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“ [440] citizens in the whole town. Apprehensions were entertained that he would be secreted, and that his pursuers might be subjected to a long, and perhaps fruitless, search. In those days, one daily coach maintained the chief intercourse between Boston and Medford. Accordingly, on the evening of this memorable day, Mr. Ingraham was one of the passengers who happened to be returning to Medford. His unguarded whisper to his next neighbor, ‘I have him safe now on shipboard,’ chanced to be overheard by some ladies, who speeded the intelligence to Caesar's friends. Their course then became clear. Mr. Wait instantly obtained from the Governor of the State the requisite authority and officers, proceeded to the vessel, and brought off Caesar in triumph. Great pains were taken by Mr. Ingraham to ascertain the names of the eavesdropping ladies who had betrayed his counsel; but Mr. Wyman, the long-approved Medford stage-driver, was visited on the occasion by a convenient shortness of memory, which wholly disqualified him from recollecting who were his female passengers that evening; ‘women,’ as he afterwards added when telling the story, ‘never liking to be dragged into court.’ Redress by law was vainly attempted by the master. The case was tried, first at Cambridge, in the Court of Common Pleas, and then by appeal, at Concord; large numbers of witnesses being summoned from Medford. Caesar worked at his trade in Medford several years with great approbation, and afterwards removed to Woburn, where he married again, and was called Mr. Anderson. He died in middle-age.” Medford was the first town in the United States that rescued a fugitive slave. The antislavery movement of our day is one of the most prominent and effectual agencies ever witnessed. It has waked up the nation to the injustice and moral evil of involuntary bondage; and Medford has its full share of intelligent, persevering, and Christian opposers of the slave-system. Advocates of the system we have none. The Rev. John Pierpont and the Rev. Caleb Stetson early became devoted and able lecturers in the field; and, if a fugitive slave should now reach Medford, there would be fifty Nathan Waits to shelter and comfort him.
John Wilson and son. 22 School Street. Boston. 1855.
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