Cincinnati papers described her as "a dark mulatto, twenty-three
years of age, of an interesting appearance, considerable
intelligence, and a good address." Her husband was described as
"about twenty-two years old, of a very lithe, active form, and
rather a mild, pleasant countenance." These fugitives were sheltered
by a colored friend in Ohio. There the hounds in pay of the United
States, to which "price of blood" you and I and all of us
contribute, ferreted them out, and commanded them to surrender. When
they refused to do so, they burst open the door, and assailed the
inmates of the house with cudgels and pistols. They defended
themselves bravely, but were overpowered by numbers and disarmed.
When Margaret perceived that there was no help for her and her
little ones, she seized a knife and cut the throat of her most
beautiful child. She was about to do the same by the others, when
her arm was arrested. The child killed was nearly white, and
exceedingly pretty. The others were mulattoes, and pretty also. What
history lay behind this difference of complexion, the world will
probably never know. But I have talked confidentially with too many
fugitive women not to know that very sad histories do lie behind
such facts. Margaret Garner knew very well what fate awaited her
handsome little daughter, and that nerved her arm to strike the
death-blow. It was an act that deserves to take its place in history
by the side of the Roman Virginius.

The man who claimed this unfortunate family as chattels acknowledged
that they had always been faithful servants. On their part, they
complained of cruel treatment from their master, as the cause of
their attempt to escape. They were carried to the United States
Court, under a strong guard, and there was not manhood enough in
Cincinnati to rescue them. What was called law decided that they