Hanway

Castner Hanway, a Quaker pacifist, found himself involved in the Christiana Riot by simply riding past on September 11, 1851. The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 required him to help the U.S. Marshall, Henry H. Kline, in the recapture of runaway slaves when asked to do so. He refused along with two other Quakers. These Quakers and 35 blacks, who had been collected by the Marshal the following day, were all jailed in the Moyamensing Prison in Philadelphia for 97 days facing the charge of treason. Hanway was the only person to appear before a judge. He was defended by Thaddeus Stevens, an avid supporter of the Underground Railroad, who shamed the court into exonerating Hanway and freeing all those who had been jailed.