Irwin, of the United States District Court, "remanded the
fugitive back to his owner." He was afterwards bought for
$600, and brought into a free State.

_The Wilmington (Del.) Journal_, in March, 1851, says
kidnapping has become quite frequent in that State; and
speaks of a negro kidnapped in that city, on the previous
Wednesday night, by a man who had been one of the city
watchmen.

THOMAS SIMS, arrested in _Boston_, April 4, 1851, at first on
pretence of a charge of theft. But when he understood it was
as a fugitive from slavery, he drew a knife and wounded one
of the officers. He was taken before Commissioner George T.
Curtis. To guard against a repetition of the Shadrach rescue,
the United States Marshal, Devens, aided by the Mayor (John
P. Bigelow) and City Marshal (Francis Tukey) of Boston,
surrounded the Court House, in Boston, with heavy chains,
guarded it by a strong extra force of police officers, with a
strong body of guards also within the building, where the
fugitive was imprisoned as well as tried. Several military
companies also were called out by the city authorities, and
kept in readiness night and day to act against the people,
should they attempt the deliverance of Sims; Faneuil Hall
itself being turned into barracks for these hirelings of
slavery. Every effort was made by S.E. Sewall, Esq., Hon.
Robert Rantoul, Jr., and Charles G. Loring, Esq., to save
Sims from being returned into slavery, and Boston from the
eternal and ineffaceable disgrace of the act. But in vain.
The omnipotent Slave Power demanded of Boston a victim for