The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1910-05-11

the older heads-preferred 30 be blind.
They kept on voting for extreme
measures on both sides. They applaud
ed demagogues and followed after hot
headed leaders "Win there be WARP"
"Oh, MOI The other side will back
DOWN." Thus were they deluded, thus
led into che vortex of death and ruin.
They were sowing the wind The "Ir-
repressible Conflict was the grim
reaper to come when the harvest
should be ready.
But to resume. The news was that
four black men-slaves owned in our
town-had been seen making their
way Notwithstanding away. At
that time nothing short of the fell
tocsin of war itself could have arous-
ed the people of a border town. Ere
darkness had fallen, nearly the whole
population had gathered at central
point-some with guns an pistols,
some on foot, some on horseback-all
eager to pursue and only awaiting
the word.
A few well-mounted and bold riders
were chosen and instructed what to
do. Handbills with rewards were drawn
and given to the fleetest. The run
Always were on foot with about day
start, but good horses would over
come that Thus the chase began.
Four men were gone,and they took
with them $4,000 worth of other peo-
pies (their master's) property. What
booted It that these effects were mus
Gle and bone? Was not slavery legal
lied by the Constitution of the Unit
ed States and by the laws of Ken
lucky? On the very spot where this
excitement ran, white men could buy
and sell black men. And yet could we
have placed there at that instant the
Eiffel Tower and climbed to its top
We could perhaps have seen to the
north a golden thread winding by day
among the bluffs and dense forests
along it's course; by night a silvery
sheen on placid water, calm and at
peace, except when struck by the
oar of some canoe stolen from the
south shore by SOMEONE eager TO
reach the other. This was the Ohio
river, and runaway slaves crossed at
frequently In summer to escape from
thraldom. 1t was a mile wide. On the
other side no one could own a slave.
throughout this free territory because
Chief Justice fancy had already in
dicated that they could not find asy-
lum in it. They fled to Canada If
they were not captured on the way.
Great Britain afforded refuge denied
by Columbia. Heaven erected a light
house above tie harbor. The North
S:ar was hung in it. Runaways fol-
lowed the road after crossing the
river They travelled only at night.
They pursued the course toward the
North Star. The four men left their
homes on Saturday night. Thus 1t
might be nearly a day before they
would be missed. They walked Tnpidly
and all together; they kept the road
now, knowing they would not be
pursued the first night. 1t was the
full moon, and they turned out, If
anyone was coming, to let him pass.
They left tell-tale tracks in the dust.
They reached and crossed the river
early on the second might and before
their pursuers reached it. They went
in twos, each party guided by the star
above.
The pursuing panty was hastily
formed. 1t consisted of the mos. dar-
ing iiders mounted on the fleetest
horses in the town. 1t was dark be
fore they started. The best riders
reached the chief town on the river
before daylight. There they aroused
the printers, not new to the work, and
there were sent flying through the
mails ard by trusty agents handbills
with the usual picture of the runa-
way with the bundle over his should
err They were dispatched to every
ferry and crossroads i'm that part of
Southern Indiana Having aroused the
river country, the slave hunters rode
northward. The pursuit was system
attic. Travelling both by day and night, |
they soon came abreast of the runa-
ways. The negroes recognized them
by day from their hiding places on
the wooded hills. They separated
next Gfght, each taking care of him
saf-each pursuing the course coward
: ne North Star. They dared not take
tie reads, ard crossed forests ard
cornllelds. For two nights they dodg-
ed their pursuers and made some
progress. The bag of corn dodgers
and bacon gave out. They became
weak and hungry. The pursuing
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