Any person aiding a runaway slave by providing shelter, food or any other form of assistance was liable to six months' imprisonment and a $1,000 fine. Those officers capturing a fugitive slave were entitled to a fee and this encouraged some officers to kidnap free Negroes and sell them to slave-owners.
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The punishment for being caught helping a slave escape varied depending on the time and place, but common penalties included fines, imprisonment, or even death. In some cases, escape aiders might be charged with treason or theft, facing severe consequences for their actions.
Highwaymen often faced severe punishments if caught, such as being hanged or transported to penal colonies. The severity of the punishment was intended to act as a deterrent to others considering a life of crime.
Penalties for harboring or aiding runaway slaves included fines, imprisonment, and potential corporal punishment. Enslaved individuals themselves could face severe repercussions, such as being sold to more brutal owners or subjected to harsher working conditions if they were caught attempting to escape. Additionally, laws in some areas allowed for the capture of runaways and their return to enslavement.
Runaway slaves who are caught escaping may face punishment in the form of physical abuse, imprisonment, or being returned to their owners. The severity of the consequences would typically depend on the laws and attitudes towards slavery in the region where they are caught.
Slaves historically escaped at night to minimize the risk of being caught and to take advantage of the cover of darkness.
If Harriet Tubman's slaves were caught, they would have likely faced severe punishment such as being returned to their enslavers, beaten, or potentially even killed. Tubman herself also faced great danger and risked her life to help slaves escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad.