John C. Henry,
T. Wright.
When this arrival made its appearance, it was at first sight quite
evident that one of the company was a man of more than ordinary parts,
both physically and mentally. Likewise, taking them individually, their
appearance and bearing tended largely to strengthen the idea that the
spirit of freedom was rapidly gaining ground in the minds of the slaves,
despite the efforts of the slave-holders to keep them in darkness. In
company with the three men, for whom the above large reward was offered,
came a woman by the name of Eliza Nokey.
As soon as the opportunity presented itself, the Active Committee
feeling an unusual desire to hear their story, began the investigation
by inquiring as to the cause of their escape, etc., which brought simple
and homely but earnest answers from each. These answers afforded the
best possible means of seeing Slavery in its natural, practical
workings--of obtaining such testimony and representations of the vile
system, as the most eloquent orator or able pen might labor in vain to
make clear and convincing, although this arrival had obviously been
owned by men of high standing. The fugitives themselves innocently
stated that one of the masters, who was in the habit of flogging adult
females, was a "moderate man." Josiah Bailey was the leader of this
party, and he appeared well-qualified for this position. He was about
twenty-nine years of age, and in no particular physically, did he seem
to be deficient. He was likewise civil and polite in his manners, and a
man of good common sense. He was held and oppressed by William H.
Hughlett, a farmer and dealer in ship timber, who had besides invested
in slaves to the number of forty head. In his habits he was generally
taken for a "moderate" and "fair" man, "though he was in the habit of
flogging the slaves--females as well as males," after they had arrived
at the age of maturity. This was not considered strange or cruel in
Maryland. Josiah was the "foreman" on the place, and was entrusted with
the management of hauling the ship-timber, and through harvesting and
busy seasons was required to lead in the fields. He was regarded as one
of the most valuable hands in that part of the country, being valued at
$2,000. Three weeks before he escaped, Joe was "stripped naked," and
"flogged" very cruelly by his master, simply because he had a dispute
with one of the fellow-servants, who had stolen, as Joe alleged, seven
dollars of his hard earnings. This flogging, produced in Joe's mind, an
unswerving determination to leave Slavery or die: to try his luck on the
Underground Rail Road at all hazards. The very name of Slavery, made the
fire fairly burn in his bones. Although a married man, having a wife and
three children (owned by Hughlett), he was not prepared to let his
affection for them keep him in chains--so Anna Maria, his wife, and his
children Ellen, Anna Maria, and Isabella, were shortly widowed and
orphaned by the slave lash.
William Bailey was owned by John C. Henry, a large slave-holder, and a
very "hard" one, if what William alleged of him was true. His story
certainly had every appearance of truthfulness. A recent brutal flogging
had "stiffened his back-bone," and furnished him with his excuse for not
being willing to continue in Maryland, working his strength away to
enrich his master, or the man who claimed to be such. The memorable
flogging, however, which caused him to seek flight on the Underground
Rail Road, was not administered by his master or on his master's
plantation. He was hired out, and it was in this situation that he was
so barbarously treated. Yet he considered his master more in fault than
the man to whom he was hired, but redress there was none, save to
escape.
The hour for forwarding the party by the Committee, came too soon to
allow time for the writing of any account of Peter Pennington and Eliza
Nokey. Suffice it to say, that in struggling through their journey,
their spirits never flagged; they had determined not to stop short of
Canada. They truly had a very high appreciation of freedom, but a very
poor opinion of Maryland.
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