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: 333   Enlarge and print image (48K)

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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: 333   Enlarge and print image (48K)

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SUNDRY ARRIVALS. 311 set oat with William, like pilgrims and strangers seeking a better country— where they would not have to go "hungry" and be "worked hard in all weather," threatened with the auction-block, and brutally flogged if they merely seemed nnwilliug to endure a yoke too grievous to be borne. Both these travelers were mulatto**, and but for the crushing influences that they had lived under would have made smart men—as it was they showed plainly, that they were men of shrewd sense. Inadvertently at the time of their arrival, the names of the State and place whence they fled were not entered on the book. In traveling they suffered severely from hunger aud the long distance they had to walk, but having succeeded victoriously they were prepared to rejoice all the more. DAVID EDWARDS. John J. Slater, coachmaker of Petersburg, Virginia, if he is still living, and should see these items, may solve what may have been for years a great mystery to him—namely, that David, his manservant, was enjoying himself in Philadelphia about the first week in January, 1855, receiving free accommodations and obtaining letters of introduction to friends in Canada. Furthermore, that David alleged that he was induced to escape because he (the coachmaker) was a very hard man, who took every dollar of his earnings, from which he \vould dole out to him only one dollar a week for board, etc., a sum less than David could manage to get along with. David was thirty years of age, black, weighed one hundred and forty-five pounds, and was worth one thousand dollars. He left his wife behind. BEVKRLY GOOD anil GEORGE WALKER, alias Austin Valentine. These passengers came from Petersburg, per steamship Pennsylvania. Richard Perry was lording it over Bcverly, who was a young man of twenty-four years of age, dark, medium size, and possessed of a quick intellect—just the man that an Underground Rail Road agent in the South could approach with assurance with questions such as these—" What do you think of Slavery ?" " Diil you ever hoar of the Underground Rail Road ?" " How would you like to be free?'' "Would you be willing to go to Canada if you could get off safely,'' etc., etc. Such questions at once kindled into a flame the sparks of freedom lying dormant in the heart. Although uttered in a whisper, they had a wondrous ring about them, and a wide-awake bondman instantly grasped their moaning. Bevcrly was of this class; he needed no arguments to prove that he was daily robbed of his rights—that Slavery was merciless and freedom the GiKl-given right of all mankind. Of him, therefore, there was no four that he would betray his trust or flinch too soon when cramped up in his hiding-place on the steamer. His comrade, George, was likewise of the same mettle, and wa/i aided in the same way. George, however, had more age on his side, beiug about