Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-16


his cheek. and forthwith became a
, jealous though not active worker in
the cause.
When asked how Clinton became an
underground station. Mr.. Bather said
that Iowa was brought into the work
out of sympathy in the southeastern
part of relatives Of two men engaged
in the John Brown raid at Harper's
Ferry. The river was crossed in two
places beow here. one near Pleasant
| Valley. and "a suspicion was aroused
| the change was made to Clinton. the
route entered here from Dewitt. The
associate at Dewitt was Burdette, Il
student in the law office of Judge
| Graham. and later Of the Burlington
| Hawkeye; il i not known whether
this was the Robert J. Burdette. the hu-
mOrist. but if not. he was of the same
| family. From Dewitt the road led
to Low Moor and Mr.. Weston.
brother of j. {. Weston. who con-
tinued in the work until the call for
! troops. his enlistment. and his death
in one Of the first battles of the civil
war. From Clinton the parties were
taken across the river to Stony Point
and thence to three different families
in the neighborhoOd of Union Grove.
| The journey across the river was
made in Il boat usually kept at the
foot of Fourth avenue. and OStensibly
Il pleasure boat. Meanwhile Mr.. Bath
er or his brother went across to Full
| ton by the ferry. put up at the Rob-
inson house. and at nightfall made
! for the point. Fer four wears the
! Journeys were made. Mr.. Robinson
! understood. never asked any queS-
| tiOnS. never made any charges for ac-
commOdatiOn. never saw any slaves,
! if there were sany. He was a true
! friend of the cause.
When asked how the frequent trips
were made Ia Fulton without eNcit-
| ing suspicion. Mr.. Bather said that he
had large trade To supply in Fulton.
which was at that time very lively
| place. The slaves always came to
| Clinton after nightfall. were sent out
at night. MIR. Campbell usually made
the trips acres the river. and the To-
cation and time of meeting was decid-
ed by fire signals.
In the rear Of the Gather house was
u dugout on the side Of the hill and
here slaves were hidden when they
came to this point and could not safe
~ pass through the town. Many of
them were in bad condition. and Mr..
! Bather says that the tales in 'Incle|
Tom'~ Cabin" are not oNcrGrawn. a. TO
the Wrctcheauc.S Of the people.
Were Their" many children? was the
next query. Yes. many: ana this
recalled an incident. After'thc war
WAS over Clinton was visited by col
ored concert compcny. the entertain
ment being attended by Mr. and Mrs.
Bather. who were acCoSted by man
at the close of the performance.
DO YOU remember me-" asked the
man. Mr.. Bathcr did not. until the
man recalled his being taken across
the river one dar! night. There was
great risk a. part of the party had
been hidden there two days. and there
were twelve in all. This man had es-
capped and gone to Canada. where he
saved money To take him back south
to get his wife and children. He was
in Canada a year. found the family
with another master on his return.
but waited i'm the swamps and held
communication with them until he
WAS warned 10 leave. He went to-
Canada again. remained a year. went
back only To be fOiled again, but ON the
third trip succeeded in getting his
wife and three children away. All
six men in this party were heavily
armed and would never have been
taken alive.
They were safely taken across the
river. The first station found the man
of the house i'll with typhoid fever
!
from Virginia visiting them. and no
rest there. by this time the refugees
| had become suspicious and nervous
and with difficulty were persuaded to.
90 ON to the third station. the men.
arms in their hands walked beside the
wagon. Vt the third station all was
well and they were passed ON to Wis
con>in routes.
Another perilOu> recital was re
| lated. One Saturday night young
man wife and child arrived. being
brought in by Mr.. Weston. At i
O'Clock next morning came cipher
! telegram saying that they had been
traced a. far "a Dewitt. II >emed
| Impossible 10 get them away "a it was
early in the spring. the ice was
breaking up and the ferry could not
run. Two or three hours later came
another telegram that the crackers
were far a. Low Moor. and an eff
fort was made 10 get them away in
daylight. Mr.. Bathcr borrowed a
closed carriage of II. Il. Stanley. al
though the gentleman was not told
what it was for. Mr.. Campbell drove
to Lyons. where he had heard of two
men crossing a boat. found the men
ana paid them - To take him. his
wife child and servant across the
river. The woman WAS nearly pure
whitc. and the man was represented
"a the servant. When il was known
that the colored man was to enter the
boat there were objections, but in
his role of southern man Mr.. Camp