I ran across an intriguing fugitive slave case in Buffalo, and don't know whether it has ever been written up (if it hasn't, here's a project for someone). On August 15, 1851, a fugitive slave named "Daniel" who had been working as a cook on the steamer "Buckeye State" was arrested. During his arrest, he was hit on the head by the slavecatcher, a Mr. Rust, who was the agent of Daniel's supposed owner, George J. Moore of Louisville, KY. Word of the arrest and the injury to Daniel was spread, and a crowd tried to stop the carriage as Daniel was being taken to the Court House. Daniel was held as a fugitive, and Mr. Rust arrested for assult and battery. Rust was fined $50 and a further writ served on him for private damages to Daniel (also called Davis in some stories). Rust later pays $20 to Daniel for private damages. There is some maneuvering in court, and it is finally determined that Daniel had been taken (or sent) by his master to Ohio, and was therefore free. In the middle of this there was a letter published in one of the papers, supposedly from Daniel, addressed to the "Colored Population of Buffalo" saying he had been well treated as a slave, had done wrong in running away, and when he returned to Kentucky was going to advise the other slaves that they were better where they were. This letter was treated with some skepticism, and it should be noted that when Daniel was released, he immediately headed to Canada. The Buffalo Express published a sarcastic poem, which included the following: Bring your chains with clank and clatter, If they're free, why, that's no matter, One good oath will make them yours; Search our quiet homes, and hook them; Knock them on the head, and cook them; Northern patience long endures. Never mind the race or color, Be it white or something duller, One's the rule for you and me; Get some southron foe to swear it:- Bring the thong and we must wear it; Where's the law to prove us free? [The Express was emphatically on the side of the fugitive in this case.] Anyway, seems like an interesting case, and if it hasn't been researched before, it looks like it ought to be. Christopher Densmore University Archives University at Buffalo 420 Capen Hall Box 602200 Buffalo, New York 14260-2200 Voice: 716-645-2916 Fax: 716-645-3714 E-Mail: [log in to unmask]