Bellows Falls (VT) Vermont Chronicle, "Excitement at Norfolk - Stampede of Slaves," June 26, 1855

   Excitement at Norfolk––Stampede of Slaves.  Chas. H. Shield, Recorder, on Saturday was informed by one of our merchants that a drayman named Sales had called upon the captain of a northern vessel lying in our harbor, and had proposed to pay him a named sum to carry to the North a slave belonging to one of our citizens. Mr. Shield immediately made arrangements to prevent it, and with the constabulary force of the city, succeeded in capturing six fugitives, besides the drayman Sales, who are now in jail, and are undergoing an examination. Sundry developments have been made which show the existence of a society among the slaves here, which is organized for the purpose of aiding negroes in escaping from their owners.––Norfolk Beacon, June 12