neither of the individuals present for a moment entertained the slightest doubt but that she was a “lad,” so well had she acted her part in every particular.  She was dressed in a new suit, which fitted her quite nicely, and with her unusual amount of common sense, she appeared to be in no respect lacking.  To send off a prize so rare and remarkable, as she was, without affording some of the stockholders and managers of the Road the pleasure of seeing her, was not to be thought of.  In addition to the Vigilance Committee, quite a number of persons were invited to see her, and were greatly astonished.  Indeed it was difficult to realize, that she was not a boy, even after becoming acquainted with the facts in the case.

The following is an exact account of this case, as taken from the Underground Rail Road records: 

    “THANKSGIVING DAY, Nov., 1855.

Arrived, Ann Maria Weems, alias ‘Joe Wright,’ alias ’Ellen Capron,’ from Washington, through the aid of Dr. H. She is about fifteen years of age, bright mulatto, well grown, smart and good-looking.  For the last three years, or about that length of time, she has been owned by Charles M. Price, a negro trader, of Rockville, Maryland.  Mr. P. was given to ‘intemperance,’ to a very great extent, and gross ‘profanity.’  He buys and sells many slaves in the course of the year.  ’His wife is cross and peevish.’  She used to take great pleasure in ‘torturing’ one ‘little slave boy.’  He was the son of his master (and was owned by him); this was the chief cause of the mistress’ spite.”

Ann Maria had always desired her freedom from childhood, and although not thirteen, when first advised to escape, she received the suggestion without hesitation, and ever after that time waited almost daily, for more than two years, the chance to flee.  Her friends were, of course, to aid her, and make arrangements for her escape.  Her owner, fearing that she might escape, for a long time compelled her to sleep in the chamber with “her master and mistress;” indeed she was so kept until about three weeks before she fled.  She left her parents living in Washington.  Three of her brothers had been sold South from their parents.  Her mother had been purchased for $1,000, and one of her sisters for $1,600 for freedom.  Before Ann Maria was thirteen years of age $700 was offered for her by a friend, who desired to procure her freedom, but the offer was promptly refused, as were succeeding ones repeatedly made.  The only chance of procuring her freedom, depended upon getting her away on the Underground Rail Road.  She was neatly attired in male habiliments, and in that manner came all the way from Washington.  After passing two or three days with her new friends in Philadelphia, she was sent on (in male attire) to Lewis Tappan, of New York, who had likewise been deeply interested in her case from the beginning, and who held himself ready, as was understood, to cash a draft for