The Cleveland Daily Herald

Cleveland, May 2, 1859

The Rescue Case – Trial of Langston.

EIGHTH DAY – MORNING SESSION.

      G.P. Barber, of Wellington, was present at Wellington on day of rescue; saw defendant, Langston, between three and four o’clock, going through a passage way from there to barn; thinks Langston had a gun, may be mistaken, two had hold of a gun and Langston was one, but whether he was handing the gun to the other man or was holding on to it, witness cannot say; the other man took the gun and Langston went into the house. Saw Langston again in that passageway, coming out of the house, with a man with a broad brim hat, half an hour interfering between the times of seeing them. The man with Langston said to him that he had seen the papers and they were all right and the only legal course was to get a writ of habeas corpus from Elyria to take John; that troops had been sent for to Cleveland, and would be there at five o’clock; but before you can get the writ the military will be here and it will be too late; the matter is in your own hands. Langston said they had better pursue a legal course. – Witness heard that the hook and ladder company was on its way from Oberlin to tear the house down.

      Wm. Siples, was at Wellington on the day of the rescue; saw Langston with other people near the back door of the house; half a dozen had guns and were marching back and forward; next saw Langston on the 2d floor of the house, this was towards night; he was in the hall on the stairs; others were in the hall, white men and colored men, one or two had guns; people were talking about getting a writ of habeas corpus, but some said force had been sent for and if it came before a writ did they would lose John. Langston said we will have him at any rate before he shall go South; this was half an hour before the rescue; was in the room with the slave and Mitchell, Jennings, Lowe, &c.; saw Jennings show his Power of Attorney to those who were in the room; Manderville was there but was considerably in liquor; witness was up in the room all the time except when he went once for water and twice to bring people to see the papers.