Boston (MA) Daily Traveller, "A Reminiscence of the Slavery Era," December 5, 1891

   A Reminiscence of the Slavery Era.

Editor of the Traveller.

   The recent death of Don Piatt calls to remembrance a scene of former days connected with the Piatt family, who then resided near Covington, Ky. In the fall of 1853 three of their slaves ran away. The first place where they reported was at the house of Levi Coffin, an agent of the underground railroad in Cincinnati, and who is the author of a “History of the Underground Railroad.” He and James Brisbane, a former slave-holder, but then a friend of the slaves, put them on a train on the old Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad, and paid their fare to Sandusky City. The Piatt family had a relative residing near Bellefontaine, Ohio, to whom they telegraphed to watch the trains, and if they discovered them to arrest the fugitives. This man discovered them and took them off the train at Bellefontaine.

The abolitionists soon learned the fact, and demanded of him by what right he held these persons. He was forthwith arrested, and brought before the town marshal, where he failed to produce any authority in the case.  In the mean time a carriage was got ready, the fugitives were taken through the crowd that had collected, placed in it and driven rapidly by a circuitous route to the village of Northwood, where the writer was attending college.

The students took charge of them, secreted and guarded them for some two weeks, and then made up a team, put them in the hind end of the spring wagon, covered them with a canvas wagon-cover, and started––four students––for Lake Erie. We assumed the appearance of a hunting party, each one carrying a rile. A two days’ and part of two nights’ drive brought us to Sandusky City, where we secreted them in a steamer that plied between there and the city of Detroit. One of our number took passage on the steamer, and saw them safely landed at Malden, Canada, where they were safe under the British flag.

The Piatts never knew the facts in the case, or we students would not have been safe. These young men, now old, are still living, and engaged in preaching the gospel of freedom from another form of slavery,––the slavery of drink.

Lawrence, Mass. R.A.M.