The city was thrown into much excitement yesterday morning by the information that a party of slaves, sixteen in all, that made a stampede from Kentucky to this side of the river. Other circumstances, however, which afterward transpired, have imparted a degree of horrible interest to the affair different to that which usually attends a stampede of Negroes.
The story involves Simon Garner, his two parents, his wife Margaret, and their four children. It seems that about ten o'clock on Sunday night the party took a pair of horses and a sleigh to Covington, left the team standing outside of the Washington House, where it was found by the landlord, the horses very much blown from the severe manner in which they had been driven. In the meantime the party of eight crossed the river on the ice and took refuge in a house rented by a Negro named Kite, well known for years in this city. Young Kite was well acquainted with the parties, for he has himself lived in their neighborhood, having been formerly owned there, but his father purchased his freedom some time since.
Mr. Marshall of Kentucky owns Simon Garner and his parents. Margaret and the children are owned by Mr. Gaines who lives near Mr. Marshal
Early yesterday morning, Mr. Gaines, accompanied by a son of Mr. Marshall, arrived in this city in pursuit of the fugitives.
Mr. Gaines and Mr. Marshal had a warrant and gave it to the United States Marshal. The US Marshall, having received information of the hiding place of the fugitives, collected a posse of officers, some from Kentucky and others belonging to this city, and with Mr. Gaines, Mr. Marshall, jr., they proceeded to the home of Kite.
When they arrived there they found the doors and windows were locked. After pounding at the door, Kite looked out of a window and at first agreed to admit them, but afterward refused. They were about to force an entrance and young Simon fired from the window with a revolver. A bullet struck the finger of one of the deputized marshals, and then lodged in his upper lip, leaving the finger hanging by a mere thread.
Upon this the door was burst in, when Simon fired three more shots at the party, fortunately, however, without either taking effect. Mr. Gaines seized him by the wrist and wrenched the pistol from his hand before he could fire the other two barrels off, it being a six-shooter.
But a deed of horror had already been carried out. Soaked in its blood, the throat being cut from ear to ear and the head almost severed from the body, upon the floor lay one of the children of the younger couple, a girl three years old. In a back room, crouched beneath the bed, two more of the children, boys, of two and five years, were moaning, the one having received two gashes in its throat, the other a cut upon the head.
As the party entered the room the mother was seen wielding a heavy shovel, and before she could be secured she inflicted a heavy blow with it upon the face of the infant, which was lying upon the floor. The whole party was arrested and medical aid was given to the little sufferers whose wounds were not of a fatal character. Then all were carried to the office of the United States Marshal. The United States Commissioner Pendery has fixed the hearing of the case for this morning at nine o'clock.
Coroner Menzies immediately hastened to the spot where the dead body of the child was found. He questioned the first five people who had burst into the room, but no one could shed any light on what had happened or if it was the father or the mother who had committed the bloody deed. A hearing of the testimony was postponed until this morning.
The only information was from the eldest boy said that the folks in the house had injured them. When taken to the office of the United States Marshal, the older woman declared that the children had received their wounds in the melee, which followed the entrance of the posse into the house. This fast is known to be untrue. The fearful act lies between one and the other of the miserable parents, perhaps both, but doubtless, the truth will be brought out by the Coroner to day.
The old couple is mild and rather intelligent in their appearance; the mother of the children is a good-looking, hearty black woman, while her husband looks like he has been well cared for. In fact, young Mr. Marshall states that he has always treated Simon more as a companion than a slave; they have been playmates in childhood and have grown up together, "And now," said he, "if money can save him from the effect of any rash act he has committed I am willing to give it to any amount."
After the United States Commissioner had adjourned the hearing of the case until this morning, a couple of carriages were hired for conveying the fugitives to the Hammond-street Station-house. A crowd however, was assembled in the street, and their threats alarmed the hack men for the safety of their carriages. The prisoners walked under the supervision of a strong escort. Some threats were made by a portion of the mob, but no violence or attempt at rescue was made. Later, they were lodged for safer keeping in the County Jail.
In the meantime, the leading Abolitionists busied themselves, and a writ of habeas corpus was procured, commanding the United States Marshal to produce the fugitives before Judge Burgoyne of the Probate Court; they, however, were allowed to remain in Jail, and will be brought before the United States Commissioner, as previously arranged.
There is much excitement existing, the bloody episode having invested the affair with a tinge of fearful, although romantic interest. The Abolitionists regard the parents of the murdered child as a hero and heroine, teeming with lofty and holy emotions, who would rather cover their hands in the blood of their offspring than allow them to wear the shackles of slavery, while others look upon them as brutal and unnatural murderers.
At any rate, the affair will furnish some employment to lawyers as well as officers, as extra force from the latter being necessary to prevent rescue while the case is pending.
