Year: 1861




You need not answer all my questions
you may commit yourself


No fear of that, sir; am perfectly will
ling to answer all your questions, there il
nothing 10 conceal


. lie then asked many more-as when l had
lived in New York; where had lived. ant
what ! had been doing? | answered oil
readily. Then asked civilly, il he woult
allow me ask TO him some questions. WhC
had said had tampercd with slaves l hat
never held any conversation in their hearing
No; he could not listen to me then, nor be.
fore these, pointing TO those around him


If you can think of any one that will e
your bail, will send for him or else you
must 80 to JAIL said he.


told him should not ask any bail.


Well, 20 to Jail, you cannot speak here
my officer is waiting to take you to jail


walked through the streets by the side
Of the constable to the Jail which was u,
some distance; during this time two men
were sent 10 search my room. They broke
open my trunks and bundles, unrolled every
parcel, trying to find papers or letters; bu,
they found nothing they wanted, though
they carried of one or two OF my letters.
When got to the Jail was faint and ex.
hausted. IL was six o'clock on the second
day. had not had a morscl of food for
nearly forty-eight hours. sent to the
house which | had left, and just before the
Jail was to be shut up for the night, the la
dy of the house appeared at the door. She
had not been allowed to sec me before,
though she had tried repeatedly. IL she
had not come Just then. should not have
had anything until the next day when the
prison rations were served. The jailer told
me must take leave of my friend and go to
my quarters with the rest, us hc was to lock
up the Jail for the night. The lady asked
If | should be comfortable. lie said yes, l
should fare like the rest; he could make no
distinction without orders. so then was
to be u prisoner again, and not alone, but
with such poor wretches as are the usual in
habtants of such places; two drunken, alb
andoned women were to share room with me.


This is Jail, madam, said the .jailcr, as
he opened the door OF the miserable cell,
you cannot expect much here thought
he was indeed right not an article of fur
niturc, nothing but n dirty blanket on the
floor to sleep on. Locked in here with such
company, with the roar of the bloodhounds
that were lOosed for the night to guard the
yard, with the ceilings and clankings Of
chains Of the male prisoners, passed anoth-
er terrible night. l am certain could not
have endured all the privations Of this place
had the orders of the magistrates been strict
ly carried out.


The sheriff visited the Jail after two or
three days. He was quite different man and
appeared anxious to to do all he could for
me; afterwards had room to myself, and
my friends were permitted to send me such
articles of furniture us | needed, from the
place where lived. He also allowed the
Sisters of Charity to visit me, who with one
other lady, daily supplied my wants, and
made me as comfortable as | could be in
that situation. They used their influence
to effect my release, procured me counsel
and did all they could to serve me; they also
sent one of their friends, with a petition for
my release to the State Attorney, Judge
Wayne, but he would not listen to it. A
German gentleman offered to procure bail,
and spoke more warmly in my behalf than
il suited these hon. gentleman to hear. No
amount of bail need now be offered, they
said; should stay in Jail and stand my
trial. Before night four warrants were out
for his arrest; he had to leave even his
clothing, and steal out of the city, or he too
would have gone to Jail.


AS for myself. sent no petition, wanted
no fayors. But justice and my liberty de-
manded. The Rev DIR. Howe, of st. Phil
ip's Church, visited me with Judge Pringle,
on hearing was member of his church.
They said they were sorry to see me n pris.
oner, asking, Why are you here, and what
have you done p told them my story, and
that was there on charge of treason and
sedition, which was most ridiculous, as well
us false the treason was on their own part,
not on mine.


You have said you were an abolitionist,
said the minister.


Yes.'


'Oh, we'll that's treason, that's 'sedition,
most undoubtedly waving his hand as If
that were foregoue conclusion.


'0h, no, answered. it's quite useless
to try to persuade me that have been gull
ty OF anything like that; know what treas
ON and seditlOn are as well as you. know
what the constitutional laws of our country
are; claim their protection. You are ac-
countablc to them ; you are not out Of the
union yet


.Well, we have slaves, and we mean to
keep them; own them myself. We arr
irresponsible despots, you must know (; we
have laws here that strictly forbid ,any
such expressions Us you have made


Such laws are nothing to me. am no
slave. IL you claim to be despots. / have
my rights, and mean to have them respect


The minister advised me to send petition
to the mayor and State Attorney lfIwould
90 home Immediately, he would see what he
could do for me. positively refused to send
any petition, as had suffered and been most
shamefully wrongcd. would not consent
to be smuggled of in disgrace. would be
very glad to 90 as soon us could leave hon.
orably. l turned to Judge Pringlc and ask
cd il he would give Inc writ OF habeas cor.
pus. Hc would hear what the other party
had to say.


The minister showed me some triding IA
yors in the way of ailording me SOME bodily
comforts, which declined. They both
seemed much pcrplexed. and to do these gen.
tlemen Justice, believe they were heartily
ashamed of the whole Transaction Mr..
Northorp offered his services as my counsel
He seemed convinced that wha. said was
entirely true but they were talking Of rev
olution, and legal proceedings would DO ol
little or no account, so was convinced thai
need not expect anything but to remain in
iail I did not know how long,


then wrote to Mayor Wood, Of New
York, knowing he had much influence with
the Charleston people; l related the facts
substantially as have done here, praying
him to take measures for my release, or 4
make my case known to the governor.
received his answer, directed to the care oI
Mayor Macbeth; the following is an exact
copy:


.M,roR's OrncE, New York, Oct. 23


NJ Rot,sf,rd Madam have received