Local Matters

LOCAL MATTERS

Running off a Slave.- Richard, the property of Mr. P. Fox, made his appearance before the Mayor last Saturday morning, to answer the charge of aiding his nephew Tazewell, slave to Mr. Thomas Jones, to escape from here to a free State. The evidence relied upon to sustain this charge was Columbus, slave to B. Catogni, who testified, that about three weeks ago, the prisoner came into Mr. Pedro's store where he is living, and asked witness if he knew Tazewell. Witness answered that he did. Prisoner then remarked that Tazewell had run away. Witness asked what for. Prisoner answered "have you not seen the advertisement offering $100 reward for him." Witness said he had not. Prisoner then asked, "don't you want to give Tazewell something to eat!" Witness replied that he had nothing to do with giving Tazewell anything to eat, but if he wanted something to tell him to come there. Prisoner replied "you have bread and cakes enough here, that you could give him." At this point in the conversation a lady and two children entered the store and the prisoner left. on the following Tuesday the prisoner again called at Pedro's store, and resumed the conversation about Tazewell. He told witness that he had loaned Tazewell forty dollars, and that he was gone to a free country. Witness asked him how he went, and he answered "on the first boat." The conversation was again interrupted by the entrance of a customer, and the prisoner left. Some few days after this, the prisoner returned to the store and told witness that Tazewell was in a free State, and that his wife would get a letter from him in a short time. Witness asked him how he got away. Prisoner answered "I loaned him $40 and he left on the cars." Witness said, "You told me before that he left on the first boat." "Oh!" said the prisoner, "that is only a saying among the boys, he left on the cars. There are two Dutch boys on the hill that will furnish any one a pass that will take them through the State for $25." The witness repeated these facts to watchman Bibb soon after the occurrence, who informed Capt. Wilkinson of them, and the prisoner was thereupon arrested.

The Mayor remanded the accused for trial at the next term of the Hastings Court. If convicted, the punishment is the lash and transportation.