The New York Times, July 6, 1860
Carried Off—A letter from Clifton, Ill., dated July 2, says: “JAMES, WILLIAM and Mr. KINGMAN’s JOHN were taken last evening by the slave hunters. They were all at SELLER’s, (a store in Clifton,) enticed there by an Ashkum man, who was bribed by the kidnappers from the South. Mr. KINGMAN’s NED and FRANK’s WILLIAM succeeded in getting away. My WILLIAM and Mr. KINGMAN’s JOHN were taken on the spot and handcuffed. JAMES made a desperate struggle and got as far as the railroad, when one of the men threatened, to shoot if he did not stop, and he was foolish enough to do so, for, had he kept on, he might have got away; but I presume he had been stunned by the repeated blows he had received on his head by a pistol. After getting them into a wagon, the man-hunters drove to Ashkum and took the cars there. A gang of men from Clifton were at the cars when I arrived, and we all went to Ashkum; but these scamps, twenty-five in number, were all armed with pistols, and we had no arms of any kind, so it was useless to resist them. The conductor of the train showed no disposition to aid us in any way, and I hope he did not favor the slave-drivers; but it looked very much like it. The Clifton men were scattered about town, and, as it was all done so quick, they had no chance to do anything. It is hard to submit to such things, I assure you. We suspect two Irishmen of Clifton were concerned in it, and are now quite sure of it: and also, two men from Ashkum. Clifton is wide awake to-day, and these fellows will be looked to.”