The Underground Railroad
amounting to twenty-five cents per month. It so happened, that Richard
at this time, was involved in a matrimonial difficulty. Contrary to the
laws of North Carolina, he had lately married a free girl, which was an
indictable offence, and for which the penalty was then in soak for
him--said penalty to consist of thirty-nine lashes, and imprisonment at
the discretion of the judge.
So Abram and Richard put their heads together, and resolved to try the
Underground Rail Road. They concluded that liberty was worth dying for,
and that it was their duty to strike for Freedom even if it should cost
them their lives. The next thing needed, was information about the
Underground Rail Road. Before a great while the captain of a schooner
turned up, from Wilmington, Delaware. Learning that his voyage extended
to Philadelphia, they sought to find out whether this captain was true
to Freedom. To ascertain this fact required no little address. It had to
be done in such a way, that even the captain would not really understand
what they were up to, should he be found untrue. In this instance,
however, he was the right man in the right place, and very well
understood his business.
Abram and Richard made arrangements with him to bring them away; they
learned when the vessel would start, and that she was loaded with tar,
rosin, and spirits of turpentine, amongst which the captain was to
secrete them. But here came the difficulty. In order that slaves might
not be secreted in vessels, the slave-holders of North Carolina had
procured the enactment of a law requiring all vessels coming North to be
smoked.
To escape this dilemma, the inventive genius of Abram and Richard soon
devised a safe-guard against the smoke. This safe-guard consisted in
silk oil cloth shrouds, made large, with drawing strings, which, when
pulled over their heads, might be drawn very tightly around their
waists, whilst the process of smoking might be in operation. A bladder
of water and towels were provided, the latter to be wet and held to
their nostrils, should there be need. In this manner they had determined
to struggle against death for liberty. The hour approached for being at
the wharf. At the appointed time they were on hand ready to go on the
boat; the captain secreted them, according to agreement. They were ready
to run the risk of being smoked to death; but as good luck would have
it, the law was not carried into effect in this instance, so that the
"smell of smoke was not upon them." The effect of the turpentine,
however, of the nature of which they were totally ignorant, was worse,
if possible, than the smoke would have been. The blood was literally
drawn from them at every pore in frightful quantities. But as heroes of
the bravest type they resolved to continue steadfast as long as a pulse
continued to beat, and thus they finally conquered.
The invigorating northern air and the kind treatment of the Vigilance
Committee acted like a charm upon them, and they improved very rapidly
from their exhaustive and heavy loss of blood. Desiring to retain some
memorial of them, a member of the Committee begged one of their silk
shrouds, and likewise procured an artist to take the photograph of one
of them; which keepsakes have been valued very highly. In the regular
order of arrangements the wants of Abram and Richard were duly met by
the Committee, financially and otherwise, and they were forwarded to
Canada. After their safe arrival in Canada, Richard addressed a member
of the Committee thus:
KINGSTON, July 20, 1857.
MR. WILLIAM STILL--_Dear Friend_:--I take the opertunity of
wrighting a few lines to let you no that we air all in good
health hoping thos few lines may find you and your family
engoying the same blessing. We arived in King all saft Canada
West Abram Galway gos to work this morning at $1.75 per day and
John pediford is at work for mr george mink and i will opne a
shop for my self in a few days My wif will send a daugretipe to
your cair whitch you will pleas to send on to me Richard Edons
to the cair of George Mink Kingston C W
Yours with Respect,
RICHARD EDONS.
Abram, his comrade, allied himself faithfully to John Bull until Uncle
Sam became involved in the contest with the rebels. In this hour of need
Abram hastened back to North Carolina to help fight the battles of
Freedom. How well he acted his part, we are not informed. We only know
that, after the war was over, in the reconstruction of North Carolina,
Abram was promoted to a seat in its Senate. He died in office only a few
months since. The portrait is almost a "fac-simile."
* * * * *
JOHN PETTIFOOT.
Anglo-African and Anglo-Saxon were about equally mixed in the
organization of Mr. Pettifoot. His education, with regard to books, was
quite limited. He had, however, managed to steal the art of reading and
writing, to a certain extent. Notwithstanding the Patriarchal
Institution of the South, he was to all intents and purposes a rebel at
heart, consequently he resolved to take a trip on the Underground Rail
Road to Canada. So, greatly to the surprise of those whom he was
serving, he was one morning inquired for in vain. No one could tell what
had become of Jack no more than if he had vanished like a ghost.
Doubtless Messrs. McHenry and McCulloch were under the impression that
newspapers and money possessed great power and could, under the
circumstances, be used with entire effect. The following advertisement
is evidence, that Jack was much needed at the tobacco factory.
$100 REWARD--For the apprehension and delivery to us of a
MULATTO MAN, named John Massenberg, or John Henry Pettifoot, who
has been passing as free, under the name of Sydney. He is about
5 feet 6 or 8 inches high, spare made, bright, with a bushy head
of hair, curled under and a small moustache. Absconded a few
days ago from our Tobacco Factory.
McHENRY & MCCULLOCH.
ju 16 3t.
Jack was aware that a trap of this kind would most likely be set for
him, and that the large quantity of Anglo-Saxon blood in his veins would
not save him. He was aware, too, that he was the reputed son of a white
gentleman, who was a professional dentist, by the name of Dr. Peter
Cards. The Doctor, however, had been called away by death, so Jack could
see no hope or virtue in having a white father, although a "chivalric
gentleman," while living, and a man of high standing amongst
slave-holders. Jack was a member of the Baptist church, too, and hoped
he was a good Christian; but he could look for no favors from the
Church, or sympathy on the score of his being a Christian. He knew very
well were it known, that he had the love of freedom in his heart, or the
idea of the Underground Rail Road in his head, he would be regarded as
having committed the "unpardonable sin." So Jack looked to none of these
"broken reeds" in Richmond in the hour of his trial, but to Him above,
whom he had not seen, and to the Underground Rail Road. He felt pretty
well satisfied, that if Providence would aid him, and he could get a
conductor to put him on the right road to Canada, he would be all right.
Accordingly, he acted up to his best light, and thus he succeeded
admirably, as the sequel shows.
JOHN HENRY PETTIFOOT. John is a likely young man, quite bright in color
and in intellect also. He was the son of Peter Cards, a dentist by
profession, and a white man by complexion. As a general thing, he had
been used 'very well;' had no fault to find, except this year, being
hired to McHenry & McCulloch, tobacconists, of Petersburg, Va., whom he
found rather more oppressive than he agreed for, and supposing that he
had 'no right' to work for any body for nothing, he 'picked up his bed
and walked.' His mistress had told him that he was '_willed_ free,' at
her death, but John was not willing to wait her "motions to die."
He had a wife in Richmond, but was not allowed to visit her. He left one
sister and a step-father in bondage. Mr. Pettifoot reached Philadelphia
by the Richmond line of steamers, stowed away among the pots and cooking
utensils. On reaching the city, he at once surrendered himself into the
hands of the Committee, and was duly looked after by the regular acting
members.
* * * * *
EMANUEL T. WHITE.
EMANUEL was about twenty-five years of age, with seven-eighths of white
blood in his veins, medium size, and a very smart and likely-looking
piece of property generally. He had the good fortune to escape from
Edward H. Hubbert, a ship timber merchant of Norfolk, Va. Under
Hubbert's yoke he had served only five years, having been bought by him
from a certain Aldridge Mandrey, who was described as a "very cruel
man," and would "rather fight than eat." "I have licks that will carry
me to my grave, and will be there till the flesh rots off my bones,"
said Emanuel, adding that his master was a "_devil_," though a member of
the Reformed Methodist Church. But his mistress, he said, was a "right
nice little woman, and kept many licks off me." "If you said you were
sick, he would whip it out of you." From Mandrey he once fled, and was
gone two months, but was captured at Williamsburg, Va., and received a
severe flogging, and carried home. Hubbert finally sold Emanuel to a Mr.
Grigway of Norfolk; with Emanuel Mr. G. was pretty well suited, but his
wife was not--he had "too much white blood in him" for her. Grigway and
his wife were members of the Episcopal Church.
In this unhappy condition Emanuel found a conductor of the Underground
Rail Road. A secret passage was secured for him on one of the Richmond
steamers, and thus he escaped from his servitude. The Committee attended
to his wants, and forwarded him on as usual. From Syracuse, where he was
breathing quite freely under the protection of the Rev. J.W. Loguen, he
wrote the following letter:
SYRACUSE, July 29, 1857.
MY DEAR FRIEND, MR. STILL:--I got safe through to Syracuse, and
found the house of our friend, Mr. J.W. Loguen. Many thanks to
you for your kindness to me. I wish to say to you, dear sir,
that I expect my clothes will be sent to Dr. Landa, and I wish,
if you please, get them and send them to the care of Mr. Loguen,
at Syracuse, for me He will be in possession of my whereabouts
and will send them to me. Remember me to Mr. Landa and Miss
Millen Jespan, and much to you and your family.
Truly Yours,
MANUAL T. WHITE.
THE ESCAPE OF A CHILD FOURTEEN MONTHS OLD.
There is found the following brief memorandum on the Records of the
Underground Rail Road Book, dated July, 1857:
"A little child of fourteen months old was conveyed to its mother, who
had been compelled to flee without it nearly nine months ago."
While the circumstances connected with the coming of this slave child
were deeply interesting, no further particulars than the simple notice
above were at that time recorded. Fortunately, however, letters from the
good friends, who plucked this infant from the jaws of Slavery, have
been preserved to throw light on this little one, and to show how
true-hearted sympathizers with the Slave labored amid dangers and
difficulties to save the helpless bondman from oppression. It will be
observed, that both these friends wrote from Washington, D.C., the seat
of Government, where, if Slavery was not seen in its worst aspects, the
Government in its support of Slavery appeared in a most revolting light.
LETTER FROM "J.B."
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 12, 1857.
DEAR SIR:--Some of our citizens, I am told, lately left here for
Philadelphia, three of whom were arrested and brought back.