ABSTRACT
In the early part of 11th mo. 1802, John Folwell, 2 merchant of Philadelphia, was riding into that city from his country place, and when near Gray’s Ferry, he met a close carriage with five colored persons in it, driven by a white man. It was certainly a novelty to see a carriage with a white driver, while those inside were colored; and upon getting into the city, he called upon me and expressed his apprehensions that there was something wrong in the business, and proposed that we should pursue them, and endeavor to ascertain what were the real circumstances of the case. Not many minutes elapsed after he called upon me, before we were in pursuit of them. In less than half an hour, we arrived at the Blue Bell tavern, on the road to Baltimore, where we found the black men, with the driver, seated at the dinner table. We inquired where they had come from, and where they were going. The driver, with perfect composure, informed us that the colored people were from the West Indies; and, in New-York, had entered into articles of agreement with A.G. Hammond, to live with him in Baltimore, for the term of two years, as servants in a hotel, which he said he kept in that city. He had furnished them with some clothing, and was to give them thirty dollars each, at the expiration of the two years. The driver, whose name was Thomas Kirk, said that he was a witness to the agreement, and that he fully believed there was nothing improper in the business. We informed him that we thought otherwise, and that he must return to the city, for we were determined to investigate the matter. He then took a letter out of his pocket, and said, “Here is a letter, given to me by Mr. Hammond, that will explain the whole affair. I will open it.” He was requested not to do so till we went before a magistrate; but, confident that the letter would prove his innocence, he broke it open, and I read it before all the company. It was as follows.
