Haley
Appearance: "He was a short, thick-set man, with coarse, commonplace features, and that swaggering air of pretension which marks a low man who is trying to elbow his way upward in the world. He was much over-dressed, in a gaudy vest of many colors, a blue neckerchief, bedropped gayly with yellow spots, and arranged with a flaunting tie, quite in keeping with the general air of the man. His hands, large and coarse, were plentifully bedecked with rings; and he wore a heavy gold watch-chain, with a bundle of seals of portentous size, and a great variety of colors, attached to it,—which, in the ardor of conversation, he was in the habit of flourishing and jingling with evident satisfaction."
Personality: Haley likes to think himself a kind slave trader, and brags to Arthur Shelby about how he will never separate a family of slaves if he can help it, or use rough methods with them. However, Haley is a very cautious man, chaining up Tom even after the Shelby's had assured him of Uncle Tom's obedience. Haley suppresses his conscience by telling himself that once he earns enough money he will stop selling his fellow men. He has seen many tragic things in his line of business, so many that he doesn't bat an eye, even at a suicide. Due to his interaction with slaves, he believes himself well-versed in their childish ways, and thus has a tendency to spout profanities at the slightest provocation.
Family: None
Biography: Haley has apparently worked with Tom Loker the slave catcher before, and trusts the man. At this novel's start, Haley is talking to Arthur about selling some slaves to pay of Arthur's debt to Haley himself. Haley requests that he be given Uncle Tom, young Harry Harris, and Harry's mother Eliza. Arthur refuses to give the trader Eliza, because Eliza is Emily Shelby's favorite servant. The next day Haley discovers that Harry has escaped due to his mother's taking him, and believes that it is treachery on the Shelby's part. Haley is somewhat grateful that Tom did not flee alongside the two Harris's, but this relief does not keep him from firing off a salvo of curses that have the slaves doubled up in laughter, resulting in another string of profane expressions.
Haley tries to take off immediately to capture Eliza, but is delayed by Mrs. Shelby and various slaves. He wastes a fair amount of time before finally leaving the house, and wastes even more getting his head turned around by his companions on his horseback errand: two more of the Shelby's slaves. When at last Haley reaches the town where Eliza (who was on foot) is, he spots her near-immediately, but she flees the inn where she and Harry had been resting, and leaps across the blocks of ice in the river to reach the other side. Sullen, Haley must retreat for now.
Haley goes to the nearest tavern, meeting up with Tom Loker and Marks, two slave catchers. He convinces them to retrieve Eliza and Harry in exchange for Eliza herself and a fair sum of money. After this, he returns to the Shelby's house and is soon hustling Tom into a wagon. Haley is cautious, so he puts Tom's feet in fetters to prevent his escape. Haley soon finds a slave auction at which to buy more slaves in order to make his trip South worth it. Once he buys these slaves, he loads them on a ship to New Orleans and they set sail. Finally beginning to trust Tom, he lets the slave walk freely on the ship, and soon sells him to Augustine St. Clare.
Personality: Haley likes to think himself a kind slave trader, and brags to Arthur Shelby about how he will never separate a family of slaves if he can help it, or use rough methods with them. However, Haley is a very cautious man, chaining up Tom even after the Shelby's had assured him of Uncle Tom's obedience. Haley suppresses his conscience by telling himself that once he earns enough money he will stop selling his fellow men. He has seen many tragic things in his line of business, so many that he doesn't bat an eye, even at a suicide. Due to his interaction with slaves, he believes himself well-versed in their childish ways, and thus has a tendency to spout profanities at the slightest provocation.
Family: None
Biography: Haley has apparently worked with Tom Loker the slave catcher before, and trusts the man. At this novel's start, Haley is talking to Arthur about selling some slaves to pay of Arthur's debt to Haley himself. Haley requests that he be given Uncle Tom, young Harry Harris, and Harry's mother Eliza. Arthur refuses to give the trader Eliza, because Eliza is Emily Shelby's favorite servant. The next day Haley discovers that Harry has escaped due to his mother's taking him, and believes that it is treachery on the Shelby's part. Haley is somewhat grateful that Tom did not flee alongside the two Harris's, but this relief does not keep him from firing off a salvo of curses that have the slaves doubled up in laughter, resulting in another string of profane expressions.
Haley tries to take off immediately to capture Eliza, but is delayed by Mrs. Shelby and various slaves. He wastes a fair amount of time before finally leaving the house, and wastes even more getting his head turned around by his companions on his horseback errand: two more of the Shelby's slaves. When at last Haley reaches the town where Eliza (who was on foot) is, he spots her near-immediately, but she flees the inn where she and Harry had been resting, and leaps across the blocks of ice in the river to reach the other side. Sullen, Haley must retreat for now.
Haley goes to the nearest tavern, meeting up with Tom Loker and Marks, two slave catchers. He convinces them to retrieve Eliza and Harry in exchange for Eliza herself and a fair sum of money. After this, he returns to the Shelby's house and is soon hustling Tom into a wagon. Haley is cautious, so he puts Tom's feet in fetters to prevent his escape. Haley soon finds a slave auction at which to buy more slaves in order to make his trip South worth it. Once he buys these slaves, he loads them on a ship to New Orleans and they set sail. Finally beginning to trust Tom, he lets the slave walk freely on the ship, and soon sells him to Augustine St. Clare.
Tom Loker
Appearance: "Standing by the bar, in the corner of the room, was a brawny, muscular man, full six feet in height, and broad in proportion. He was dressed in a coat of buffalo-skin, made with the hair outward, which gave him a shaggy and fierce appearance, perfectly in keeping with the whole air of his physiognomy. In the head and face every organ and lineament expressive of brutal and unhesitating violence was in a state of the highest possible development. Indeed, could our readers fancy a bull-dog come unto man's estate, and walking about in a hat and coat, they would have no unapt idea of the general style and effect of his physique."
Personality: Tom Loker is a fierce man who prefers a blunt charge to a strategic plan. Loker also is the kind of man who will repay a great debt, as he does.
Family: None
Biography: Tom Loker has done business with Haley in the past, but he will never again do business with him again. Loker's first debut is made when Haley has just lost Eliza after she crossed the river on the ice. Haley comes into a tavern where Loker just happens to be drinking with his partner, Marks. Soon the slave trader and the slave catchers have made a deal: Loker and Marks will recapture Eliza and Harry in exchange for Eliza herself, and a fair sum of money. When the Harris family, united once again, set off from a Quaker settlement in the night, Loker and Marks are ready for them, having anticipated the runaways' actions.
When they find the abandoned wagon that the fugitives had just fled from, they search for the slaves, and soon find them. George Harris stands before them with a pistol, and tells the slave catchers that if they threaten George's family, they will get shot. Marks fires a shot, and one of George's allies returns fire, injuring Tom Loker badly as the brawny man tries to charge. Despite being injured, Loker continues to come forward, but just as he leaps the chasm separating him from his prey, one of George's fellows shoves him back, and Loker lands heavily at the bottom of the chasm.
Marks and the remainder of his men try to get Loker in a saddle, but when he proves too heavy to lift, they leave him behind in their haste to retreat. Loker is left for dead by his comrades, but not by his enemies. George soon loads him into the wagon, and they are off to the next settlement. Some time later, Loker has been healed, thanks to the Quakers, and becomes his saviors' guardian. He parts ways with George and Eliza, and is never mentioned in the story again.
Personality: Tom Loker is a fierce man who prefers a blunt charge to a strategic plan. Loker also is the kind of man who will repay a great debt, as he does.
Family: None
Biography: Tom Loker has done business with Haley in the past, but he will never again do business with him again. Loker's first debut is made when Haley has just lost Eliza after she crossed the river on the ice. Haley comes into a tavern where Loker just happens to be drinking with his partner, Marks. Soon the slave trader and the slave catchers have made a deal: Loker and Marks will recapture Eliza and Harry in exchange for Eliza herself, and a fair sum of money. When the Harris family, united once again, set off from a Quaker settlement in the night, Loker and Marks are ready for them, having anticipated the runaways' actions.
When they find the abandoned wagon that the fugitives had just fled from, they search for the slaves, and soon find them. George Harris stands before them with a pistol, and tells the slave catchers that if they threaten George's family, they will get shot. Marks fires a shot, and one of George's allies returns fire, injuring Tom Loker badly as the brawny man tries to charge. Despite being injured, Loker continues to come forward, but just as he leaps the chasm separating him from his prey, one of George's fellows shoves him back, and Loker lands heavily at the bottom of the chasm.
Marks and the remainder of his men try to get Loker in a saddle, but when he proves too heavy to lift, they leave him behind in their haste to retreat. Loker is left for dead by his comrades, but not by his enemies. George soon loads him into the wagon, and they are off to the next settlement. Some time later, Loker has been healed, thanks to the Quakers, and becomes his saviors' guardian. He parts ways with George and Eliza, and is never mentioned in the story again.
Marks
Appearance: "He was short and slender, lithe and catlike in his motions, and had a peering, mousing expression about his keen black eyes, with which every feature of his face seemed sharpened into sympathy; his thin, long nose, ran out as if it was eager to bore into the nature of things in general; his sleek, thin, black hair was stuck eagerly forward, and all his motions and evolutions expressed a dry, cautious acuteness."
Personality: Marks is a shifty, sneaky, tenacious little man who would rather save his own skin than help his partner.
Family: None
Biography: Marks' first debut is made when Haley has just lost Eliza after she crossed the river on the ice. Haley comes into a tavern where Marks just happens to be drinking with his partner, Tom Loker. Soon the slave trader and the slave catchers have made a deal: Marks and Loker will recapture Eliza and Harry in exchange for Eliza herself, and a fair sum of money. When the Harris family, united once again, set off from a Quaker settlement in the night, Marks and Loker are ready for them, having anticipated the runaways' actions.
When they find the abandoned wagon that the fugitives had just fled from, they search for the slaves, and soon find them. George Harris stands before them with a pistol, and tells the slave catchers that if they threaten George's family, they will get shot. Marks fires a shot, and one of George's allies returns fire, injuring Tom Loker badly as the brawny man tries to charge. Despite being injured, Loker continues to come forward, but just as he leaps the chasm separating him from his prey, one of George's fellows shoves him back, and Loker lands heavily at the bottom of the chasm.
Marks flees immediately, leaving his men and Loker to die. Some time later, as George and company try to cross to Canada by boat, Marks is waiting for them. However, the fugitives have disguised themselves so well that they escape from right under his nose.
Personality: Marks is a shifty, sneaky, tenacious little man who would rather save his own skin than help his partner.
Family: None
Biography: Marks' first debut is made when Haley has just lost Eliza after she crossed the river on the ice. Haley comes into a tavern where Marks just happens to be drinking with his partner, Tom Loker. Soon the slave trader and the slave catchers have made a deal: Marks and Loker will recapture Eliza and Harry in exchange for Eliza herself, and a fair sum of money. When the Harris family, united once again, set off from a Quaker settlement in the night, Marks and Loker are ready for them, having anticipated the runaways' actions.
When they find the abandoned wagon that the fugitives had just fled from, they search for the slaves, and soon find them. George Harris stands before them with a pistol, and tells the slave catchers that if they threaten George's family, they will get shot. Marks fires a shot, and one of George's allies returns fire, injuring Tom Loker badly as the brawny man tries to charge. Despite being injured, Loker continues to come forward, but just as he leaps the chasm separating him from his prey, one of George's fellows shoves him back, and Loker lands heavily at the bottom of the chasm.
Marks flees immediately, leaving his men and Loker to die. Some time later, as George and company try to cross to Canada by boat, Marks is waiting for them. However, the fugitives have disguised themselves so well that they escape from right under his nose.