The Fugitive Slave Law and Its Victims: Anti-Slavery Tracts No. 18 — John Shaqi
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)
On the morning of the 29th, Sheriff Brashears, being advised
by lawyers that Judge Burgoyne had no right to issue his writ
for the slaves, and remembering Judge McLean's decision in
the Rosetta case, made a return on the writ of _habeas
corpus_, that the slaves were in the custody of the United
States Marshal, and, therefore, without his jurisdiction.
This returned the slaves to the custody of the Marshal. By
agreement, the parties permitted the slaves to remain in the
county jail during that day, with the understanding that
their examination should commence the next morning, before
Commissioner Pendery. An inquest had been held on the body of
the child which was killed, and a verdict was found by the
jury charging the death of the child upon the mother, who it
was said would be held under the laws of Ohio to answer the
charge of murder. An examination took place on Wednesday,
before the United States Commissioner. Time was allowed their
counsel to obtain evidence to show that they had been brought
into the State at former times by their masters. A meeting of
citizens was held on Thursday evening, to express sympathy
with the alleged fugitives.
The _Cincinnati Commercial_ of January 30, said:--The mother
is of an interesting appearance, a mulatto of considerable
intelligence of manner, and with a good address. In reply to
a gentleman who yesterday complimented her upon the looks of
her little boy, she said, "You should have seen my little
girl that--that--[she did not like to say, was killed]--that
died, that was the bird."
The _Cincinnati Gazette_, of January 30, said:--We learn that
the mother of the dead child acknowledges that she had killed
it, and that her determination was to have killed all the
children, and then destroy herself, rather than return to
slavery. She and the others complain of cruel treatment on
the part of their master, and allege that as the cause of
their attempted escape.
The coroner's jury, after examining the citizens present at
the time of the arrest, went to the jail last evening, and
examined the grandmother of the child--one of the slaves. She
testified that the mother, when she saw they would be
captured, caught a butcher knife and ran to the children,
saying she would kill them rather than to have them return to
slavery, and cut the throat of the child, calling on the
grandmother to help her kill them. The grandmother said she
would not do it, and hid under a bed.
The jury gave a verdict as follows:--That said child was
killed by its mother, Margaret Garner, with a butcher knife,
with which she cut its throat.
Two of the jurors also find that the two men arrested as
fugitives were accessories to the murder.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account