A Woman's Life-Work — Labors and Experiences of Laura S. HavilandHaviland, Laura S. (Laura Smith)
Religion
A Woman's Life-Work — Labors and Experiences of Laura S. Haviland
Haviland, Laura S. (Laura Smith)
Freed persons; Haviland, Laura S. (Laura Smith), 1808-1898; Underground Railroad
The reward for the nine slaves was doubled on the second day of their
exodus. All the clew the hunters got of their whereabouts was from the
boy they met at the ferry. He could not read the names on the streets,
and could only point as near as he knew in the direction where they all
left. He told them he didn't know there were any in the wagon but
"black Mary," till they all got out; then she told him to go to Walnut
Street ferry, and he drove two or three blocks when he stopped and
cried, because he didn't know where to find Walnut Street. Then a man
came and told him to stop crying and he'd drive him to the ferry. They
went to Hall's, on Macallister Street, but not one was left there five
minutes. They were conducted to different hiding-places, and not one
was left within a half a mile to a mile from that part of the city.
Slave-hunters were paid from three dollars to seven dollars a day for
watching around those suspected streets and those leading northward.
The family were dressed in disguise and taken out in three carriages,
closed, and two white men in front, that gave an impression at sight of
a load of white people. At noon-day, in this manner, they rounded the
corners, where were standing some of their hunters who were receiving
their seven dollars a day, as was ascertained by a scheme gotten up by
the colored people.
The next evening after the nine fugitives were taken northward, they
drove a double carriage into an alley near North Street, and the same
number of colored people, so closely watched for, were hustled in with
haste, and driven off with speed. The call to "_Stop_, HALT," was not
heeded, until the police rushed at the increased cry, "_Stop thief_,
STOP THIEF," and slackened their pace. But while the excited crowd
gathered to see the police arrest the thieves, the colored man beside
the driver demanded the reason why he and his ladies should receive
this insult to hinder their pleasure ride. By throwing a light from
their dark lantern in the faces of their pursuers, the hunters they had
suspected were recognized, to their great annoyance. There were those
among them who would not have been exposed, perhaps, for half the
amount of the reward.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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