“Escape of Negroes,” New York Times, December 12, 1857, p. 5: 3.
Escape of Negroes – Bloodhounds on the Track.
From the Jefferson (Miss.) Journal, Nov. 27.
On Monday night last, while the jailor, Mr. ROBERT HAINES, was waiting upon Mr. WM. SMILE, with his supper two negroes, escaping from their room, ran down the hall, and before Mr. HAINES had time to arrest them escaped at the door, and took their way across the fields toward Port Gibson. Alarm was immediately made, and mounted horsemen scoured the respective roads from Fayette to Rodney, to Natchez and Port Gibson, while a pack of hounds were also dispatched for, and about three hours after the escape of the negroes, were howling and running on their trail. The negroes held their distance with remarkable energy and endurance, and were not overtaken until after a race of about twenty-five miles when they were caught near the residence of Dr. MAGRUDER, about two miles East of Port Gibson. They left Fayette about 7 o’clock on Monday night, and about 3 o’clock on Tuesday they were returned to jail, rejoining for a spot whereon to lie down, and even be it the naked floor of a cell. The strongest and most desperate of the two excused himself on the pretence that he couldn’t resist the temptation to run away; and the other dashed out after him, to catch him, and bring him back.
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