Elijah represented to the Committee that he had been held under the
enthrallment of a common "gambler and drunkard," who called himself by
the name of Campbell, and carried on his sporting operations in
Baltimore.
Under this gambler Elijah had been wronged up to the age of twenty-eight
years, when he resolved to escape. Having had several opportunities of
traveling through the United States and South America with his sporting
master, he managed to pick up quite an amount of information. For the
benefit of Elijah's relatives, if any should have occasion to look for
particulars concerning this lost individual, we add, that he was a
spare-built man of a dark color.
William Williamson fled from Mrs. Rebecca Davidge, of Perrymanville. He
declared that he had been used badly--had been worked hard and had been
fed and clothed but poorly. Under such treatment he had reached his
twenty-fourth year. Being of a resolute and determined mind, and feeling
considerably galled by the burdens heaped upon him, he resolved that he
would take his chances on the Underground Rail Road. The only complaint
that he had to make against his mistress was, that she hired him to a
man named Smith, a farmer, and a slave-holder of the meanest type, in
William's opinion. For many a day William will hold her responsible for
abuses he received from him.
* * * * *