Calvin Fairbank was known for his abolitionist activities and his role in assisting escaped slaves. On the day of his abduction, Kentucky marshals arrived in Jeffersonville, Indiana, where Fairbank was residing. They arrested him under the pretense of enforcing the Fugitive Slave Act, which required citizens to assist in the capture of escaped slaves. Fairbank's case was significant because it illustrated the contentious nature of the law and the divide between slaveholding and free states. His commitment to helping those seeking freedom through the Underground Railroad made him a target for pro-slavery advocates.

The marshals, operating in a region that was a border area between free and slave states, symbolized the broader conflict that was brewing in the United States regarding slavery. Fairbank was taken across state lines to stand trial in Kentucky, where the judicial system was often biased in favor of slave owners. His abduction not only represented the personal risks faced by abolitionists but also drew attention to the growing use of state power to uphold slavery against moral and social resistance.

Fairbank's trial and subsequent actions became a rallying point for abolitionists and sparked further discussions about civil rights, the responsibilities of free states, and the moral implications of the Fugitive Slave Act. The involvement of federal and state marshals underscored how deeply anchored slavery was in the American legal system and, ultimately, set the stage for heightened conflicts leading to the Civil War.