The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-16


paratively few, there were many who
found a haven here, and it was in
these three places that they were hid
den until the search had ceased, and
it was safe for them to come out and
live among friends.
The most successful rescue which
Joseph Farr remembers was that of n
young mulatto girl who escaped from
her master at Galena, and was secreted
on the boat coming this way, by Eu-
gene Berry, the friendly steward, and
brought to st. Paul. The girl was a
handsome, robust creature, and her
features were almost masculine. She
adopted the familiar disguise of a man,
and arrived in ST Paul clad in a suit
of the finest broadcloth. She was light
enough TO pass for a white person, and
had no difficulty on the boat
Looked Like a Man
''The girl walked into our shop" says
Mr.. Farr, and had her hair trimmed.
1 confess that never saw a more COM
plete disguise. In a way that was
known to the friendly, it was commu-
nicated to my uncle who she was, and
she was taken to his house just across
the street. 1t was only the next day
that her master arrived, searching for
her. 1 remember that he was a tall,
powerful man, and a mean looking one
at that. He summoned my uncle, Will
liam Taylor and told him that a slave
girl had escaped from him at Galena.
MY uncle told him that of course it
would not be hard to find her here with
SO few colored people, and volunteered
to help him. The man offered Taylor
$50 if she were found. Uncle said that
he never took any money for such serv-
Ices, but he had often been able to
help people recover their property.
Il happened to look out the front
window of the shop at the time, and 1
saw the girl sitting at our front win
dow, just across the street. Uncle had
seen her. too. He told one of the men
in the shop to care for the gentleman
from the south, and to shave him. He
himself went out the back way and to
our house.
Rewards Were UnavaiIing
"Well, he got the girl away from the
house quickly and sent her to the Will
loughby stable. Then he came back
and took the man over to the house,
and made him feel welcome, in order
to avoid suspicion. That night the girl
was taken out to the Frenchman's
house near Saltwater, and kept for
two weeks, while the whole country
was being searched for her. All the
surrounding towns were gone over
with a fine tooth comb, but no trace of
her was found. The master was un-
limited in his money, and made every
effort to locate the girl He offered
large rewards, but none were sufficient
to disclose her hiding place.
After the search had ceased, the
girl was brought out and put on the
steamboat Nominee, in charge of Eu-
gene Berry, and taken to Galena.
From there she went to Canada by
way of Chicago. We got a letter from
her afterward saying she had arrived
safely in Canada, and thanking my
uncle and the other people for what
they had done for her."
Another fugitive whose rescue was
not successful, was young man who
had escaped at st. Louis and made his
way to st. Paul by boat. He had
heard that friends here would assist
those who were making for Canada in
their flight from bondage. OF course
it was always a matter of general in
terest when a boat came in, and many
people were there to see. Taylor al
ways made it a point to be on the
wharf when boat touched, to be on
the lookout for any fugitive slave.
When the boat came in this time he
was there. A young man, evidently a
runaway slave, left the boat. Taylor
soon sought him out, and let him know
that he would aid him in any way.
The slave was taken to the old bell
tower until the chase should subside.
The next day his master arrived and
called on the officials. Search was in
vain.
Bribed the Steward
Deputy Sheriff Bracket was one of
the relentless foes of the underground"
railroaderS. He camped on their trail
constantly. 1t was his keen eye that
found the fugitive. About a week after
he landed here, his friends took him
out, supplied him with money and
started hi mdown the river on a boat.
With the aid of a bribe the deputy
sheriff learned from colored steward
! on the boat that the slave had been
secreted there, and where he was go
ing. Going to Prescott, boat was Sc
cured, the trip made down the st. Croix
river to the mouth, where it empties
into the Mississippi, and the slave was
captured.
Another attempted rescue was that
| of young slave girl whose master,
Steve Long, owned the International
hotel. By treating her to ice cream and
other dainties the conspirators got her
to say that she wanted to fly to Can
ada. But just as she was about ready
to start, she broke down and refused to
go.
But I can't remember many of the
cases." said Mr.. Farr. II was young
then, and it has been a great while
ago.
One of the things that made 1t hard
for the underground people to oper-
ate their system was the constant op-
| position from the south. Minnesota
was, even then, a great place for tour
| lists In the summer time. They came to
| the lakes and to st. Paul on the boats
up the river to spend the summer
months. They brought their servants
with them.
! According to a ruling about that
| time, slave who had been taken into
a free state, such as Minnesota was,
| had a good claim to his freedom, eSpe-
cially in the last years of the war
People from the south came to this
state and tried to get laws passed so
that they would be safe in bringing
| their servants here. Though they did
not succeed in this, they created such
a strong impression that people were
generally against protecting slaves.
Dred Scott Decision
| The famous "Dred Scott decision"
| is said to have grown out of this state
of affairs. His master was a surgeon
in the United States army, whose home
was at st. Louis. He was on duty at
various places in the north, Fort
! Smelling being one Of them. After
J they returned to st. Louis Scott
claimed his freedom, because he had
been taken into a state where slavery
was not legal. His master had him ar
| rested and placed in Jail Friends of