UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

I hereby certify, in pursuance of law and the foregoing order, the said "Shadrach" named in the foregoing warrant and order, was being detained in my custody in the Court Room of the United States, in the Court House, in said Boston, when the door of said room, which was being used as a prison, was forced open by a mob, and the said "Shadrach" forcibly rescued from my custody. I also annex hereto, and make part of my return an original [printed] deposition, of the circumstances attending the arrest and rescue, and have not been able to retake said Shadrach, and cannot now have him before said Commissioner for reasons above stated.

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Suffolk County.

I, Patrick Riley, of Boston, in the said county, counsellor at law, having been duly sworn, depose and say, that I am, and have been, for fourteen years past, the principal deputy of the United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts.

That on Saturday morning, February 15th, 1851, about twenty minutes before 8 o'clock, A.M., I was called upon at my residence, by Frederick Warren, one of the U. S. deputy marshals, who informed me that there was a negro man, an alleged fugitive, to be arrested at 8 o'clock, who was supposed to be at Taft's Cornhill Coffee House, near the Court House, and desired to know where the negro should be put in case he should be arrested before I reached the office; that I told him to place him in the United States Court Room,—and that I would come to the office immediately,—that I came down almost immediately to the office, where I arrived shortly after 8 o'clock, and there found Mr. Warren, who informed me that the negro was unknown to Mr. Sawin, deputy marshal, to whom the warrant was handed on the night previous, as I have been informed, though no notice of it had been given to any occupant of the marshal's office,—and that the negro was unknown to any one of the marshal's deputies or assistants,—that Mr. Warren informed me that Mr. Sawin had gone to find the man, who by previous arrangement was to point out the negro, and who had not shown himself as agreed; that I remained in the court giving directions, and making preparations to secure the negro when arrested, and awaiting the return of Mr. Sawin; that I saw him after ten o'clock, and he informed me that he had seen the parties in interest, and that it had been arranged not to attempt the arrest until 11 o'clock,—that I told him that it should not be delayed one moment, and directed him to notify the man who was to point him out to come instantly; that he left for that purpose, and at ten minutes before 11 returned, and said that the parties were about Taft's Coffee House, and that the men engaged were also in readiness in that neighborhood; that I went immediately with Mr. Warren, Mr. John H. Riley, and other deputies to the said coffee-house, and there found all our men, nine in number, stationed in and about the place,—that there were several negroes in and about the house, and I inquired for the man who was to point out the alleged fugitive, and was informed that he had not arrived; that Mr. Warren and myself went immediately into the dining hall at the coffee-house, and to avoid suspicion, ordered some coffee, and were waited upon by a negro, who subsequently proved to be the alleged fugitive; that, not hearing any thing from our assistants, we took our coffee and rose to go out and learn why we had not heard from them; that the negro went before us to the bar-room, with the money to pay for the coffee, and in the passage between the bar-room and hall, Mr. Sawin and Mr. Byrnes came up, and each took the negro by an arm, and walked him out of the back passage way through a building between the coffee-house and the square beside the court house to the court-room as by me directed.

That I immediately, while he was entering the court house, went to the office of the city marshal, in the city hall, in the same square with the court house, and there saw Mr. Francis Tukey, the city marshal, told him what had been done, and stated, that as there would probably be a great crowd, his presence with the police would be needed to preserve order, and keep the peace in and about the court house, which is owned by the city, and in which all the courts of the commonwealth for Suffolk county are held. That Mr. Tukey stated that it should be attended to,—that I told him that I should notify the mayor instantly, and proceeded up stairs to the mayor's office, where I found Hon. John P. Bigelow, mayor of the city, and made the same communication and request to him, which I had made to Mr. Tukey. To which the mayor said,—"Mr. Riley, I am sorry for it." That I then left the office, at which time it was just half past 11 o'clock.

That I went immediately to the court-house, and found the negro in the United States court room, with the officers, and found all the doors closed, and was admitted by the usual inside entrance,—that George T. Curtis, Esq., the United States commissioner, was called, and came, and the claimant's counsel were sent for,—that all the doors were kept closed excepting the usual entrance, which was kept guarded by officers,—that the commissioner informed the fugitive, who was named "Shadrach" in the warrant, of the character of the business, and asked him if he wanted counsel,—to which he said that he did, and that his friends had gone for counsel,—that while waiting for the counsel to come, the room began to be filled with negroes and whites,—that the counsel for the prisoner appeared, and claimed a delay, to give them opportunity to consult with their client, pending which I desired Mr. Warren, the deputy marshal, to go to the navy yard at Charlestown, about two miles distant, and ask Commodore Downes whether, should a delay or adjournment take place, the navy yard might be used as a place of detention, the United States not being permitted by the law of the state to use the jails, and having none of their own. That the examination proceeded, and after the reading of certain documents presented by the claimant's attorney, and some discussion, the commissioner decided to grant the delay until Tuesday following the 18th inst. That the counsel for the prisoner asked of the commissioner if they might not remain and hold consultation with their client, and examine with him the papers presented, to which the commissioner assented,—that the court room was ordered to be cleared, and was cleared of all save some fifteen officers, being all the reliable men whom we had been able to collect, the counsel, and some newspaper reporters,—that Mr. Warren, at this time, which was about half past 12, returned from the navy yard, and informed me that he had seen Commodore Downes, who said he could not grant my request,—that I despatched what officers I could spare to ask such of their friends to remain as would assist, and to procure all the additional force possible, intending to use the court house as a place of detention. That Mr. Curtis, also left. That crowds of negroes and others began to gather about the court room, and in the passage ways leading to the court house,—that I went to one of the messengers who had charge of the building, and desired him to have all the court house doors closed as soon as possible, which were not necessary for use.

That, at or before one o'clock, Mr. Ebenezer Noyes, the messenger of the U. S. court, was