Henry was left free by the will of his mistress (Elizabeth Mann), but
the heirs were making desperate efforts to overturn this instrument. Of
this, there was so much danger with a Richmond court, that Henry feared
that the chances were against him; that the court was not honest enough
to do him justice. Being a man of marked native foresight, he concluded
that the less he talked about freedom and the more he acted the sooner
he would be out of his difficulties. He was called upon, however, to
settle certain minor matters, before he could see his way clear to move
in the direction of Canada; for instance, he had a wife on his mind to
dispose of in some way, but how he could not tell. Again, he was not in
the secret of the Underground Rail Road movement; he knew that many got
off, but how they managed it he was ignorant. If he could settle these
two points satisfactorily, he thought that he would be willing to endure
any sacrifice for the sake of his freedom. He found an agent of the
Underground Rail Road, and after surmounting various difficulties, this
point was settled. As good luck would have it, his wife, who was a free
woman, although she heard the secret with great sorrow, had the good
sense to regard his step for the best, and thus he was free to contend
with all other dangers on the way.
He encountered the usual suffering, and on his arrival experienced the
wonted pleasure. He was a man of forty-one years of age, spare made,
with straight hair, and Indian complexion, with the Indian's aversion to
Slavery.
Turner, who was a fellow-passenger with Henry, arrived also from
Richmond. He was about twenty-one, a bright, smart, prepossessing young
man. He fled from A.A. Mosen, a lawyer, represented to be one of the
first in the city, and a firm believer in Slavery. Turner differed
widely with his master with reference to this question, although, for
prudential reasons, he chose not to give his opinion to said Mosen.
* * * * *