Arrest of Fugitive Slaves

On the 25th of March last two slaves, aged respectively 22 and 25, made their escape from Dover, Mason County, Ky.  They proceeded to Canada, where they remained until a few days since, when they made their appearance in this city.  The object of their return is stated to have been the hope of inducing other slaves in Mason to follow their example, together with the North Star, until they were safe out of the States, where the Fugitive Slave Law could not reach them.

Their master, by some means, got intelligence of their arrival at this place, and immediately went to work himself, and secured the services of Government officers with the view to their recapture.  He caused a writ to be issued on the 24th, which was placed in the hands of United States Deputy Marshals W. L. Manson and B. P. Churchill.  These gentlemen succeeded last night in arresting the fugitives near the Little Miami Depot, while they were in a carriage on their way to New-Richmond.  The officers jumped into the carriage very unexpectedly to the fugitives, who at once felt for their knives and pistols.  One of them succeeded in getting out his knife, but the firmness of the officers, who threatened at once to annihilate them if they made the slightest resistance, rather awed them, when they submitted to be disarmed, and were at once handcuffed, but with considerable difficulty as their wrists were too large for the irons, requiring considerable force to be pressed over them.

They were taken before Commissioner Newhall at 8 o'clock, who at first declined entering into an examination at that hour, but the owner being present insisted on his right to a speedy examination, which was at once entered into.  The slaves were identified as the property of Mr. Ingraham, by the Sheriff of Mason and other witness; when the necessary papers were made out, and the slaves were placed in a covered hack, and in company with Officer Manson and Churchill, they were taken in quick time across the ferry boat and delivered safe and sound [!] to Andy Harod, the jailor at Covington.  The slaves were valued at $3,000.  We understand it is the intention of their master to transfer them to Lexington, Ky., at once, deeming them rather unsafe property near the Ohio River.

from the New York Times of August 30, 1858, reprinting an earlier article from the Cincinnati Times of August 27, 1858