Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-02-06
Exciting News from Kansas Renewal
of Civil War.

ORTIZ, h. L. Jan. 90, 1886.
The Pr' slavery patty made an atack
on the free State party. while the latter
were holding an election for State off
GERS, Under the Constitution of Kansas.
The free State men did not fire a single
gun when first attacked, but got really,
Unto line for a fight, and the pro slave
ry men held aloof. After which, Mr..
Sharks Gree State was taken prisoner.
The free State men retook him. and
while going away were fred on by the
Pro-slavery party. A fight followed
The prO~-slavery men again retired
Several pro-slavery men were badly
wounded, one MORALLY. One or two
free State men slightly wounded.
From The correspondence of the Cleve
land Leoder we condense the following.
An armed force of Pro-Slavery men,
had been raised at Leavenworth to seize
the ballot boxes. The Free State men
assembled 10 protect them. AT twilight,
the Pro-Slavery men made a charge
They were IS or 40 strong. the majority
on horseback, all well armed. Some of
the Free Stale men, who had been in a
house, became excited, rushed out, az
made a charge. The Pro-Slavery ME
withdrew, but placed a picquet guard
around the house. Mr.. E. P. Brown, a
Kentuckian, determined to put a step 10
their interference. With an equal nun
Der of Free State men, be marched up to
the picquet guard. Both parties presen-
ted arms, Mr.. Brown told them t sur
render, or be shot. They surrendered
and were disarmed. The Free State
men then returned to their homes.
The same day, Mr.. Parks, and son,
free Slate) on their way home, were
attacked by a company of Is m~arauders.
Mr.. Brown with fifteen men went to their
rescue. The Pro-Slavery men fred in
to the company of Free Stale men. Vol
ley after volley was rapidly exchanged.
The combatants then retreated to two
houses, at rifle shot distance, and kept
up a constant fire for FIVE or ten minutes.
One Free State men, with a Sharpe's ri
Ae, lay down behind a snow bank, and
fred at every man Of the opposite party
who dared to show himself. The firing
was kept up until both parties were ex-
hausted, when the Free State men with
drew 10 Easton. The ballot box, in the
meantime, had been secured, and carried
olt of town by n Of the voters.
On the following morning. as Mr..
Brown was returning to Leavenworth,
he was overpowered by an armed force
and arrested, with several others. He
objected to being taken, and thought it
bett r to sell his life as dearly as posi-
BILE on the spot. but his associates urged
him to surrender, claiming that they
would all be slain. This he finally but
very reluctantly consented tc do. in con-
sideration of saving the lives of his com
panions who seemed so unwilling to de-
fend themselves. They took Mr.. B. out
after releasing the others for the purpose
OF hanging him, having their ropes and
implements ready for the work. Some
proposed a compromise-that they lynch
him, and let him go. This was agreed
to. when several %rufians spIang upon
him with hatchets and bowie knives,
and commenced stabbing, chopping,
beating and kicking him until he was fel.
led to the earth, alter receiving three
mortal wounds in his head with hatchets,
a I'd other injuries, any of which would
probably have caused his death. A fter
Lying upon the cold earth for a while.
consciousness seemed to return, be was
beaten. kicked and dragged to a wagon
nto which he was thrown like a dead
brute, and in this condition was carried
ten miles, to Dunn's grocery, in Salt
Creek Va'lry, where his slayers went
tn nugh the farce Of attempting to dress
his wounds. Finding ii at he must die,
and human nature beginning t. get the
.ascendancy. he was carried to his own
home, three fourths of a mile distant,
and given in charge of his wife.
She in'errogated him as to how he had
received the injuries. and he responded
though audibly, 81 have been
by a gang of towards. in cold
blood, without any cause ]" Immediately
after, he gasped, and expired.