his head still in bandages
afforded striking evidence of the effects of the Slave Law. Rust,
Davis's assailant, was afterwards indicted at Buffalo but allowed to
go after paying a paltry $50 fine.[37]

Another memorable border incident occurred at Sandusky, Ohio, in
October, 1852. A party of fugitives, two men, two women and several
children had been brought from Kentucky and were aboard the steamer
_Arrow_ about to sail for Detroit when they were all arrested by the
alleged owner and taken before the mayor of the town. Rush R. Sloane,
a local lawyer, offered to act in their defence. The proceedings were
so hurried that no warrant or writ was ready to be produced in court
and Sloane signified by a gesture that the Negroes were free. There
was an immediate rush for the door on the part of the fugitives and
their friends, but even as they fled from the court room the claimant
entered calling out: "Here are the papers. I own the slaves. I'll hold
you personally responsible for their escape." The fugitives meanwhile
had gone to the harbor, entered a sailboat owned by friendly fishermen
and were on their way to Canada. The slaver, frantic at seeing his
property vanishing, tried in vain to get other fishermen to pursue
them. He then hurried to a neighboring town, trying to secure help,
but with no more success. Within a few hours the runaways were landed
at Port Stanley, safe from all pursuers. The slaver made good his
threat to hold Sloane responsible for the loss of his property,
entering action and securing a judgment for $3,000. It is related as
one of the pathetic incidents of this case that when the fugitives
were first taken off the steamer _Arrow_ one of the women dropped her
infant child on the ground and disowned it, hoping that it at least
would be free if she were condemned to return to slavery.[38]

With so great an influx of refugees into a country that was sparsely
settled, some suffering was inevitable, but contemporary evidence
indicates that after all it was but slight. There was probably more
distress during the winter of 1850-1 than later on because of the
large number who came in during the few months immediately after the
passing of the Fugitive Slave Bill. In their haste to find safety many
left everything behind, entering Canada with little more than the
clothes on their backs. A. L. Power, of Farmington, who visited
Windsor at the beginning of 1851, found about a score of families
living in an old m