New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-12-10
LETTER FROM A FREE Estate PRISONER IN
KANSAS.

Tine u
sutlica.ion Editors Gazette.
PoLITIcAL PRISON, LEcoNPToY X. T.. Nov 10.
DEAR SIR: Thinking few lines from old friend
might possess some little interest TO yOU write to let
you know Of my present situation and surroundings.
have written 10 many pfmy friends in Cincinnati since
left and suppose you may have heard frequen y fro
me- through them during the Summer. But my stu
stOn for the last few months may not have been Sd
well known, for am now where | am forbidden to
write untss my letters pass through the inspection Of
my bitter enemies, who have me cose prisoner, and
rather tbsn cutler this indignty prefer 10 remain ST.
lent unless | can smuggle MY letters through the
guads They fear that their deeds of niquity will be-
come known TO the wOrld-that correspondence
will be Of REASONABLE character.
You have heard no doubt, through the public prints,
Of the battle Of Hickory Point and the party of Free
State men who were fere taken prisoners, while
camped the night after the battle, by company of
United States dragOOns under the command of Capt.
Wood. l one of the lOl prisoners thea taken.
Since our imprisonment which has nov been of two
months DURATION we have suffered all that our enemies
could hesp upon us. Short OF provisions; without
beds or blankets; many sick, without and atten.
ton necessary for their recovery and all surrounded
iih the most brmnabe filth; added to all this, in
cults and ccntumely have been aped upon us without
siint II we appeared the Windows Of our prison
t1er night the guard would frequently amuse them
selves by stoning Often have we had guns and
ystos cOched and pointed at us, and we Glanced to
cOme too near our guards we would have sudden re-
hinder Of the fact by sharp prick of the btyonet.
one of our number has been cruelty murdered by IN
human conduct while sick-poor William Bo"e' OF
Missouri true lover ofOGr cause, and we sadly mourn
his fate.
Fifteen of our number were frs. tried and acquitted;
nine were released and six held over other charges
Immediately their acqutta twenty more took their
place Ia the COurTo and last Saturday morning,
4 packed Jury, mostly from Mi souri, brought Ia
verdict OF Mansiaughter Sentence, five years hard
labor in the Penitentary. The balance of toe Hickory
Point prisoners have su ,ceeded in getting change of
venue and tomorrow We 60 to Iecums.h to be resdy
AL ,Ayf nah n N NJ
alter into their hands and dispense WI n both
Judge and jury. Here in LecoDptoL, it has been the
street talk that some of our number a. least,
should be hung no matter what the verdict OF theJury
might be.
The sdvent Of Governor Geary into Kansas was
hard blow 10 the Free State party. From his first ap
peSrance among us he has ever been blowing hot aud
cd with the me breath lie has ever been speaking
honeyed words TO both Free State aud Pro Slavery
men but his whole power and all his acts have beea
brought 10 beer in cIushog out the Free State party.
At first We believed his protestetoDs, but nsw he
s:snds III masked before us, twoiaced politicians one
that would sell his very soul for popularity ana we es
innate his words at their true valle. The Federal
Government also that should throw lie strong arm oil
pote cticn around each of its Subjects Is bearing down
with It's whole power upon those who love Freedom
letter than Slavery Though there is at present su:h
dark cloud lowering over the Free-S,ate party In
Kansas t, TO me that cloud has golden fringe, all
yer lining that bids me look speedily fr the dawn OF
brighter, happier day for the nov crushed anu op.
pressed freemen Of this beautiful iaud. We were tod
to-day by Col. Titus the Governors newly,appol9,ea
aid and who is also the life and soul OF the human
party that they getting ready the 6aH and ced,n
aud The convcts striped gsrb as rapidly as possible,
for thOse who had been convicted. Only think OF
these base ignomiAics, ttese foul wrongs, De
ing hesped upon men, simply for defendisg
ueu lives, homes and families from the worse
than savage invaders-for preierring Freedom 10
Slavery VIII our friends ano brothers OF the Nortn
stand ooClly by with folded arms, and maSc no enor1
to release us cannot, will iot believe 1t until see
it, expect no mercy at tho hands Of our foes. rney
will go Just as far as they dare to 10 our case may
be one % 'heir victims; but If am still have faith
that Freedom in Kansas will finally triumph. have
not d0Bo the hIst act siDce i came to hansas
IN relation to the difficulties here that | sm
soIry for or tht would cause freud to blush for me
vii give you one OF two instances showing the an
0-tiatv Cf the adminis,r ton of justice here. Cbas
Hays, Pro-Siayery mau, was arrested for the cold
hooded murder Of David Baifam and for whose ares
Tie Governor had offered reward OF sou. he
remained Imprisoned for two night, only, AMI
then was let out on straw bail He is nor at LID
city. see the contrast. Mr.. Wi con, Frees at
msn Of Prairie City, was arrested about four week
ego ard brought here for confinement. For three
weeks OF that time the Grand jury in session. aud
fually adjourn ed without fodng any bill a. Aust him
Though no bill was found against him, the Judge
refused libe, ate him Lsst night cIe OF his neigh
boIs came with the that lis wife was dead. lie
applied 20 the Judge for permission 10 go home AID
attend tho fun tral Offering any amount OF bail tn.
might * required Judge Lscou pte positively re'ase1
e. admit bin. 10 bail. Ait,r short delay tue prose
cutting alton ey came down, and, Ga his osn respon~
b,hv let Mr.. NIson go hoIoe to see his wife buried
by bis giving 81 900 bail TO aPpes at Court next geek
n, TtCumseh HIS Only crime Is 10 beng a Free
Stat nan. Twill give one other little scene OF prison
lie Of an affecting character Ooe Of our number ans
slsO Of ,he first settlers of Lawreoce has been
sck ior some three weeks past. day or tTo ,incf
lis family, ooutisd0g OF wio ana tour snau cai'uIgn
came 10 ste hin. His wife has been IN iaihng 9eAtu
fer some years, and Is slowly wasting away with con
sumption, beng now very ieebls just before she leu
LeT tnsbaid they wept IN each othets arms. aad
meet o. earth again" f. WA, a ,ad sight. Tas wife
and those children are depcndent upon the daily lab,