to secure the return of
fugitives from Canada? This appears to have been in the minds of those
who tried to get Anderson out of Canada in 1860. It is difficult to
account, otherwise, for the strenuous efforts that were made to secure
his extradition. That the Missouri slaveholders felt they were
performing something in the nature of a public service by fighting
this case in the Canadian courts, is evidenced by their request that
the State should reimburse them for their outlay.[1]

John Anderson appears to have arrived in Canada in November 1853,
crossing over the Detroit River to Windsor where he stayed with Mrs.
Bibb, mother of Henry Bibb, who was attempting to organize a refugee
settlement not far from that frontier point. Mrs. Laura S. Haviland, a
philanthropic Michigan woman who was doing missionary and educational
work among the fugitives, met him soon after his arrival and learned
his story. She says that he came to her asking that she write a letter
for him. This letter revealed the tragedy in which he had recently
figured and that had caused him to flee to Canada. She had noted the
sadness in his face which indicated the stress through which he had
passed. He told her that to satisfy a debt he had been sold by his
master, Seneca Diggs, and was to be separated from his wife and four
children. Husband and wife pleaded not to be separated but the reply
was that the buyer desired only the man. Later, however, the master
indicated that some other arrangement might be arrived at but the man
was suspicious and armed himself with a dirk. His suspicions were
further aroused when he was told to come to the woods where some trees
were to be chopped and when he noticed that the master had a stout
rope under his coat. The slave kept at a distance from the master
until the latter finally frankly admitted his purpose. The slave
declared that he would never be taken but at this point another man
appeared and Anderson began to run. The slavers followed him for seven
miles and finally had him cornered. Anderson flourished his knife and
threatened to kill the first man who laid hands upon him. All stood
back but Diggs who, with a knife in his hand, rushed at the slave. In
the melee the master was stabbed and the slave escaped into the woods.
That night he saw his wife and family for the last time. The woman
informed him that he had killed his master and that if he were caught
he could expect to be burned alive or chopped to piec