You are here:   Cambria > Books > History of Cambria County, V.1

190	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
They were supposed to be carefully guarded, but one night they disappeared. No one knew how, nor where they were, at least the officers did not know.      Maxwell and Compston made diligent search, and for some reason Maxwell appeared before Samuel Douglass, a justice of the peace, in Johnstown, on February 13th, and charged two citizens with the shooting thus: "doth say that on Friday, the 10th day of February, * * a certain * * * acknowledged that be did shoot a Blackman by the name of Abraham, in the knee & and from all information that this deponent hath received he has just reason to believe that a certain * * * did shoot one other Black man by the name of Patrick, in the back, both being mortally wounded, "being slaves of Dr. John Sheard of the State of Virginia, and that a * * * was also concerned in aiding and assisting in the same, etc."      One of these defendants was arrested, and an indictment presented to the grand jury of Cambria county, charging him with shooting Patrick in the back, with a rifle, with the intent to kill. The witnesses before the grand jury were Edward Maxwell, C. Horner, Esq., William Sleek or Slick, Justice Varner, and Amelia Heltzel. The foreman of the jury, M. Leavey, returned "not a true bill."      On the 27th of February, Mr. Smith, the constable, made an information before Samuel Douglass, Esq., as follows: "That he held under arrest two black men as slaves belonging to John Sheard of the State of Virginia for eight or ten days past, and the said Black men made their escape from the custody of the said S. J. Smith, constable, on Friday night, the 24th day of February, instant, and that he doth suspect Henry Willis, Esq., William Barnett, John Myers, Esq., Wallace Fortune, Isaac Weatherington, John Cushon, and Frederick Kaylor of aiding and assisting the said Black men away from his custody."      The defendants were brought before Justice Douglass, and a hearing was held on March 3d, when he entered this judgment: "No ground for prosecution, Suit dismissed." The truth was, that as soon as the wounded boys were able to travel, their friends had filled the bed of a wagon with hay, on which they were laid and covered with the same light material, and the driver started north through Hinekston's run road. Under these terrible conditions was the freedom for the fugitives acquired.      After the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, which was

Title Page

Contents

Image