October 4, 1851

ONONDAGA, New York

Abolitionism, Abolitionist violence, Violence

On Wednesday October 4, 1851, Syracuse city police, led by Deputy U.S. Marshall Allen, arrested an African American man by the name of Jerry McHenry.  John M. Reynolds of Marion County, Indiana, claimed McHenry to be his slave, and as a result, McHenry was taken into custody as a runaway slave and set for trial.  However, Reynolds would soon be surprised by an unexpected turn of events that neither...