The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-06-07

was also smart enough to make the
Negroes whom he thus stole from the
Maryland District and Virginia planters,
especially those who wanted to go NORTH
and be free, pay him whatever they could
for their transportation. II a Negro had
$50 or $50 he would take that; but, if not
and the fugitive had only a watch or some
other belonging. he would accept that as
part payment for taking him to a free
country At first he had snea5ed them
away from the city in his little oyster
schooner. but as he prospered from his
double commissions. he got a larger boat,
and so on, until, at last. purchasing a
large. seaworthy craft, he had decided TO
make clean sweep. carrying off as many
Washington Negroes as possible on one
voyage, which he evidently had intended
should be his last.
After unloading the wood, he dropped
down TO the Sixth street wharf and lay
there until 10 o'clock that night, and it
was during this time that the Negroes
whom he intended to smuggle out OF the
country went at various times and in
various ways on board his vessel. He
had left the city with something over 800
Negroes hosting anchor at 10 o'clock
that night. spread ding all sail and making
down stream for the Chesapeake and
northern ports. Next morning. when the
various slave owners in the city began
to compare notes. they discovered that
some one had attempted the wholesale
kidnapping Of every Negro in the city.
Excitement soon rose TO fever pitch, and
the Negroes who remained were called
upon to give an account Of how the mat
ter was worked. This some of them
knew having been approached by Dray-
ton, and in attempting to tell their mas
tiers about il. they gave them a rather
CARRIED statement Of the enterprise. which
made it appear as though had "A hand in
the matter than that the runaway Ne
groes were loaded on Drayton's vessel
at my wharf
AS soon as the local slave owners
learned this. they descended on me in a
body and for time il looked as though
/ should not be able 10 clear myself from
their suspicion As a matter Of fact.
Drayton had employed a large number 0f
the Negroes. who had left with him for
the north. in the work OF unloading the
forty cords Of wood. and as the job neared
an end these Negroes would drop down
into the hold and hide themselves.
Finally after a deal Of talk and con
fusion. I succeeded IN convincing all that
! was innocent Of any connection with
Drayton and his evil doings and with this
matter settled. they set about devisins
WAYS and means of overtakinE and cap
turing the shrewd and oily Drayton and
the slaves. which he had stolen There
was a small steamboat here in those days
called the Salem. This they chartered
and twenty-five OF their number. all we'll
armed with guns and pistols. set out al
ter Drayton. who was pursuing his usual
plan of sailing by night and lying con
cealed in some cove or inlet in daytime
They got dow mas Ear as the Chesapeake
and were about % give ND the search.
when the captain Of the sale mcausht
sight of vessel lying in an inlet with
only the tops OF the uasts visible.
The Salem was headed toward the IN
known vessel which proved 70 be that Of
Draytou with every soul on board asleep.
Drayton and his crew Of four white rnen
were captured and placed il irons, and
Negroes. ship and al were towed back %
the city The Negroes were returned 70
their masters. who. awakening TO the
situation Of slavery in these parts, sold