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accompanied by a man named Dutton.
She was arrested on the seventh of June, 1805 and taken before Matthew Lawler, who was then mayor.
Isaac W. Morris immediately waited on Isaac T. Hopper to inform him of the circumstance, and they proceeded together to the mayor's office.
Dutton, being examined as a witness, testified that he knew a mulatto named Fanny, who belonged to Mrs. Sears, and he believed the woman present, called Mary Holliday, was—that person.
Mary denied that she was the slave of the claimant, or that her name was Fanny; but her agitation was very evident, though she tried hard to conceal it.
Friend Hopper remarked to the mayor, ‘This case requires testimony as strong as if the woman were on trial for her life, which is of less value than liberty.
I object to the testimony as insufficient; for the witness cannot say positively that he knows she is the same person, but only that he believes so. Wouldst thou consider such evidence satisfactory in the case of a white person?’
The mayor who was not friendly to colored people, replied, ‘I should not; but I consider it sufficient in such cases as these.’
‘How dark must the complexion be, to justify thee in receiving such uncertain evidence?’
inquired Friend Hopper.
Boston, J. P. Jewett and Company; Cleveland, Ohio: Jewett, Proctor and Worthington; London; Low and Company, 1854.
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