Some bread in his pocket was
saturated with salt water and dissolved to a pulp. The
captain ordered the vessel to be put in to Newcastle,
Delaware, where the fugitive, hardly able to stand, was taken
on shore and put in jail, to await the orders of his owner,
in Savannah. DAVIS claimed to be a free man, and a native of
Philadelphia, and described many localities there. Before
Judge Bradford, at Newcastle, Davis's freedom was fully
proved, and he was discharged. He was again arrested and
placed in jail on the oath of Captain Hardie, that he
believed him to be a fugitive slave and a fugitive from
justice. After some weeks' delay, he was brought to trial
before United States Commissioner Samuel Guthrie, who ordered
him to be delivered up to his claimant on the ground that he
was legally a slave, though free-born. It appeared in
evidence that Davis had formerly gone from Pennsylvania to
reside in Maryland, contrary to the laws of that State; which
forbid free colored persons from other States to come there
to reside; and being unable to pay the fine imposed for this
offence (!) by the Orphan's (!) Court of Harford County, was
committed to jail and sold as a slave for life, by Robert
McGaw, Sheriff of the County, to Dr.
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