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Story
October 26, 1853
The Democratic Sentinel
Cadiz, Harrison County, Ohio
What is this article about?
Fifteen to twenty escaped slaves in a Western U.S. city, surrounded by slave catchers, disguise themselves as a funeral procession to evade capture and flee toward Canada.
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
A Queer Funeral.
A correspondent of the Norwich (Conn.) Examiner writes:
Between fifteen and twenty slaves commenced a stampede from one of the Southern States not long since, and arrived safely in a city of the West, which is somewhat famous as a gateway out of the house of bondage, when to their utter consternation, they found that their movements had been anticipated, and every avenue leading from the city was watched day and night for their apprehension. What was to be done? It was hard to think of going back. Scouts reported that it was impossible to elude the vigilance of a well paid, numerous and unscrupulous police, which was surrounding the city as a body guard. Those who think colored people do not know enough to take care of themselves, would have given their case up as hopeless, but not they. Thinking that even a hireling slave catcher would suffer a funeral procession to pass unmolested upon the public road, a number of carriages were hired, coffin and hearse also procured, and on a summer's afternoon, the careless, passing throng saw, as they supposed, a colored funeral procession slowly winding its way out of the city. The cortege attracted little attention, quietly and without interruption it passed several miles beyond the town, where wagons were in waiting. Hearse and carriages were then dismissed, and near a score of the happy children of this model republic (!) went rattling along, under the friendly cover of night, as fast as possible toward Victoria's cold domains.
A correspondent of the Norwich (Conn.) Examiner writes:
Between fifteen and twenty slaves commenced a stampede from one of the Southern States not long since, and arrived safely in a city of the West, which is somewhat famous as a gateway out of the house of bondage, when to their utter consternation, they found that their movements had been anticipated, and every avenue leading from the city was watched day and night for their apprehension. What was to be done? It was hard to think of going back. Scouts reported that it was impossible to elude the vigilance of a well paid, numerous and unscrupulous police, which was surrounding the city as a body guard. Those who think colored people do not know enough to take care of themselves, would have given their case up as hopeless, but not they. Thinking that even a hireling slave catcher would suffer a funeral procession to pass unmolested upon the public road, a number of carriages were hired, coffin and hearse also procured, and on a summer's afternoon, the careless, passing throng saw, as they supposed, a colored funeral procession slowly winding its way out of the city. The cortege attracted little attention, quietly and without interruption it passed several miles beyond the town, where wagons were in waiting. Hearse and carriages were then dismissed, and near a score of the happy children of this model republic (!) went rattling along, under the friendly cover of night, as fast as possible toward Victoria's cold domains.
What sub-type of article is it?
Adventure
Deception Fraud
Survival
What themes does it cover?
Deception
Survival
Triumph
What keywords are associated?
Slave Escape
Funeral Disguise
Slave Catchers
Underground Railroad
Path To Canada
Where did it happen?
City Of The West, En Route To Canada
Story Details
Location
City Of The West, En Route To Canada
Story Details
Between fifteen and twenty slaves escape from a Southern State to a Western city but find it guarded by slave catchers. They disguise as a funeral procession using hired carriages, hearse, and coffin to exit undetected, then continue by wagon at night toward Canada.