June 20, 1851
An account of the trial indicates that Hayden was charged with aiding in the rescue of Shadrach; defense was conducted by Richard H. Dana, and John P. Hale. The jury was unable to agree on a verdict; nine were for conviction, three for acquittal.
The case against Robert Morris, proceeded with the same counsel. “In the course of the examination , Mr. Jackson, a member of the Suffolk bar, testified that the person who made the exclamation in the Court room, ‘ Don’t be afraid, we will stand by you!’ on the day of the Shadrach rescue, was several shades lighter than Hayden, upon which ‘pert Mr. Lunt’ inquired ‘if he did not know that the complexion of colored men changes one or two shades lighter when they are mad;’ to which the witness made a negative reply. Mr. Dana, junior counsel for the prisoner, being desirous that the world should not lose the benefit of such a remarkable physiological fact, proposed to Mr. Lunt that he should confirm it by his testimony under oath, which Lunt declined to do, amid the laughter of the spectators. “
Comments are closed.