Charles Heise (Heisey) (b. circa 1840 - d. ?)
MSA SC 5496-3396
Accomplice to slave flight, Prince George's County, Maryland, 1863
Biography:
Slaves held in the Confederate states generally received freedom via the Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863. Maryland had not seceded from the Union, however, so enslaved Marylanders remained in bondage throughout 1863.1 On November 17, 1863, Charles Heise was convicted by the Prince George's County Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro, Maryland for aiding the slaves of William A. Talburtt in escape. Heise, a twenty-three year old white man born in South Carolina, was sentenced to six years and six months in the Maryland State Penitentiary. During the trial Heise pled not guilty to the first charge of aiding slaves John, Lethe, Louisa, Dick and Eveline in escaping from their owner William A. Talburtt on July 5, 1863. However, witnesses Fielder B. Suih, Daniel Lowe and William A. Talburtt testified against Heise claiming he acted willingly and knowingly. The jury found Heise guilty, but dismissed a further charge against Heise for aiding the escape of a slave belonging to John E. Bowie.2
Within days of the sentencing, Judge George Brent, who presided over Heise's trial, the State's Attorney, Shelby Clark, and members of both the Petit and Grand juries petitioned Governor Augustus W. Bradford to pardon Heise. His supporters based their requests on the grounds that, as a carriage driver, Heise had no knowledge of the crime he was committing by transporting the slaves. Charles Heise's supporters wrote that Heise was following the directions of his employer, Kemp, and was actually not a criminal, but an innocent victim and unknowing participant in this incident. Shelby Clark's letter also requested that Heise not be transported to the Maryland State Penitentiary until news arrived of whether his pardon had been granted or denied.3 However, the Circuit Court committed Heise to the Penitentiary on November 25, 1863.4 Governor Bradford pardoned Charles Heise on December 15, 1863 and he was released from prison on December 16, 1863.5
Sources:
1. Toomey, Daniel Carroll. The Civil
War in Maryland. (Baltimore: Toomey Press, 1983), 64, 71, 98.
2. PRINCE
GEORGE'S COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT (Minutes) Charles Heise, April 1863,
p 19, MSA C 1267-24, MdHR 5967-2.
3. SECRETARY
OF STATE (Pardon Papers) Charles Heisey (Heise), 1863, Box 60, Folder
10, MSA S 1031-22, MdHR 5401-60.
4. MARYLAND
PENITENTIARY (Commitments) Charles Heise, #5893, MSA S 270-3, MdHR
5688-3.
5. SECRETARY OF STATE (Pardon Record) Charles
Heisey (Heise), p 390, MSA S 1108-2, MdHR 7931;
GOVERNOR
(Proceedings) Charles Heise (Heisey), p 159, MSA S 1072-5, MdHR 7897;
MARYLAND PENITENTIARY (Prisoners Record) Charles
Heise, Prisoner # 5839, MSA S 275-2, MdHR 5656.
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