Sunday, September 10, 2017

Jacob Bigelow to William Still, Tuesday, September 11, 1855

Tuesday, 11th September. The attempt was made on Sunday to forward the merchandize, but failed through no fault of any of the parties that I now know of. It will be repeated soon, and you shall know the result.

“Whorra for Judge Kane.” I feel so indignant at the man, that it is not easy to write the foregoing sentence, and yet who is helping our cause like Kane and Douglas, not forgetting Stringfellow. I hope soon to know that this reaches you in safety.

It often happens that light freight would be offered to Captain B., but the ,owners cannot by possibility advance the amount of freight. I wish it were possible in some such extreme cases, that after advancing all they have, some public fund should be found to pay the balance or at least lend it.

[I wish here to caution you against the supposition that I would do any act, or say a word towards helping servants to escape. Although I hate slavery so much, I keep my hands clear of any such wicked or illegal act.]

Yours, very truly,
J. B.

Will you recollect, hereafter, that in any of my future letters, in which I may use [   ] whatever words may be within the brackets are intended to have no signification whatever to you, only to blind the eyes of the uninitiated. You will find an example at the close of my letter.

SOURCES: The Daily Dispatch, Richmond, Virginia, Monday, July 27, 1857, p. 4; William Still, The Underground Railroad: A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters &c., p. 179

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