The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-05-17
WAYNE COUNTY WAS
ABOLITION HOTBEO
Old Newport, Now Fountain
City, a Station on the I'm
derground Railway.


Az early as 1908, before Indiana be-
came a state. the anti-slavery move
ment was started In Wayne county. II
was inaugurated by the Society of
Friends and was constantly fostered
until the outbreak Of the Civil War by
that organization.
Beginning about 1880 abolition So
cieties became more numerous
throughout the northern states. When
and where the Rrst abolition society in
this county was organized Is not
known definitely. In the spring of
1870 at the celebration held in Rich
mond over the adoption of the Fiji
teenth amendment Of the United
States constitution. Herbert b. Payne
presented a copy OF the constitution
and resolutions of the Richmond An
ti.slavery Society. auxiliary to the Am
erican Anti.slavery Society" The pa
per beors no date. but Mr.. Payne be-
lieved the society was formed In or
about the year 1897
Old Newport. now Fountain City.
was . hotbed OF abolitionists and was
one OF the principal stations of the
famous Underground Railway"
Oisrsearded the Law.
Many Wayne county people assiSted
in the rescue OF fugitive slaves disre.
garding both tho letter and the intent
of the law regarding the reclamation
of the law regarding the reclamation
OF such fugitives.
Arrests Of fugitive slaves were not
infrequcnt In this country prior to the
war; One slave was apprehended by
a claimant under oath and brought be-
fore Justice John G. Kibbey, but the
corroborative evidence of ownership
was insufficient to justify the rendition
seized the negro on the street and
when the latter tried to escape his al
legged owner felled him with a blow
of his hst The Southerner was then
arrested for assault and battery, was
convicted and It 10 understood. was
Aned. The negro was then conducted
to the woods by colored friends and
for several days was supplied with
food In his hiding place by Peter
johnson and others who. ultimately
helped him on his way to Canada.
One OF the most interesting places
In Fountain City 10 an old house. now
used ~ hotel. which was before the
war the station for the Under.
ground Railway" II was in this house
that the heroine of "Uncle Toms Cab
in" Elisa Harris. was hidden for
short time after her thrilling escape
across the Recovered Ohio river. 1t
was William Lacey. . native of Fount-
ain City who was first to assist this
famous fugitive a. she climbed the
Ohio bank Of the Ohio river. DIR. o.
N Hun In his article on "Anti.Slavery
Heroes Of Old Newport" has this to
say Of Elisa Harris:
story Of Eliza Harris.
"There was an organization Of
young men who obligated themselves
for certain duties in aid of the colored
people. John Lacey was relia-
bio worker and his son William Lacey
did more than any one was ever able
70 hnd out. He belonged to a sort of
secret service. the members of which
patroled the banks of the Ohio river.
watching for escaping slaves and d.
recting them to places Of safety.
"He was the man who assisted ELI.
% Harris. Of Uncle Toms Cabin fame
up the bank Of the river near Ripley.
O., after crossing II in midwinter with
her child. on the floating cakes of
ice. He connded to very few how
he watched with thrilling interest her
dash for liberty on the Kentucky side
with her pursuers In hot chase. When
shs reached the river she hesitated.
for II seemed hopeless. but when she
realized that she was certain to be cap
tured and separated from her child.
she clasped her boy more closely and
leaped upon q cake of floating ice and
from that on to another and another.
At times she appeared to be sinking
and II looked as though she must be
lost. but she would place her boy on
the nearest floating Ice and drag her.
self onto the same. and with renewed
courage continue her daring escape.
while Lacey on the one side and her
would-be captors on the other. witch.
ed with daxed interest. Finally with
both her and her child nearly frozen,
their clothing wet to the skin with ice
cold water. and almost exhausted. she
reached the Ohio side and was assist.
cd up the bank by William Lacey and
directed to = place Of safety and pro-
lection. In her farther flight to Can.
ada, she was shifted from the San.
dusky line to the Indiana line. which
passed through Newport. and she was
ut the home Of Levi CofIin number
OF days. Her name will live for cent.
urics In the story Of Uncle Toms Cab
In and the man who assisted her up
the Ohio bank, was at one time q resi-
dent OF Old Newport
PROBABLY THE LAST
pARADE M VCTCp ANc