Aiding Slaves to Escape

On Tuesday last, before the Bracken Circuit Court, two free Negroes named Henry and Isaac Rumsay, were tried for assisting a negro belonging to Walter Linn to make his escape some time since.  Isaac was acquitted, but the jury could not agree as to Henry.

Another free negro named Dr. Perkins, indicted for aiding off (by taking across the river) a slave of Blackstone H. Rankins, in Sept., 1852, was convicted and sanctioned to the penitentiary for three years.  He is nearly 70 years old.

Two white men - one Cripps, a school teacher, and James Cooper - were indicted for the same offense as the negroes first named.  Cripps gave $5,000 bail and was released.  Cooper is in jail awaiting his trial at the next May term.

It is generally believed that Cripps will forfeit his bail, and not appear for trial.  We understand that he declared while lying in jail in Brooksville, that he had done nothing but what he would do again; that he would help any man out of slavery; that he regarded slaveholding as so great a sin that no slave-holder could be a Christian, that he would as soon marry a negro woman s a white woman, but for the disgrace of the children, etc., etc.  It is believed he came to the State especially to aid in the escape of negroes.  On being bailed, he left immediately for Ohio, so we hear.

originally from the Maysville Eagle, as reprinted in the Covington Journal of November 26, 1853.