The Evansville daily journal., 1856-09-29

Tt appears that although Alf. Patrick was
not hung, he made narrow escape from
death. The following is the account as given
b. hims elf of his arrest, &c:
E A short time after my capture an express
was sent to Leavenworth city, l suppose to
inform. their comrades in, town of their good
luck, for it was but an hour or so before some
j eight or ten came in camp, three or four Of
whom were "pretty well how !"
and appeared to delight very much in insult
ing, prisoners, myself receiving the greater
share Of their abuse. The sheriff of the ceun-
ty was the .ring-leader swearing bitterly that
I should pull hemp before two days. Know
ing the characters I had to deal with, paid
but little attention to them, as it would be
breath spent in vain to try to make them be-
! lieve otherwise than [ was an abolitionIst and
negro thief and deserving of hanging. That
night myself and four others were crowded
into wagon and put under strict guard -
About twelve O'Clock the next day we were
delivered over to auother company with orders
to take us to Gen. Clarkson's quarters twelve
miles distant, but were unable to resch there
that night, so camped in the breaks of Salt
Creek, a small stream three or four miles west
of Fort Leavenworth. That evening | could
see rather extra movements among the men,
squads talking here and there, and myself
being pointed out more than a dozen of times.
but did not understand what it all meant until
the next evening, when some fellow came
around the guard-tent, swearing that if it had
not been for the countermanding order of the
Captain would have been hung the night be-
| fore.
After reaching Clarkson's camp and travel
ing till about noon the next day, the train
camped upon high prairie. The officers got
together and commenced to try the prisoners.
One at time was called out, myself being the
last But few questions were asked me as to
where lived, was taken, name, &c, when I
was told to stand out one side separate from
the rest An order was then given for twen-
ty-fve men with loaded muskets to march
Immediately in front of me. From the move
ments certainly thought my time had come,
but after some further consultation among the
officers, l was placed among the others prison
ers. Whether they intended to shoot me or
not, do not know, but their actions looked
very much that way. The train, numbering
some $50 men, then took up their line of march
for Lecompton, where we arrived some three
Gsys afterwards @ --lss.ae
Several times while on the road, when an
attack was expected, the prisoners were sepa-
rated from the guard into a distinct body,
orders being given in case the enemy made
their appearance all of us should be shot. One
officer remarked to the men that the order
must be obeyed, as "dead men tell 10 tales,p
so you see we were in a pretty. tight place
My life was constantly in danger, as had
many political enemies in the camp, number
of whom had threatened to shoot me at the
| first opportunity. | kept a strict look out
through the day, and always changed my posi-
ton in the tent two or three times every night.
Ourfare was very rough, receiving but two
meals per day at that-getting supper gene
rally about eleven o'clock at night, and then
made up Of scraps left from the different
messes. After arriving at Lecompton we were
delivered over to the Governor, who placed us
in little room used as commissary with a
guard made up of the citizens Of the place.
Our treatment and fare was much better than
| while in camp. At this place found friend
in the person Of r. S. ScoutOn, formerly from
Terre Haute. He gaye,ne clean shirt which
helped my appearance very much, as the one
[ had onlooked as ifit might have been drawn
! through mud-hole, being worn three weeks
| through thick dust. Eef