The Underground Railroad
worked there; nor as a common drudge, for she had always been required
to fill higher spheres; she was a dress-maker--but not without fear of
the auction block. This dreaded destiny was the motive which constrained
her to escape with the twenty others; secreted in the hold of a vessel
expressly arranged for bringing away slaves. Death had robbed her of her
husband at the time that the fever raged so fearfully in Norfolk. This
sad event deprived her of the hope she had of being purchased by her
husband, as he had intended. She was haunted by the constant thought of
again being sold, as she had once been, and as she had witnessed the
sale of her sister's four children after the death of their mother.
Phillis was, to use her own striking expression in a state of "great
horror;" she felt, that nothing would relieve her but freedom. After
having fully pondered the prospect of her freedom and the only mode
offered by which she could escape, she consented to endure bravely
whatever of suffering and trial might fall to her lot in the
undertaking--and as was the case with thousands of others, she
succeeded. She remained several days in the family of a member of the
Committee in Philadelphia, favorably impressing all who saw her. As she
had formed a very high opinion of Boston, from having heard it so
thoroughly reviled in Norfolk, she desired to go there. The Committee
made no objections, gave her a free ticket, etc. From that time to the
present, she has ever sustained a good Christian character, and as an
industrious, upright, and intelligent woman, she has been and is highly
respected by all who know her. The following letter is characteristic of
her:
BOSTON, March 22, 1858.
MY DEAR SIR--I received your photograph by Mr Cooper and it
afforded me much pleasure to do so i hope that these few lines
may find you and your family well as it leaves me and little
Dicky at present i have no interesting news to tell you more
than there is a great revival of religion through the land i all
most forgoten to thank you for your kindness and our little Dick
he is very wild and goes to school and it is my desire and
prayer for him to grow up a useful man i wish you would try to
gain some information from Norfolk and write me word how the
times are there for i am afraid to write. i wish yoo would see
the Doctor for me and ask him if he could carefully find out any
way that we could steal little Johny for i think to raise nine
or ten hundred dollars for such a child is outraigust. just at
this time i feel as if i would rather steal him than to buy him.
give my kinde regards to the Dr and his family tell Miss Margret
and Mrs Landy that i would like to see them out here this summer
again to have a nice time in Cambridge Miss Walker that spent
the evening with me in Cambridge sens much love to yoo and Mrs.
Landy give my kindes regards to Mrs Still and children and
receive a portion for yoo self. i have no more to say at present
but remain yoor respectfully.
FLARECE P. GAULT.
When you write direct yoo letters Mrs. Flarece P. Gault, No 62
Pinkney St.
* * * * *
ARRIVALS FROM DIFFERENT PLACES.
MATILDA MAHONEY,--DR. J.W. PENNINGTON'S BROTHER AND SONS CAPTURED AND
CARRIED BACK.
While many sympathized with the slave in his chains, and freely wept
over his destiny, or gave money to help buy his freedom, but few could
be found who were willing to take the risk of going into the South, and
standing face to face with Slavery, in order to conduct a panting slave
to freedom. The undertaking was too fearful to think of in most cases.
But there were instances when men and women too, moved by the love of
freedom, would take their lives in their hands, beard the lion in his
den, and nobly rescue the oppressed. Such an instance is found in the
case of Matilda Mahoney, in Baltimore.
The story of Matilda must be very brief, although it is full of
thrilling interest. She was twenty-one years of age in 1854, when she
escaped and came to Philadelphia, a handsome young woman, of a light
complexion, quite refined in her manners, and in short, possessing great
personal attractions. But her situation as a slave was critical, as will
be seen.
Her claimant was Wm. Rigard, of Frederick, Md., who hired her to a Mr.
Reese, in Baltimore; in this situation her duties were general housework
and nursing. With these labors, she was not, however, so much
dissatisfied as she was with other circumstances of a more alarming
nature: her old master was tottering on the verge of the grave, and his
son, a trader in New Orleans. These facts kept Matilda in extreme
anxiety. For two years prior to her escape, the young trader had been
trying to influence his father to let him have her for the Southern
market; but the old man had not consented. Of course the trader knew
quite well, that an "article" of her appearance would command readily a
very high price in the New Orleans market. But Matilda's attractions had
won the heart of a young man in the North, one who had known her in
Baltimore in earlier days, and this lover was willing to make desperate
efforts to rescue her from her perilous situation. Whether or not he had
nerve enough to venture down to Baltimore to accompany his intended away
on the Underground Rail Road, his presence would not have aided in the
case. He had, however, a friend who consented to go to Baltimore on this
desperate mission. The friend was James Jefferson, of Providence, R.I.
With the strategy of a skilled soldier, Mr. Jefferson hurried to the
Monumental City, and almost under the eyes of the slave-holders, and
slave-catchers, despite of pro slavery breastworks, seized his prize and
speeded her away on the Underground Railway, before her owner was made
acquainted with the fact of her intended escape. On Matilda's arrival at
the station in Philadelphia, several other passengers from different
points, happened to come to hand just at that time, and gave great
solicitude and anxiety to the Committee. Among these were a man and his
wife and their four children, (noticed elsewhere), from Maryland.
Likewise an interesting and intelligent young girl who had been almost
miraculously rescued from the prison-house at Norfolk, and in addition
to these, the brother of J.W. Pennington, D.D., with his two sons.
While it was a great gratification to have travelers coming along so
fast, and especially to observe in every countenance, determination,
rare manly and womanly bearing, with remarkable intelligence, it must be
admitted, that the acting committee felt at the same time, a very lively
dread of the slave-hunters, and were on their guard. Arrangements were
made to send the fugitives on by different trains, and in various
directions. Matilda and all the others with the exception of the father
and two sons (relatives of Dr. Pennington) successfully escaped and
reached their longed-for haven in a free land. The Penningtons, however,
although pains had been taken to apprize the Doctor of the good news of
the coming of his kin, whom he had not seen for many, many years, were
captured after being in New York some twenty-four hours. In answer to an
advisory letter from the secretary of the Committee the following from
the Doctor is explicit, relative to his wishes and feelings with regard
to their being sent on to New York.
29 6th AVENUE, NEW YORK, May 24th, 1854.
MY DEAR MR. STILL:--Your kind letter of the 22d inst has come to
hand and I have to thank you for your offices of benevolence to
my bone and my flesh, I have had the pleasure of doing a little
for your brother Peter, but I do not think it an offset. My
burden has been great about these brethren. I hope they have
started on to me. Many thanks, my good friend.
Yours Truly.
J.W.C. PENNINGTON.
This letter only served to intensify the deep interest which had already
been awakened for the safety of all concerned. At the same time also it
made the duty of the Committee clear with regard to forwarding them to
N.Y. Immediately, therefore, the Doctor's brother and sons were
furnished with free tickets and were as carefully cautioned as possible
with regard to slave-hunters, if encountered on the road. In company
with several other Underground Rail Road passengers, under the care of
an intelligent guide, all were sent off in due order, looking quite as
well as the most respectable of their race from any part of the country.
The Committee in New York, with the Doctor, were on the look out of
course; thus without difficulty all arrived safely in the Empire City.
It would seem that the coming of his brother and sons so overpowered the
Doctor that he forgot how imminent their danger was. The meeting and
interview was doubtless very joyous. Few perhaps could realize, even in
imagination, the feelings that filled their hearts, as the Doctor and
his brother reverted to their boyhood, when they were both slaves
together in Maryland; the separation--the escape of the former many
years previous--the contrast, one elevated to the dignity of a Doctor of
Divinity, a scholar and noted clergyman, and as such well known in the
United States, and Great Britain, whilst, at the same time, his brother
and kin were held in chains, compelled to do unrequited labor, to come
and go at the bidding of another. Were not these reflections enough to
incapacitate the Doctor for the time being, for cool thought as to how
he should best guard against the enemy? Indeed, in view of Slavery and
its horrid features, the wonder is, not that more was not done, but that
any thing was done, that the victims were not driven almost out of their
senses. But time rolled on until nearly twenty-four hours had passed,
and while reposing their fatigued and weary limbs in bed, just before
day-break, hyena-like the slave-hunters pounced upon all three of them,
and soon had them hand-cuffed and hurried off to a United States'
Commissioner's office. Armed with the Fugitive Law, and a strong guard
of officers to carry it out, resistance would have been simply useless.
Ere the morning sun arose the sad news was borne by the telegraph wires
to all parts of the country of this awful calamity on the Underground
Rail Road.
Scarcely less painful to the Committee was the news of this accident,
than the news of a disaster, resulting in the loss of several lives, on
the Camden and Amboy Road, would have been to its managers. This was the
first accident that had ever taken place on the road after passengers
had reached the Philadelphia Committee, although, in various instances,
slave-hunters had been within a hair's breadth of their prey.
All that was reported respecting the arrest and return of the Doctor's
kin, so disgraceful to Christianity and civilization, is taken from the
Liberator, as follows:
THREE FUGITIVE SLAVES ARRESTED IN NEW YORK, AND GIVEN UP TO
THEIR OWNERS.
NEW YORK, May 25th.
About three o'clock this morning, three colored men, father and
two sons, known as Jake, Bob, and Stephen Pennington, were
arrested at the instance of David Smith and Jacob Grove, of
Washington Co., Md., who claimed them as their slaves. They were
taken before Commissioner Morton, of the United States Court,
and it was understood that they would be examined at 11 o'clock;
instead of that, however, the case was heard at once, no persons
being present, when the claimnants testified that they were the
owners of said slaves and that they escaped from their service
at Baltimore, on Sunday last.
From what we can gather of the proceedings, the fugitives