Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-11-07
The Free State Prisoners in Kansas
"A Letter from Cincinnati

The Free State Prisoners in Kansas
"A Letter from o Cincinnati
an!
The following letter was written by
Otis NJ. Marsh, well known citizen
Of Cincinnati, formerly an engineer on
the Cincinnati and Chicago Railroad;
and was always, heretofore, q Dem
ocrat: 3
LEcoMProS. Oct. 3.
DEAR FRrEsp TnoMAs:-I have
written 10 you again and again since /
left Cincinnati, but have only received
one letter In return. cannot think
that / am forgotten so soon, and you
have turned from your old friend. car
ing not for his fate. but lay IL oil to
the uncertainty OF the mails In this
distant, troubled land. o, how often
OF late, have | thought Of you, and
longod 10 see you again.
What n life has mine been for the
last nine months--driyen from homo by
Rufilans---laying for weeks In thickets
10 keep from being shot down. robbed
and turned out dcstitute--not leaving
me even an extra shirt. and for what
crimo--simply for being q Free State
man. and In favor Of making Kansas
Free State.
1haye been shot nj by armed bands,
who have sworn 10 take my lie. and
chased by the same In tho darkness OF
the night. bu, escaped through tho In.
terposition OF kind Providence aud
the good speed Of my horse. | have
seen some hard fighting. and many
bullets whistle close 10 my ear, but
have escaped all harm no far. Kansas
has. been and still 10 In q Llost deplor.
able and unsettled state, aud who can
tell when aud what the end OF oil this
will DO.
I am q prisoner NJ this time In To.
compton, and have been since three
weeks ago las! Monday. Some one
hundred Free State men, most Of
whom had been driven from iheIi
claims, had q conflict with body o.
the Border Ruflans nj Hickory Point
We had several badly wounded. They
had ono killed and several wounded
The night after the conflict. as We
were eneamped, We were surrounded
by tho United States troops and takeI
prisoners. Word hal been sent Il
the Governor Of our whereabouts, ans
no had dispatched them for the pur
pose. We could easily have heater
the troops of and made our escape
and should have done 30. had We On,
idea Of the turn things have taken.
But from assurance that the Cover
nor had given ~, VIC supposed WI
would have been released the next day
also that we went TO Hickory Point b,
the advice OF tho confidential friend o
Governor Geary; we were kept som
ton days In the custody Of the troop
In the camp. not having more thar
half rations. without blankets, layinl
On tho ground, without shelter, durinI
some severe storms, -treatmen wors
than you would bestow on brute
We were then turned over TO the civil
authorities, and had our Trial befor
Judge Cato. and no held us over 70
trial for murder In the first degree.
feel innocent OF the charge. and hav'
. clear conscience, and ! do not a
yet know when our trial Is TO como oil
but have heard that next week Is tn
time set. hope 10; for then we vii
be set at liberty. thinf.
There are si03 persons here now
confined in an old rat trap. all open &
the weather, the storms Of wind an,
rain beating through in every direct
ion; We are poorly fed-not lodged a
all. unlcus you call a lean on the foo
; lodging; and. take IL altogether. W
have rather a hard time of It. l hav
been sick since have been here. bu
am now able to sit up and write this
Our correspondence Is closely watched
and this may not get out. but l writ
in hopes that l can get II in day O
two. You may not be able TO max
out this pencil mark, but l can get n
pen and ink. Give my regards to a.
my friends. The pro-Slavery part,
will do their utmost to put us all on
Of the way II they can, and Kansa
justice is altogether one-sided game
and they may be able to accomplish
their ends upon US. though we hop
for the best From your friend.
OTIS.