rebellion and the consequent freedom
of the colored race and which connects the pres
with the past in this State of more than three
score and ten years ago. The copper token is In
the shape of a coin. and Is about the size Oh a
two cent piece and OF about the same thickness
The rim Is unmllled. and circlng inside OF 1t on
the face the words, United States OF Amer
lea" Inside of this Is "A laurel wreath and within
this is the inscription. Liberty 1888 on the
centre of the side is the figure or woman.
shacked and kneelng, her hands raised appealing
ly and her face turned upward as though lmplor-
ing sympathy and aid. Encrcling the kneeling
figure is the inscription. Am not Woman ana
Sister, and again the date, 1888, appears
The kneeling figure the coin is designed to
represent negress slave, and the whole is sym
bocal of the appeals that the negroes were max
ing to that sentiment of liberty in the North which
afterward led TO their freedom. Until the copper
piece unearthed by the Upton youth 1t was
not known that such a representation had survived
the slavery days and there are only rew persons
in Indiana who remember the use TO which
such coins put and the magical erect that
they had among those who were active In heiplhs
runaway slaves to a place OF safeV whenever
they found their way to Indiana soil. Indeed II
was only the few who knew that such copper pieces
were in existence, for not many of them were
ever made, and these had no special ssnlncahce
except to those who understood their meaning and
had bound themselves by solemn oaths TO dis-
charge every duty which their presentation piaceu
upon those to whom they We're sent.
AS early 1918 Governor Jennings received
letter from the Governor of Kentucky saying that
many complaints had come TO him or the haroor-
ing of runaway slaves, and asking that the Legs
lature provide means for bringing the violators Of
the law to punishment The letter from the Ken
lucky Executive submitted to the Legislature
but that body ignored the subject, and though local
officers recovered many slaves who had escaped
into Indiana, 1t was we'll understood that they had
no liking for such work. and the work OF sending
them Canada went on without moestation'
except when the officers were compelled TO act
When the copper piece that was found at Upton
on Monday was moulded In 1888 thte managers of
the underground railway becoming very
active in secreting and forwarding runaway slaves.
and It Is with this organization that the copper
talisman IS connected
1t was we'll understood among the slaves of Ken
tucky and among those even further South that
II they could reach Indiana soil there were those
there who would render them assistance in reach
ing Canada. 1t usual for the runaway slaves
the Ohio River In skiffs, and the objective
ings were made at other points. and then the run
other point on the underground railway" AS
ecn al an aed 6 Ws IN
cealment till such a lime as he could be forwarded
at night, and rule large towns were avoided
on account OF the presence of officers OF the law
The conductor person in charge of IL runaway
slave carried one of the copper pieces, and before
which he began his journey he stopped at the home
of another man connected with the organization
own good faith we'll as OF the sacredness of his
was bonDd by o his oath me to condact the
fugitive slave to another station on the under
performed the obligation without protest, mat
ter what might be the demands upon his time in
With the presentation of the talisman another
conductor was performed and he returned his
hCme. The second person now concealed the fugi
for the slave 1t became known that the
had followed the runaway and was close on his
trail he might be kept in hiding for week
even a month. When the coast was clear the fugi-
daylight he was turned over to another member
per piece Which carried With it tHe obgation to
protect the fugitive till he reached another station.
till he landed Canadian soil where further
concealment was unnecessary and where he became
The route through Indiana depended somewhat
but as a rule he was considered safe If he could
reach any point north of this city. The Abolition
operations had to be conducted with the greatest
quently changed because it was almost impossible
TO conceal slave for any length of time at one
besides the member of the organization in whose
care he was placed. 1t happened. too that some
While an organzation existed to assist the neeroes
to freedom another existed to arrest them and re-
turn them to their masters. The greatest danger
found in the southern counties, and If these
were passed in safety, the conductor felt that the
chances were in favor of his protege. and these
increased just In proportion to the distance that
overcome after leaving the Ohio River
ties. Old who familiar with the methods
of the organization say that the conductor of a
runaway slave always felt easy when he reached
a Quaker settlement for, whether its members
were Democrats, Wings or Aboltionists. they could
be counted on to sympathize with the fugitive and
though often trusted Quaker ever known
betray a negro's confidence do anything tow
ard hindering his escape.
1t has been said that not more than twenty of
the copper talismans ever made and up to
the breaking out of the those who had them
guarded them with the most Jealous care. What
became of them is not known, but none of
them supposed to be in existence till Ciarnett
Todd found The at Upton.