 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|||
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
||||
|
||||
| . ARRIVAL FROM NEW ORLEANS, 1857. 405 he should lack neither friends nor money to aid him in the matter; and, moreover, his freedom would be publicly proclaimed. JIM thought well of both ways, but preferred not to meet his " kind-hearted " master and mistress in Court, aa he was not quite sure that he •would have the courage to face them and stand by his charges. This was not strange. Indeed not only slaves cowed before the eye of slave-holders. Did not even Northern men, superior in education and wealth, feqr to say their souls were their own in the same presence? JIM, therefore, concluded to throw himself u|x>n the protection of the Committee and take an Underground Rail Road ticket, and thereby spare himself and his master and mistress the disagrecablencss of meeting under such strange circumstances. The Committee arranged matters for him to the satisfaction of all concerned, and gave him a passport for her British majesty's possession, Canada. The unvarnished facts, as they were then recorded substantially from the lips of Jim, and as they are here reproduced, comprise only a very meagre part of his sadly interesting story. At the time Jim left his master and mistress so unceremoniously in Philadelphia, some excitement existed at the attempt of his master to recover him through the Police of Philadelphia, under the charge that he (Jim) had been stealing, as may be ?een from the following letter which appeared in the " National Anti-Slavery Standard :" ANOTHER SLAVE HUNT IX PHILADELPHIA. Pkibtdeljihia, Monday, July 27, 1857. Yesterday afternoon a rumor was afloat that a negro man named Jim. who had accompanied his master (Mr. Charles Parlangc), from New Orleans to this city, had left his master for the purpose of tasting the sweets of freedom. It was alleged by Mr. Parlange that the said ''Jim" had taken with him two tin boxes, one of which contained money. Mr. Parlange went, on his way to New York, via the Camden and Am hoy Railroad, and upon his arrival at the Walnut street wharf', with two ladies, " Jim " was missing. Mr. Parlange immediately made application to a Mr. Wallace, who is a Police officer stationed at the Walnut street dejwt. Mr. Wallace got into a carriage with Mr. Parlange and the two ladies, and, as Mr. Wallace statod, rlrove back to the Girard House, where "Jim " had not been heard of since he had left for the Walnut street wharf. A story was then set afloat to the effect, that a negro of certain, but very particular description (such as a Louisiana nigger-driver only can give), hud stolen two boxes as stated above. A notice signed " Clarke," was received at the Police Telegraph Office by the operator (David Wumlerly) containing a full description of Jim, also offering a reward of 8100 for his capture. This notice was telegraphed to all the wards in every section. Tins morning Mr. Wunderly found fault with the reporters using the information, and, |