From the Archives: Newspapers:
First-hand account of Harrison Williams Capture

Appearing in the FREDERICK DOUGLASS PAPER, Rochester, New York
November 6, 1851

INTERESTING LETTER - THE FUGITIVE SLAVE HARRISON.

It will be remembered that Harrison, a fugitive slave, was seized a short time since at Busti, in the region of Buffalo, hurried before Commissioner H.K. Smith and by that functionary very summarily sent back to slavery. 

 The accomplished wife of the Rev. Mr. Hunter, of Charleston, was in Busti, at the time, on a visit to her parents, and wrote to her husband a thrilling detail of the outrage, committed in the name of law. We have been kindly permitted to make extracts from her letter, which we know will be perused with painful interest, by all our readers. It will be seen, that when the letter was written, the writer had not learned the action of Commissioner Smith. - Ohio Star.

BUSTI, Oct. 3d, 1851.

"Last February there were seven colored boys from the more northern part of Virginia, came into town on their way to Canada. The people thought they had better stop here and go to work, and so they all soon hired out within a few miles of my father's. Among the seven there were two that left wives, and they felt so sure that they could go back and get them, that they left here in August for that purpose. In the attempt, one was taken, and he was forced to reveal the residence of the rest, and immediately two slaveholders, with three men from Virginia, for witnesses, came to Mr. Smith of Buffalo, and got out a warrant for the five remaining boys, and two others that had been in Jamestown five or six years. There were twelve men in three carriages and not to excite suspicion, part of them wore bonnets and shawls and veils and appeared like a company of gentlemen and lady travelers. They first went to Mr. Levi Jones; where some lived and searched the house and barn; but he was away, and they did not find him. This was about sunrise in the morning. They then drove very fast to Mr. Storum's, where Harrison, the fugitive, and Mr. Storum were in the yard milking the cows. Lewis and Milton Clark were in the house. One carriage drove up to the door - a man got out and inquired if Lewis Clark was in Mr. Clark answered that he was in the vicinity. "Well, sir, are you the man?" "He is in the vicinity, sir," said Mr. Clark, and shut the door and buttoned it, but the slaveholder on the outside, pushed it so hard that the button burst off. Mr. Clark went round fastening the doors and then went to his room to load his pistols, and then thought perhaps, he had better go down and help keep the ruffians out, for by this time bonnets and shawls were off, and the men were mostly out of the carriage. While this was going on at the house, five men went to the milk yard. Two took hold of Mr. Storum, three laid hold of Harrison, and dragged him through the mud to the road, and there were two more standing which chains, which they put on, and thrust him into the carriage and drove off very fast. As soon as Lewis and Milton saw what was going on in the milk-yard, they started to the rescue but it was too late and Lewis jumped on to a horse in hot pursuit crying, crying "stop the kidnappers, stop the kidnappers," and when they got to Jamestown there were thirty men, armed, after them. But they drove through very fast. Mr. Clarke and Bacchus went to, Esq. Hazeltine for a writ of Habeas Corpus. Mr. H. said he could give a writ, but it would do no good, for if the slaveholders should prove property, the Judge could only deliver him his property, and all the good it would do would be to detain them a few minutes. Mr. Bacchus said give us the writ, and while the Judge is examining the papers, we will take care of the rest. Mr. Hazeltine said, "if this is what you want, to get up a mob, get out of my office! I don't know who you are, nor what you want, but OUT OF HERE, I won't have anything to do with it!" So they got no writ. They then telegraphed to Buffalo to have the friends there rescue the boy, and Mr. Sherman followed on but they cannot learn that they ever took the boy before a commissioner. The probability is, that he was a put on board the cars at Dunkirk, for New York. The slave-holders left word, that as soon as they got Harrison in safe keeping, they were coming back after the rest. But they are now in safety.

Last night there was a large meeting of the people, of this vicinity, where they pledged themselves to be ready at the signal, of a cannon, to go well armed in pursuit of any kidnappers that should come into town, looking for slaves.

There is some move being made to purchase the boy Harrison, but whether he can be had, they do not know. Lewis Clarke says he will give one hundred dollars. Lewis will no doubt be sent for soon, but he cannot be taken without bloodshed. He goes armed with two revolvers, a bowie knife and a lead mallet. He made an appeal to the people of this town last night, which was very eloquent. He said he had thought much of what he should do; whether he should go to Canada, or buy himself. Sometimes he felt degraded to live under and support a government that afforded him no protection. But he would look at in another light. He was bound here by the strongest ties that could bind a man to a community. He had married him a wife and buried her here. He had tried to be a faithful citizen. He was not willing to leave, if any other way could be devised. This community feel that slavery has something to do with them, at least, and they are awake. Some feel that it would be a blessing to have the Union dissolved. Others think the time has fully come, when every man should demand the freedom of the slave at the point of the bayonet. But I cannot enlarge. The slaveholders have left their abettors, as spies, all over town, so that if any of the fugitives should be seen, they may know it immediately and come back and grab again. But they are all gone, except Lewis Clarke, and he will be on the lookout, and every ready for them, and every person in that vicinity will do all that can be done to save him.

We had a most thrilling appeal from Milton Clark, who lives in Boston, but came here on a visit, and is now with us. I shall have occasion to refer to this again when I see you."