Williamson was subpoenaed by Pennsylvania US District Court judge John K. Kane, whom Wheeler had appealed to, under a writ of "habeas corpus" to produce Johnson and her sons. Kane had rejected as "immaterial and irrelevant" an affidavit from Johnson saying she had not been forcibly abducted. When Williamson refused to tell where Johnson was being hidden (as he did not know since Still had taken her away), Kane charged him with contempt of court and sentenced him to 90 days in jail. They had a history of confrontation over slavery issues.