An Incident

An Incident

At the close of my year's labor an episode occurred which created a great excitement in the vicinity. There was at that time a dozen or more colored mean about there who had taken "French Leave" of their masters and were at work for the farmers. One day as I was hitching up the horses after dinner to resume my work, I suddenly discovered a group of horsemen (13) in number, whom I recognized as slave holders by the broad-brim hats they wore.

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 I at once apprised Mr. Marshall, and turning over the team to him. started on a run to notify the colored boys of their danger. The cavalcade spurred after me with cries of "stop him," "stop him," but I turned into a ravine and eluded them, and gave the alarm which soon brought together a squad of eight persons, two of whom were white. Some had shotguns and others clubs, while the slaveholders were armed with Colt revolvers. When they came up a parley occured during which some hot talk ensued, our party ordering the others to leave or take the contents of the guns, as such as they were not wanted in Pennsylvania, nor anywhere else for that matter. They finally left, and as they rode away one of our party fired his gun into the air which greatly hastened the speed of the retiring party, who were not heard of again.

​

 Squire Marshall inserted a notice in the papers warning them that, if they came again, they would meet with a warm reception, and hospitable graves. This ended the last raid of the slave-holding, slave-catching cohorts to that station of the underground railroad.

At the close of my year's labor an episode occurred which created a great excitement in the vicinity. There was at that time a dozen or more colored mean about there who had taken "French Leave" of their masters and were at work for the farmers. One day as I was hitching up the horses after dinner to resume my work, I suddenly discovered a group of horsemen (13) in number, whom I recognized as slave holders by the broad-brim hats they wore.

​

 I at once apprised Mr. Marshall, and turning over the team to him. started on a run to notify the colored boys of their danger. The cavalcade spurred after me with cries of "stop him," "stop him," but I turned into a ravine and eluded them, and gave the alarm which soon brought together a squad of eight persons, two of whom were white. Some had shotguns and others clubs, while the slaveholders were armed with Colt revolvers. When they came up a parley occured during which some hot talk ensued, our party ordering the others to leave or take the contents of the guns, as such as they were not wanted in Pennsylvania, nor anywhere else for that matter. They finally left, and as they rode away one of our party fired his gun into the air which greatly hastened the speed of the retiring party, who were not heard of again.

​

 Squire Marshall inserted a notice in the papers warning them that, if they came again, they would meet with a warm reception, and hospitable graves. This ended the last raid of the slave-holding, slave-catching cohorts to that station of the underground railroad.

      Page 4: An Incident (you are here)

      Page 4: An Incident (you are here)

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