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446    DOUGLASS' MONTHLY.    APRIL 1861.
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THE FUGITIVE ANDERSON.
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The Toronto Globe contains the following narrative of Anderson's early life and escape from slavery, which our readers will find to be highly interesting:

John Anderson was born in the year 1831, in Howard county, State of Missouri. His mother was the slave of one Burton, a carpenter, who lived on a small farm near Fayette. His father, who was almost white, serving as a steward on board a steamer, which sailed on the Missouri, but made his escape to South America while Anderson was yet young. His mother remained with Burton till Anderson was seven years old, when she and her master had a quarrel. Young Anderson was 'raised' by Mrs. Burton, of whom he speaks highly. He was brought up on the farm, and in process of time gained such a knowledge of farming that he undertook its management. 

Anderson required great proficiency in running, jumping, and other athletic amusements, usually practiced by the slaves in the evening, which afterwards proved of great service to him. The slaves are allowed a week's holiday at Christmas, which, from Anderson's account, they seem to spend pleasantly.- During the holiday season, they frequently met in the evenings to sing and dance. Anderson, however, never delighted in dancing, not thinking it a proper amusement. Many of the slaves grew tobacco, &c., on their own account, and in this way some acquired sufficient means to purchase their freedom. 

Anderson is a Free Will Baptist by profession, and was a regular attendant on the services of that denomination. He never heard any ministers denouncing slavery. Any who would do so would not be allowed to preach. When about twenty years of age, he was married by a Free Will Baptist minister to a slave, the property of one Brown, who resided two miles from Burton's. After Mrs. Burton's death, Burton and Anderson had a dispute, which ended in his being sold to one McDonald, who lived in Glasgow, thirty miles from Fayette. Being thus separated from his wife, Anderson was much discontented, and from this time he watched for an opportunity to make his escape to Canada, of which he had frequently thought before. McDonald, who was a harder task-master than Burton, to prevent Anderson from going to see his wife, selected one for him among his own slaves; but Anderson would not become a party to so dishonorable an arrangement. For his wife he always entertained great affection. 

In September, 1853, when he had been about two months with McDonald, he made his escape. McDonald was at the church, investigating a case of a slave having been whipped to death, when Anderson rode off on one of his master's mules to a branch of the Missouri, at a point where there was a ferry. The ferryman being under order to prevent all slaves who had no passes, from crossing, asked Anderson for his pass. Anderson replied that he did not require one, but the ferryman wo'd not allow him to go over. Riding back with the mule into the woods, he remained there till it was evening, when he returned to the river. He was on the point of seizing a boat that was lying on the bank, when some one appearing, he was compelled to retreat into the woods, where he lay till within two hours of daybreak. He then ventured once more to the bank, and found a skiff, without oars, lying by the river. He supplied himself with a piece of bark, and using this as a paddle, he got across the stream. He had now for the first time been in a boat. He then repaired to the house of his father-in-law, who was a ferryman and a barber by trade, and from him he obtained some refreshment. His father-in-law being told that he was on his way to Canada, offered Anderson a pistol, which he refused. He next visited his wife and child and affectionately bidding them farewell, he went on his way, determined to obtain his freedom, which from his youth up he seems to have considered his inherent birthright.-
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He had formed the resolve to sacrifice his liberty only with his life.

It was about noon on the second day after his leaving McDonald, that a man named Diggs met him and asked him for his pass.- When Anderson said he had no pass, Diggs, with his slaves, chased him, and in the conflict that ensued, Diggs was wounded, and Anderson escaped uninjured. About a week after his adventure with Diggs, Anderson found shelter for a night in a barn, where he met a colored boy, from whom he purchased some provisions. This boy told him that his sister had been sold by his master about a week before. At this Anderson's generous heart was moved, and by way of retaliation he determined to run away with one of his horses. But while he was endeavoring to carry out his purpose, the farmer mounted his horse and pursued Anderson, who escaped to a field where the man could not reach him. Anderson, however, was fired at, but sustained no damage. He usually travelled by night, and got what rest he could during the day. He suffered much from want of food, sometimes not tasting any for several days, and often he had to content himself with corn, hazel nuts, pawpaws and raw potatoes. A dollar and a half was all the money he had when he started on his perilous journey, and of this he never spent any except when compelled to do so by extreme hunger. 

One day, while resting himself by the wayside, a man on horseback rode up and attempted to capture him, but Anderson fled to a neighboring field and found protection among the stalks of corn. In the evening he came back to the public road and observed a fire in the woods not far distant. 

Imagining that some people were engaged husking corn, he went to the spot and discovered that the man who had attempted to catch him during the day was lying in wait. Seeing at once that this was one of the numerous expedients resorted to by slave pursuers, he took to flight, and afterwards carefully avoided falling into any such traps.

Impelled by necessity to resort to any expedient to satisfy the cravings of hunger, he one day entered a farm house by the kitchen door, and finding some salt that was at hand put it in his pockets and walked out, meeting none of the inmates. He next came to a farm-yard, where he captured three chickens, and then repaired to the woods that were close by. Lighting a fire he cooked two of them, but had scarcely finished the second when he heard some footsteps, and naturally thinking that the owner of the chickens was in pursuit of him, he made his way out of the woods with the other chicken in his hand as soon as possible. This chicken served him for two days. Near Mississippi village he met with a colored man, and gave him ten cents to buy some crackers for him. This man, in whom Anderson placed little confidence, after some delay brought him the crackers, which he greedily devoured. He crossed the Mississippi by night, using for that purpose a boat which he found near the river, and keeping clear of the ferry for fear of detection. It was now Saturday night, and about two weeks since he had left McDonald, and he had reached the free State of Illinois; but from the attempts made to capture him in this State, he was convinced that he was almost in as much danger there as he had been in Missouri.

On Sunday night he went into the house of a white man, an Englishman, who gave him a good supper and a bed. He was prevented from sleeping for some time, having his suspicions excited by a gun which he saw in the room, thinking it might be used for overcoming such subject as himself. As yet he reposed no confidence in any man, and distrusted equally all he saw. Weariness at last overcame his terror, and on waking in the morning he found himself much refreshed. His entertained lent him a razor, by which he was enabled to indulge in the luxury of a shave. Having got breakfast, and after the good-hearted Englishman had prevailed on him to take some bread and apples in his pocket, John again set out with renewed
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strength and spirits. He soon met some men on horseback, who asked him for his pass, but he pretended to be free. The men, disbelieving him, pursued, but Anderson was too expert for them, and made his escape to a hill, the women calling out as he passed. In the evening he found himself by a small river, where he saw a canoe sunk. Seeing a dog some distance before him, he returned into the woods, and struck another river. He there observed a boat crossing, but being afraid that his liberty might be endangered if he attempted to pass that way, he went back again into the bush. Having by this time consumed what the Englishman had given him, and having a keen appetite, he made an attempt to capture some chickens, but was unsuccessful. He came upon a white man's house, into which he entered and pretended that he had lost his way. Here he got his breakfast, and bought a load of bread from the housewife for ten cents. The farmer promised to direct him, but when they were but a few yards from the house, Anderson perceived the man was leading him back, and seeing his sons some distance from him, took to flight. After two days, he struck a branch of the Illinois river, which he crossed, and after proceeding some distance, he came to a railway track, with the use of which he was acquainted. He next came to Bloomington, where he obtained some provisions. He availed himself of the railway track for a short distance north of Bloomington. Confused and bewildered he met a man who promised him a ride if he would help him with his cow. Anderson consented to do so, and rode with the man to a certain village, when he was requested to leave. After leaving the village, Anderson again encountered him and accompanied him, notwithstanding his attempts to shun him. At this man's house he got his supper and a bed, and started early next morning before breakfast. Through some villages which eh passed, everyone looked on him as a curiosity, on account of his travel-stained condition - the children running to the doors to stare at him. In one farm house which he had entered he had purchased a loaf of bread, when a man came in, at whom Anderson took fright and ran out, the housewife after him, calling that he had better pay her the ten cents, which he did while standing by a fence after he had collected himself. Overtaking some teams that were on the road to Rock Island, he got on one of them and reached that city by daylight. Here he hired himself to a barber, though he was quite uninstructed in the art of shaving. Remaining in that city for two days, he went to Chicago, the Abolition Society paying his fare. 

It is pleasing to note the existence, so near the seat of slavery, of such a Society, always ready to assist the oppressed in asserting their freedom. In Chicago he lived with a barber, but remained there only three weeks, when he left for Windsor, being advised by his employer to do so. During his stay in Windsor, where he got employment as a laborer, he wrote twice to his wife, but he suspected the letters were opened. A reply was received, stating that his wife was in Detroit, and asking him to go over for her. This letter was probably penned by some slave-catcher. Anderson submitted the matter to a friend, who told him not to comply with the request, for there was likely some evil lurking under it. It was about the beginning of November, 1853, when he reached Windsor, about six weeks after he made his escape from Missouri. He worked as a plasterer at Hamilton and Caledonia, and at the time of his arrest by Mathews, was engaged making maple sugar. After being discharged, he went to Simcoe, where he was again arrested and brought before Mathews who thought that now he 'had the evidence against him nicely fixed up.' Anderson says 'he never knew that there was so much law in the world as he found in Canada.'

He can read very little, but cannot write. When about sixteen years of age, he got a spelling book, the only book he ever had while in slavery, but did not make use of it. He is a man of great muscular strength, and of a determined but kind disposition.