The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-09-11
NEWS FROM KANSAS.

" o9o0cnioht vi iacts Inaue on the autnorlty OF
Mr.. K. IL. Shannon, of New York city, rea-
tive of the Ex-Governor of Kansas, and who
has been recently to the seat of war in that
Territory. Mr.. Shannon saw, at st. Louis.
band OF South Carolina Ruffians, en- route for
kansas; and at Lexington, and various other
places above Jefferson city, he saw armed bands
OF Notwithstanding vllains-preparing
to go to the Territory.
The Pro Slavery bandtti at Leavenworth
city," says he, "were at this time in an unu-
sual state of excitement-probably at the pros
pect of fresh raid upon the Kansas settlers
Most of them were intoxicated, and, without
any apparent cause, they pursued inoffensive
citizens through the city, offering them any and
every outrage that their brutality suggested
The jailer was especial victim. He was
pursued by the infatuated Borderers, aud had
to stand some five or six musket shots. Indeed,
the condition of the city was such, that it was
found necessary, for the safety of the lives of
Its inhabitants, to establish Protective Police
which was done by the Mayor"
This statement agrees we'll with the accounts
which we have of the murder and scalping of
Mr.. Hops, an unofending citizen, and of the
entire impunity of the murderer. Not only did
the murder go unpublished, but German, who
denounced the outrage, was murdered for his
temerity; and other citizens who ventured to
condemn the deed were run down, or threat
ened into silence. The Border Ruffian CORE.
spondent of the st. Louis Republican admits
the facts substantially. In his delicate way of
treating the subject, the unofending man was
only shot, and died of the wound while, instead
of being scalped, the wild fellow, merely for fun
cut piece out of his scalp. We give liberal
translation, but to satisfy the scrupulous, We
let the writer speak for himself:
The Democrat of the 18th inst. says that
a man of Clay county boasted that he would
have the scalp of an Aboltionist, crossing the
river to Leavenworth,' &c. The facts are these ::
A desperate man of this place, in liquor, met a
Kentuckan on the road, short distance from
the city, shot him, and cut piece out of his
scalp, and did boast of the deed. A warrant
was promptly issued for him, but he had fled
the Territory. If he can be arrested, he will
be executed for his crime. The supposition
was that the murdered man was a ProSlavery
| man.
Now, hear what the New York Tribune says
of this affair:
NUMBERING AND SCALPING.
DR.. Root, who went out to Kansas with the
| New Haven company, has just returned, via
Iowa, having reached this city on Sunday, ia
company with Mrs. Hops, widow of Mr.. Hops,
who was recently murdered and scalped near
Leavenworth city. The facts in regard to that
savage murder, as related by DR.. Root, are as
| follows
Mr. Hops had been in the Territory but few
| days. He had hired house in Leavenworth
| city, with the intention of making that place
| his home, and was on his return from Law
renee, whittier he had taken his wife, (who was
| out of healthy to remain few days with her
! brother, the Rev. Mr. Mute, the Unitarian cler-
| gyman. When he had returned to within about
! two miles of Leavenworth city, and within sight
/ of the residence of Mr.. Wallace, Free State
| man, he was met by Ruffian on horseback,
who inquired where he was from and being
| informed that he was last from Lawrence, the
| stranger drew a revolver and shot him through
| the head. Mr.. Hops was in a buggy, and the
| horse starting along. the murdered man fell to
| the ground. The Ruiiian sprang from his horse,
took out his knife and seal ped his victim, when
he remounted, and, putting spurs to his horse,
rode rapidly off in the direction Of Leavenworth
! city. This fendish outrage was witnessed by
Mrs. Wallace and her daughter. A teamster
in the service Of the United States drove up and
saw the body before the pulse had ceased to
beat. The name of the savage who perpetra-
ted this horrid deed is Fugert, and he is well
known in Leavenworth, and belongs to the
Ruffan party encamped at that city under COM
mand of Atchison. He had made bet of SO
against pair of boots that he would go out
and return with an Abolitionists scalp within
| two hours. On his return to camp, he obtained
his boots, and, then placing the scalp of his
victim on the end of pole, paraded the streets
with it, Boosting of his proves; and all this
almost within hail of Fort Leavenworth, where
! the United States forces are stationed, under
command of General Persifer +. Smith. A
German named Bimber, who expressed himself
rather freely in regard to this horrible barbarity,
was shot dead on the spot, and another man,
who also reprobated the act, saved his life only
by precipitate flight, with pistol balls whisting
freely about his head.
On hearing the fate of her husband, Mrs.
| Hops, in company with her brother, Mr.. Mute,
and about dozen other citizens of Lawrence,
started for Leavenworth, to obtain the body of
Mr.. Hops, and give it Christian burial. When
near Lawrence, the party were captured and
held as prisoners by band of Ruffians under
! Captain Emory, the man of whom Hops had
hired the horse and buggy. The body of the
murdered man had been buried, and the Ruff
fans refused the widow the consolation of look
ing upon her husbands grave. Seventy dollars
were found in the pockets of the murdered man,
all which went as funeral expenses, leaving the
disconsolate widow in the hands of the Rufians
without a dollar. She desired to leave the
scene of her terrible sorrows. The Rufiians at
first refused to let her depart, knowing that she
would be a swift witness against their savage
ry; but she finally succeeded in getting on
board boat bound down the Missouri, the cap
tain of which, out of compassion, protected her,
and gave her free passage to st. Louis. On
the boat she related her story, and was taunt-
ingly told by the heartless and ruffianly passen-
gers that she was utter;ng another Abolition
lie."
Among the party who accompanied Mrs.
Hops from Lawrence to Leavenworth, and who
were taken prisoners, was DR.. Avery, an esti-
mable Quaker gentleman from Richmond, In
DIANA who went out to Kansas to obtain facts
in regard the actual state of things there, in
j IL IL l.