Ohio, where I stopped for four months, when I was taken up on suspicion of
breaking the windows of a store, and while in prison I was seen by a Mr.
Donelson, who declared to the keeper that I belonged to him. I knew him
well as the father-in-law of Mr. Steel, with whom I travelled to New
Orleans. He was also a methodist minister. He had me discharged by paying
the damage, and making affidavit that I was his slave, I was placed in
prison, and kept in two weeks, when I was brought before the court for
trial; and Mr. Donelson procured papers showing that he had purchased me
as a runaway. I therefore saw it was of no use prolonging the matter, and
I acknowledged myself. I was then taken and put into the stage and taken
to Cincinnati, Ohio, where I was placed upon the steam boat, _Pike_, No.
3, to be taken to Louisville, Kentucky, and there placed in prison a week,
and on Thursday brought out to auction and sold to Mr. Silas Wheelbanks
for 1,050 dollars, with whom I remained about twelve months, and acted as
coachman and waiting in the house. Upon a Saturday evening, my master came
and told me to make my carriage and horses so that he could see his face
in them, and be ready to take my young mistress, Mary, down to
Centreville, to see her grandmother. So I prepared my horses and carriage,
and on Monday was ready. The lady got in, and when about seven miles I
drove into a blind road, distant about two miles from any house, where I
made the horses stand still, and I ordered Miss Mary to get out: and when
she asked me why, I thundered out at the top of my voice, "Get out, and
ask no questions." She commenced crying, and asked if I was going to kill
her. I said "No, if she made no noise," I helped her out, and having no
rope, I took her shawl and fastened her to a tree by the roadside; and for
fear she should untie the knot and spread the alarm, I took off her veil,
and with it tied her hands behind her. I then mounted the box, and drove
off in the direction of Lexington, and at a place called Elton I stripped
the horses of their harness and let them go. I made my way to Louisville
and arrived about 7 o'clock in the evening. I walked about the dock until