James, for convenience' sake, was supplied with two other names (Milton
Brown and John Johnson), not knowing exactly how many he would need in
freedom or which would be the best adapted to keep his whereabouts the
most completely veiled from his master.
George reported that he fled from Henry Harris, who lived near Baltimore
on the Peach Orchard Road, and that he had lived with said Harris all
his life. He spoke of him as being a "blustering man, who never liked
the slaves to make anything for themselves." George bore witness that
the usage which he had received had been hard; evidently his intellect
had been seriously injured by what he had suffered under his
task-master. George was of a very dark hue, but not quite up to medium
size.
James Henry Thompson did not accompany George, but met him at the
station in Philadelphia. He contrasted favorably with George, being
about twenty-eight years of age, with a countenance indicative of
intelligence and spirit. He was of a chestnut color and of average size.
He charged one Dennis Mannard, of Johnsonville, with being his personal
enemy as an oppressor, and added that he could "say nothing good of
him." He could say, however, that Mannard was bitterly opposed to a
slave's learning how to read, would not listen to the idea of giving
them any privileges, and tried to impress them with the idea that they
needed to know nothing but simply how to work hard for the benefit of
their masters and mistresses; in fulfilling these conditions faithfully
the end for which they had been designed would be accomplished according
to his doctrine.
Notwithstanding so much pains had been resorted to throughout the South
to impress these ideas upon the slaves, no converts were made.
James thought that the doctrine was infamous, and that it was dangerous
to live with such a man as his master; that freedom was as much his
right as it was his master's; and so he resolved to leave for Canada as
soon as he could see any chance for escape.
* * * * *