The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-10-23
KANSAS.
The FREE STATE PRISONERS IN Kansas
THEIR FARE, AND THEIR PRosPECTs.
-. 80, \.

t0fEee .OAiSIee oL tle New 0FA 1 FibQne-
TOPEKA, Sept, 90 1856.
Yesterday | visited the prisoners Of State
now under confinement at Lacompton. Il
was my second visit 10 that forlorn little Nir-
GINA town | call it thus because the Whole
sensation IS that OF the Old Dominion. Ia
stead of the rising school houses and churches
OF Lawrence the litt.e streets are lined with
bar-rooms, whereof the chief Is the Virginia
Saloon The tavern is true Virginia - ba
con, corn bread and dirty negro boys and
girls to wait at table. Southern prosincialisms
strike ones ear al every moment and the
town IS oarrisoned by Col. Titus militia, re-
enforced yesterday by twenty FIVE precious
youths from Georgia in a high state of whis-
KEY
The Governor declines all control over the
prisoners, but Marshal Duneison WAS very
ready 20 admit me to see them. In fact they
were visible, being allowed OF square
or so before. their prison door. guarded by a
few Mssourians, who paced up aud down
with loaded muSke;S | met one OF the poor
fellows, allowed for some reason to cross The
street, pursued BY an evil looking seoundrel
with fixed bayooet. Itis singular how much
alike all Savery's officials look. l saw ha}f a
dozen times the familiar features OF my B5s-
ton friend. Mr.. Asa o. Butnlan.
The hundred and five prisoners lounged
about. boxing as prisoners everywhere do.
They are kept in large unfinished wooden
building, without atom Of furniture OF any
description. They do their own cooking
with very scanty dtencils and such provisions
as | shall hereafter describe. They have OBJ
tanned with great difficulty fifteen straw pal
lets for the whole company Some have no
blankets; but the majority possesses the Iuxu-
" Of one apiece Il was an exceedingly cold
windy day when | was there; the exposed
side Of the house was unfinished. anl about
ball its superficial extent consisted of great
gaps through which the wind whi>led 4
few of the men lay about on the floor sick
with a5ue and fever
Most of them are yoslng men, the flower c{
the youth of Lawrence. They are light
hearted set of boys and are resolved to avenge
themselves on their captors BY perfect inilt-
ference TO captivity. This comes hard. how
ever, on some, fathers Of families and owners
Of farms which are alike suffering from their
absence. Three weeks labor Of hundred,
men all lost, in the busiest season of the year.
forit is the only .inla to set in the hay for the
Winters supply.
The man hal left six children al sick, and
his wife acciien.ly absent from home he
said he supposed some Of the ncighbors would
look after them Another carried in his arms
a child, who WAS, as l was told the first child
born in Lawrence, and was christcned with
the name Of the town. The pf5r little thing
looked rather forlorn, It's pallid father car
riei it up and down the bar. prison room
An early imitation in'o the sorrows Of Kan
saS.
Among the crowd found two Of the best
ernigrants whom Worcester had sent, and
others who belonged Z companies which
had organized. Not one Of these seemed de-
pressed, but allappearel proud Of be;ag there.
At first, they said, while in care Of the Unit
ed states troops, and encamped on the prai-
rie, there were many escapes; Tow the
guard was 50 close that it was almost i'm
possible Col Titus na1 he's charge If these
is the head of one division Of Kansas MALTA
his force being chiefly from Missouri aad 9th
er Southern States; lie Is the man whose
lie Was hunanely spared by the Free Safe
men when they broke mp his camp of outlaws,
He showed his gratitude by informing his
Free Sac prisoners that if one OF them al
tc;n,ted to escape. he would blow the build
ing to atoms. | looked and saw the cannon
actually pointed, not upon the entrance. but
s. a. TO command the main portion Of the
blIding There stood the emblem of des-
po,ism, with It's conical pile Of balls beside il.
| never saw but one cannon before, that look
ei 50 de.estable.
Even now. the men sag some could escape
by killing a few. sentiaels bat this they will
not Do for . true Kansas reaSon-thev would
lose their rifles; whereas. if Iibara ed, Gov.
Gearv assures them that they shall be restor-
ed. l doab. this prospect, however, from
the fac, that ou. OF fourteen horses possessed
bv different individuals Of the number when
captured, only three can now be found; and
horse ranks second to Sharp's rife IN the
affiaS+-an ri a l. aD.a- nS10
All these prisoners are bound over for trial
in 0c-ober. on the charge Of murder in the
6rst degree Y9u are aware Of the brilliant
series OF eng -emeDts N which the fTeemen
OF Kansas had driven the invaders from the
borders before Coy. Geary appeared. Il
most Of these a few HISTORIANS were killed.
In re. urn for This. everg Free S.ste nan wLo
Is accused BY any body Of having taken part
in those engsr remeats Is in danger u arras:.
Tie greater part. however, veFe tsken after
the battle Of Hickory Point while Of the Pro
Slavery men, who still had lie black flag
fviag when these men were taken, no. one
was captured.
II each Of these prisoners had, IN broad
DAYLIGHT. deliberately naardere,I : man, thev
coald not haze beea placed in no worse posi-
tion than tbey are now, for simply defending
the liberties Of their cos1ntry under most fear
ful pyosoeatFon-
For instance. II. the attack "a O>aakee. the
Free Safe men. on catering tie Pro slavery
fort. found n14n elaiflfd 10 ne fe9r By a
heavy log chain aL--at ei-sht feet long, which
uas r;ye:ei to BIS leg ln lis position he