Kidnapped!  In March, 1834, seven year old Henry Scott sat quietly at his desk practicing writing letters.  Most seven year boys find this boring, and Henry probably did, too.  His life was about to become far more exciting. The door to the classroom slammed open and a New York sheriff and a well dressed Southerner, Richard Haxell, burst into the room. Haxell nodded at Henry, “That’s the one, Sheriff.”  The sheriff yanked Henry out of his seat, announced Henry was a runaway (at seven?!) and left, Henry  tightly in tow  and squalling. Free Blacks had been snatched off the streets of New York more frequently as cotton plantations sprouted in the South, creating more demand for slaves. Naturally, this produced more “runaways.” Free Blacks were not exempt.  Kidnapping Free Blacks right off the street became profitable.  The kidnappers whisked their prey South to Baltimore to be sold. If stopped, they claimed to be returning a slave.   A victim would be snatched off the street and hustle