1845: Abolition Face Off on the Ohio

There were a number of showdowns over fugitive slaves in Jefferson County. This one, reported on national basis, has an interesting legal question that the showdown left unanswered. Since the boat, the Importer, was on the river, it was in Kentucky and the Jefferson County sheriff would have had not authority.

Niles National Register, May 24, 1845,

Abolition fracas at Madison, Ia.

The circumstances we learn from the clerk of the Importer are these: sometime since a free mulatto stole several free negroes from Harrodsburg, in this state and carried them to Indiana. On a demand from the governor of this state from the governor of Indiana to deliver the kidnapper to the authorities of Kentucky, Gov. Whitcomb issued a warrant for his arrest.

He was accordingly arrested by the sheriff of Jefferson county, Indiana, and delivered to Mr. Blackstone and officer from this state, who took him on board the Importer from yesterday morning, at Madison, for the purpose of bringing him here. While the Importer was lying at that place, the abolitionists managed to have a write of habeas corpus issued to bring him before a court.

The sheriff sent three of his deputies on board with the writ who were about breaking the door of the state room open, which Mr. Blackstone and the negro occupied, when the captain of the boat told them not to do it. Mr. Blackstone then opened the door, holding a pistol in each hand, and told the deputies that if they wanted to take the prisoner, they must take him over his body.

The deputies seeing Mr. Blackstone so determined, desisted and the prisoner was brought here last night and lodged in jail. Louisville Courier-Journal April 26