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
Beginning to appear quite nervous, he said "You see in that there is a
statement that you would know where he's at work, and," taking out his
watch, "I see we'll have to hurry to get to Adrian by train time and if
you'll be so kind as to tell me where to find him as they are very
anxiously waiting for us, I shall be obliged to you. It would be a
great disappointment if we should fail to reach Detroit when the next
train goes in."
He walked to and fro across the room, first to the door, then to the
window, in a hurried, excited manner, while I was purposely detaining
him to see him tremble. I was quite satisfied that he was a bogus coin
by the index of his face. When I told him, at length, that he was
working in Chatham, Canada West, and that I wrote this direction to
avoid any possible scheme or plot to return him to hopeless bondage,
his face reddened and voice trembled as he replied "I don't know any
thing about it, only what Mr. Hallack told me. That is every thing that
I know in this matter."
I told him what Mr. Hallack had informed him was all right, and he
could tell him to send the family on the first train from Windsor to
Chatham, and they would meet William there. He bowed, "I thank you;"
but looked as if his words very much misrepresented him.
By the time he was out of sight I had my horse and buggy ready, to
follow him to Adrian, to telegraph Horace Hallack and George De Baptist
to forward a dispatch to William Anderson, Chatham, Canada West, to
leave that city without an hour's delay, as I was satisfied his enemies
from Missouri were after him, and probably would take him as a
murderer. The telegram was sent, and he obeyed its request.
Within two days my caller was there, inquiring for William, and was
told by a number that he had been at work in town some time, but left a
couple of days before, but knew not where he went. After a few days'
search and inquiries in that town, he returned to Detroit, and for the
first time called on Horace Hallack to inform him that he was in search
of a colored man by the name of William Anderson, who was a free man,
that had committed in the State of Missouri a cold-blooded murder of a
Baptist deacon, for the paltry sum of five dollars, and he understood
he had been quite recently in Chatham, Canada, but had left that city.
He, would like advice as to what course to pursue to ascertain his
whereabouts. Horace Hallack referred him to George De Baptist, who was
well acquainted with leading colored men in many localities both in
Canada and this side the river.
Our Missourian was now in good hands, as I followed my dispatch to them
with a long letter, giving William Anderson's experience in detail.
George De Baptist told him if he had been a slave, he would have taken
every measure within his reach to protect him in his freedom.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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