The Fugitive Slave Law and Its Victims: Anti-Slavery Tracts No. 18May, Samuel
History
The Fugitive Slave Law and Its Victims: Anti-Slavery Tracts No. 18
May, Samuel
Fugitive slaves -- United States; United States -- Fugitive slave law (1850)
ANTHONY BURNS, arrested in Boston, May 24, 1854, as the slave
of Charles F. Suttle, of Alexandria, Virginia, who was
present to claim him, accompanied by a witness from Richmond,
Virginia, named William Brent. Burns was arrested on a
warrant granted by United States Commissioner Edward Greeley
Loring, taken to the court-house in Boston, ironed, and
placed in an upper story room under a strong guard. The
hearing commenced the next morning before Mr. Loring, but was
adjourned until Saturday; May 27, to give the counsel for A.
Burns time to examine the case. On Friday evening, (26th,) an
attack was made upon the court-house by a body of men, with
the evident design of rescuing Burns; a door was forced in,
and one of the marshal's special guard, (named Batchelder,)
was killed, whether by the assailants or by one of his own
party is uncertain, it being quite dark; upon the cry of
Batchelder that he was killed, the attacking party retreated
and made no further attempt. The trial of the case proceeded
on Saturday, again on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, when
the Commissioner said he would give his decision on Friday.
During the trial, Burns was continually surrounded by a
numerous body-guard, (said to be at least one hundred and
twenty-five men,) selected by Watson Freeman, United States
Marshal, from the vilest sinks of scoundrelism, corruption,
and crime in the city to be Deputy Marshals for the occasion.
These men, with every form of loathsome impurity and
hardened villainy stamped upon their faces, sat constantly
around the prisoner while in the court-room, the handles of
pistols and revolvers visibly protruding from their breast
pockets. A company of United States troops, from the Navy
Yard, occupied the court-house, and guarded all avenues to
the United States court-room. The testimony of numerous
highly respectable witnesses was adduced to show that Anthony
Burns was in Boston a month earlier than the time at which he
was said to have left Richmond. R.H. Dana, Jr. and Charles M.
Ellis, counsel for Burns, made very eloquent and able
arguments in his behalf. Seth J. Thomas and E.G. Parker were
the counsel for Suttle, the case being constantly watched and
aided by the United States District Attorney, Benjamin F.
Hallett, who was in regular telegraphic communication with
the President of the United States, (F. Pierce,) at
Washington. An effort was made, and followed up with much
patience, to buy Burns's freedom, Suttle having offered to
sell him for $1,200. The money was raised and tendered to
Suttle, when difficulties were interposed, especially by Mr.
Attorney Hallett, and the attempt failed. Suttle afterwards
declared he would not sell Burns for any sum, but that he
should go back to Virginia.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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