Philadelphia Correspondence

Kidnapping - Death of Miller - Escape of George Williams - Release of all the Christiana Prisoners.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS, ESQ: You have heard, doubtless, of the brutal kidnapping of Rachel Parker, living in the family of James C. Miller, West Notingham, Chester Co., Pa. This daring outrage was committed in open day, and in defiance of the most positive assertions and efforts, made at the moment, by Mr. Miller and his wife, in favor of Rachel's freedom. She had lived with them for 6 or 7 years, and they were fully satisfied that she was free. But the remonstrance and efforts of Mr. M. and his wife, proving quite too insufficient to prevent the captors from carrying out their fiendish design, they were compelled to submit to the horrible result.

Rachel had acquired for herself, though young, the character of being a good and faithful servant, well-known, and generally respected. Of course, the outrage and insult committed by McCreary, (the notorious kidnapper) and his abettors, against Rachel and Mr. Miller's family, was of a character too heinous to be endured: consequently, Mr. M. immediately communicated the intelligence to his neighbors, when himself and seven other friends, started for Baltimore, in pursuit of Rachel, and the monsters who had stolen her away. They arrived in Baltimore, soon after McCreary, and his company; and on going to the slave-prison, there they found Rachel, though not before a perjured slave-holder, by the name of Schoolfield, had been there and claimed her. Mr. Miller and his friends, with some difficulty, succeeded in having McCreary arrested, and placed under $900, bail for kidnapping: after they had done everything, in favor of her freedom, that seemed possible, or necessary, at the time; and had been cursed and threatened most inhumanly; and had even been charged with the offense of killing Gorsuch, in the Christiana affray, they then concluded to return home. So apprehensive were their friends in Baltimore, as well as themselves that preparations were being made to do them personal violence, that they were strictly cautioned not to expose themselves in the streets, or about the cars, before the time of starting. This advice they endeavored to adhere to strictly. But it is not unreasonable to suppose that the plans of the assassins, imboldened by the strong and tyrannical influence of Baltimore, was altogether too monstrous to be foiled by the caution of the ill-fated and defenseless Miller. That Miller was captured by his adversaries, before the cars left Baltimore, there cannot be the shadow of a doubt. How he was captured, is a question which may be hard to answer, conclusively; but one thing is certain, Miller was missed by his friends, before the cars started; also, suspicious characters were observed, in and out of the cars; besides, it was in the evening, a fit time for the dreadful deed of murder; that he was on the platform of the cars, smoking, when last seen alive his friends, is clear. The cars started with Miller's seven companions, they being quite doubtful as to his fate. A part of them kept home, while others stopped on the way, to wait and hunt for him. Finding he did not arrive, as they had hoped, some friends concluded to return and make a thorough search after him, when, to their horror, they learned that he had been found hung - dead! I will give you a brief specimen of the conduct and procedure of the Coroner's jury. Spectators, while the body was being examined, and also the disposition of the dead body, after the mack examination had been concluded. Remember, the statement which I am about to make, came from a source by no means to be doubted. To blind the public mind, and at the same time, to screen the assassins from the guilt of the high-handed murder, doubtless, was the chief object of the Coroner's jury. The Coroner himself is a tavern-keeper, and among the jury of inquests, were tavern-keepers and drunkards; one of them had his bottle of whiskey in his pocket, which he used freely, besides helping the rest of his associates to the same. When examining Mr. Miller, to ascertain if he had been murdered, none of his clothing was removed from his person by the Coroner's jury, except his cap, and great coat. In this manner, they conducted the solemnity; in the meanwhile, however, they did not fail to curse and abuse the Philadelphia abolitionists in the grossest manner. Of course, they decided that Miller committed suicide. Their next heinous step, was to procure some very rough pine boards, length and width, cut with an axe, then nailed together; after which, Mr. Miller was placed within. The lid of the coffin (box) being too narrow for a covering, by about two inches, was nevertheless used in that form. A hole was dug in the mud, about two feet, into which Miller, clothes, box, &c., were buried. But this is not all. After Mr. Miller's friends had learned the result of his death, Coroner's inquest, &c., they went and demanded his body; when, on examining him, they found the box, literally full of Miller, clothes and dirt. Before they arrived home with the body, they were informed by telegraph, that the body must be returned for re-examination. Accordingly, they took him back. A tavern in the neighborhood of the late Gorsuch, had been selected as the most suitable location for the Coroner's jury to perform their duty of re-examination, Here, the mob accumulated in large numbers, and exhibited their voracious savagery in a manner very terrible, indeed, to the Pennsylvanians. The District Attorney addressed the mob, which had the effect to quiet them, somewhat, for a short time, probably saving the lives of some Pennsylvanians. But the decision of the Coroner's jury, in this case, was precisely similar to the one given in the first. So it appears that the pretensions of the Marylanders, to do ample justice, was, at least, only for the purpose of more effectually completing their malicious crime. In that, they succeeded, especially with the pro-slavery press of this State. But it is the universal belief of Mr. Miller's friends, and the generous of all classes, so far as I have been able to learn, that he was murdered. To be sure, there has been a good deal of mystery, as to how they got him. This difficulty is easily reconciled by reflecting that tyrants lack neither willingness, ability, power of concealment, nor a vile, public sentiment, to sustain them in a deed so horrible. Maryland has nothing to fear from Pennsylvania. If she was to kill scores of her best citizens, under the garb of contending for "rights," it is a question whether the press of Pennsylvania would dare come out boldly and condemn them.
Rachel is still in prison, and her liberty most fearfully periled. She has already produced sixteen highly respectable white citizens, who have known her from her infancy, who testified before a magistrate in Baltimore, most unequivocally to the fact of Rachel having been born free; and also, her having lived all her life in the immediate neighborhood from whence witnesses came. Notwithstanding such clear and conclusive testimony on the side of Rachel, McCreary and his band had the hardihood to produce perjured testimony, doubtless, easy to be had in Baltimore in sufficient numbers, to render unavailing, the testimony on the other side. One of McCreary's witnesses, (a notorious knave,) swore that Miller had told him that he knew the girl was a slave, and he, (Miller) was acting in unison with McCreary; but to blind the abolitionists, he was to pretend to be the friend of Rachel; the hanging of himself, witness attributed to his fears that the abolitionists would find him out. But Rachel is to have another trial, when, it is the intention of her friends to produce fifty respectable witnesses, if need be, and also to bring testimony against one of McCreary's chief witnesses, to prove him guilty of counterfeiting, and other villanous practices.
Since writing the above, I have seen a letter from a respectable physician, residing near the residence of the late Mr. Miller. - The writer, in connection with another physician, had, by request of the family and friends, made a very thorough post mortem examination of Miller's person; the bowels and stomach being thoroughly tested, the result of which, proved very obviously that he had been poisoned with arsenic, before he was hung. The most reasonable inference, now is, as to the motive by which McCreary and his band was actuated, is simply as follows: They evidently designed to take Rachel with a full knowledge of her freedom, supposing that many of her white friends, knowing her to be free, would go down to Baltimore in pursuit of her; when the blood-thirsty Marylanders would avail themselves of the chance to wreak their vengeance upon them without mercy. Threats of hanging Pennsylvania abolitionists; if found in Maryland, were freely made during the Christiana treason trials; doubtless, this case is the commencement. I have no knowledge, however, that Miller ever had made any professions to anti-slavery. As regards his character, the testimony of all whom I have heard speak of him, proves him to be highly-respectable, and exemplary in his deportment.

THE CHRISTIANA PRISONERS. - Within the last month, the Christiana prisoners have all been released. At the first releasement, George Williams, a fugitive, who was among the number. Much anxiety had been felt by Williams' friends, who knew of his imminent danger. The tyrant who claimed him, in company with Kline, and Lee, (slave-hunters' tools,) had frequently gone to see him in the prison. This fact was known to George and his friends, pretty generally; but little hope, of course, could be entertained for his freedom. Nevertheless, George retained a good degree of courage, and was cheerful. When the day arrived for the departure of the prisoners form this city to Lancaster, Kline and claimant were on hand, and very eagerly watched the motion of the officers, who had the prisoners in charge. Consequently, George, and the eight others, after getting to Lancaster, were discharged, about seven o'clock, P.M. That was the moment of George's deepest gloom. The tyrants seized him without delay, and doubtless supposed that they had sealed him finally as their prey. Kline having heard that a warrant had been issued for his special benefit, deemed it doubly important for himself and company to make a hasty departure. Irons were securely fixed upon George, and a carriage having been provided, they had nothing to do, but to start. They drove rapidly to Penningtonville, a distance of about sixteen miles, where they concluded they could safely stop all night, and in the morning take the early train for Philadelphia, in order to get Mr. Commissioner Ingraham to add his seal to their bond. Consequently, George was taken into the bar-room, to be watched until morning, by Kline and claimant. But, happily for George, sleep, and perhaps rum, captivated his adversaries so effectually, as to afford him a moment's time to attend to a little business without; after which he had no inclination to return to his "Dear old master." In the morning when Kline and claimant woke up, to their great astonishment they found George among the absents: and themselves in the "affected neighborhood." Another experiment of trying to capture slave, they doubtless deemed inexpedient. Ten dollars was liberally offered to any of the men about the tavern, if the would go in search of him, but the offer not being accepted by any one, an exhibition of terror seemed to be all the consolation left for Kline and claimant, so they jumped in the first train and came to this city. In a week or so after the release of George, and the eight others, three more of the prisoners were released. On last Saturday, the gratifying intelligence came that "all the Christiana prisoners had been released;" the grand jury being "unable to find any bills against any of them. What will Gov. Lowe think of that? I suppose one would not miss it much, by comparing him with a certain savage looking character, representing the "Austrian Boar," exhibited on a large canvass, in this city, near the Exchange, during the great Kossuth fever. This "Austrian Boar' contained a head shaped like a hog, and black with madness, because his tyranical savagery was defeated. Doubtless this was Gov. Lowe's condition, on receiving the intelligence of the release of "all the Christiana prisoners." Contrary to the fears of many friends, not a fugitive did the slave-holders get after all their labor. Samuel Williams' case for misdemeanor is still pending in the U.S. Circuit Court, for giving me the information up at Christiana that kidnappers were about, &c., but no one doubts but what he will be released also.
Yours, W.S.