Still, William, Underground Rail Road:
A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters, Etc.

Porter & Coales, Publishers, Philadelphia, PA, 1872
Call Number: 1400, MSA L1117

MSA L1117, Image No: 206   Enlarge and print image (78K)

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Still, William, Underground Rail Road:
A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters, Etc.

Porter & Coales, Publishers, Philadelphia, PA, 1872
Call Number: 1400, MSA L1117

MSA L1117, Image No: 206   Enlarge and print image (78K)

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FLEEING QURL OF FIFTEEN IN MALE ATTIRE. 185 cap QQ. 'The writer turned to him and inquired, " I suppose you are the person Ijhafc the Dr. went to Washington after, are you not ?" " No," said " Joe." " Where are you from then?" was the next question. "From York, sir/' " From York ? Why then did the Dr. bring you here ?" was the next query, " the Dr. went expressly to Washington after a young girl, who was to be brought away dressed up as a boy, and I took you to be the person." Without replying " the lad " arose and walked out of the house. The querist, somewhat mystified, followed him, and then when the two were alone, u the lad " said, " I am the one the Dr. went after." After congratulating -her, the 'writer asked why she had said, that she was not from Washington, but from York. She explained, that the Dr. had strictly charged her not to own to any person, except the writer, that she was from Washington, but from York. As there were persons present (wife, hired girl, and a fugitive woman), when the questions were put to her, she felt that it would be a violation of her pledge to answer in the affirmative. Before this examination, neither of the individuals present for a moment entertained the slightest doubt but that she was a " lad," so well had she acted her part in every particular. She was dressed in a new suit, which fitted her quite nicely, and with her unusual amount of common sense, she appeared to be in no respect lacking. To send off a prize so rare and remarkable, as she was, without affording some of the stockholders and managers of the Road the pleasure of seeing her, was not to be thought of. In addition to the Vigilance Committee, quite a number of persons were invited to see her, and were greatly astonished. Indeed it was difficult to realize, that she was not a boy, even after becoming acquainted with the facts in the case. The following is an exact account of this case, as taken from the Underground Rail Road records: " THAJTKSGIVING DAY, Nov., 1855. Arrived, Ann Maria Weems, alias ' Joe Wright/ alias ' Ellen Capron,' from Washington, through the aid of Dr. H. She is about fifteen years of age, bright mulatto, well grown, smart and good-looking. For the last three years, or about that length of time, she has been owned by Charles M. Price, a negro trader, of Rockville, Maryland. Mr. P. was given to * intemperance/ to a very great extent, and gross ' profanity/ He buys and sells many slaves in the course of the year. ' His wife is cross and peevish.' She used to take great pleasure in 'torturing* one 'little slave boy.' He was the son of his master (and was owned by him); this was the chief cause of the mistress' spite." Ann Maria had always desired her freedom from childhood, and although not thirteen, when first advised to escape, she received the suggestion without hesitation, and ever after that time waited almost daily, for more than