mpany together. THOMAS B.
OWINGS.

s24-6tWit*||

These passengers reached the Philadelphia station, about the 24th of
September, 1856, five days after they escaped from Carroll county. They
were in fine spirits, and had borne the fatigue and privation of travel
bravely. A free and interesting interview took place, between these
passengers and the Committee, eliciting much information, especially
with regard to the workings of the system on the farms, from which they
had the good luck to flee. Each of the party was thoroughly questioned,
about how time had passed with them at home, or rather in the prison
house, what kind of men their masters were, how they fed and clothed, if
they whipped, bought or sold, whether they were members of church, or
not, and many more questions needless to enumerate bearing on the
domestic relation which had existed between themselves and their
masters. These queries they answered in their own way, with
intelligence. Upon the whole, their lot in Slavery had been rather more
favorable than the average run of slaves.

No record was made of any very severe treatment. In fact, the notices
made of them were very brief, and, but for the elaborate way in which
they were described in the "Baltimore Sun," by their owners, their
narratives would hardly be considered of sufficient interest to record.
The heavy rewards, beautiful descriptions, and elegant illustrations in
the "Sun," were very attractive reading. The Vigilance Committee took
the "Sun," for nothing else under the sun but for this special
literature, and for this purpose they always considered the "Sun" a
cheap and reliable paper.

A slave man or woman, running for life, he with a bundle on his back or
she with a babe in her arms, was always a very interesting sight, and
should always be held in remembrance. Likewise the descriptions given by
slave-holders, as a general rule, showed considerable artistic powers
and a most thorough knowledge of the physical outlines of this peculiar
property. Indeed, the art must have been studied attentively for
practical purposes. When the advertisements were received in advance of
arrivals, which was always the case, the descriptions generally were
found so lifelike, that the Committee preferred to take them in
preference to putting themselves to the labor of writing out new ones,
for future reference. This we think, ought not to be complained of by
any who were so unfortunate as to lose