The Cleveland Daily Herald

Cleveland, May 3, 1859

The Rescue Trials.

      After about a week’s vacation the trial of Langston again proceeds. On this case Lowe and Davis appear as witnesses. Lowe does not appear like a bad man, but he makes a wretched show on the witness stand. He has the worst memory imaginable, or else a very convenient one, and what knowledge of facts he retains only betrays such ignorance a to the duties of an officer as to prove him utterly unfit to act as Deputy Marshal.

      Davis is the man who shackled the non-resistant school teacher, Lincoln, and threw him into a jail at Columbus, to consort with thieves and vermin. Any one who contrast the physical proportions of the two men will agree with us that it had been just as courageous in Davis to have put shackles on any one of Lincoln’s female pupils as it was to put them on Lincoln.

      We forgot to state that on Monday Judge Spalding asked for an early sentence in the Bushnell case. The Court said the present confinement of Bushnell would be taken into account when sentence should be pronounced.

Rescue Case – Trial of Langston.

EIGHTH DAY – AFTERNOON SESSION.

      Mr. Siples was on the stand. Heard what John said on the balcony. John said that he had rather go back than have any fuss. Witness asked John if he was a slave; he said he was, and belonged to Mr. Bacon in Kentucky; said his master was not there, but he knew Mr. Jennings; don’t’ know that he said he knew any one else; witness was gone after water when John was rescued; the crowd rushed in, and one man knocked another down, and pitched him six or eight feet; then two or three men clinched the first man, and he piled them on top of the man down; a woman came out and cried out that one of the men in the pile was her husband; the man said he would quiet him, and so grabbled him again. He was a pretty strong man.

      Cross-Examined. – Witness has worked for Lake steamboat company twenty-five years in summer in this city; soliciting freight and passengers; known as agent, sometimes called runner; that’s a nickname; went to Wellington on that day to buy some corn. When witness went up in the room, Mr. Lowe called on him and others to assist in holding John; Lowe said he had a warrant under which he was acting, taking it out and showing it. Witness supposes he was indicted for this rescue, but on the second day of Bushnell’s trial witness was subpoenaed as a witness in this case; have had not conversation with any one as to what witness shall testify on this case; witness presumes that he had conversation with Mr. Dickson two or three weeks before Bushnell’s trial.

      Question – Did you not tell Mr. Dickson; they have left me off; Belden said he would let me off as I was a good Democrat, and he was surprised that I was indicted?

      Answer. – May have said so, or might not – if I said so it was in fun. If witness said so it was false. Judge Belden never said so to me; witness might have told Dickson so. Witness was subjected to a long cross examination, but nothing very important elicited.

      Mr. James Bonney sworn. – Resides at Wellington; saw Langston on day of rescue on first flight of stairs, in tavern about 4 o’clock. Mr. Cumming told witness that if witness would get the key to the front door for Langston, he would give witness five dollars. That door was locked at the time, against the mob. Witness said he would not sell himself for five dollars. Witness worked at Wadsworth’s tavern. It was about 4 o’clock when this occurred.

      R.E. Thayer sworn. – Was at Wellington on day referred to. Witness testified as to the crowd, &c., and in particular as to a tussle witness had with two negroes; his grabbing one of them by the hair, and being carried off on some body’s shoulders. Witness saw DeWolf in front of him; DeWolf said they had a human being up stairs; and he must be got away. The testimony of this witness was not very important, so far as we could judge.

      N.H. Runnels sworn. – Was at Wellington on day spoken of.

      Court then adjourned till Tuesday morning, at nine o’clock.