Demoine courier., 1856-09-18

The affair at LeavenwOrth.
Below we publish the s,stemen, Of Mr..
N. McCraken, formerly Of Kirkville, in
this County who vas driven out Of Leav.
enworth by the Border Rufians. We
commend j. to the rerusal Of those who
are inclined to disbelieve all the reports
Of ou,rsges in Kansas. But before pre-.
sen,ing il, we desire the reader 10 peruse
the following article from the 81. Louis
AnteAigencer. a paper by no means pref.
udicsd in favor Of the Free State cause:
II the pro-slavery party in Kansas are
determined to disgrace and ruin theft
cause, and to draw down upon them
selves the r%e2roba,ion Of good men a, the
South as well as at the North, they have
only to continue in the preparation OF
such abominable and hideous outrages as
occurred at Leaven worth las, Monday
week to accomplish their ann complete
ly. The shocking exhibition of cruelty
and tyranny has been responded 10 by
one universal sentiment Of execration,
against which even the Missouri Repxb
Hcan, the yindicaior Of all the acts Of
A,chison, Stringfellow, and their COM
rades, covers. The Republican has JUS
tilted everything hitherto done and said
by the pro slavery men in Kansas. but il
has no! had the hardihcod, as yet, to de-
fend the Leavenwor,h outrage. Perhaps
il will employ a correspondent zone Of
those who took part in the disgraceful af-
iair1 10 defend the guilty parties.
The details OF this inexcusable and fla
gran, outrage are well known to the mos,
Of our citizens. Thirty or forty Of the
cilizers Of Leavenwolth, among whom
were substantial and respectable mer
chants, we'll and favorsbly known in the
business circles Of ST. Louis, by their
intimate business relations with our city,
were driven out of the place, and com.
PEELED. wi,hous an hours warning, TO
flee for their lives, leaving their Stores,
their shops, and their homes to the mer-
cy OF .heir prosecutors. They were not
insurgents, they were not rebels against.
Territorial authorities, they were no,
A%boli.ionisss. They were simply Free
State men, who desired nothing more
than the RICH, Of living in Kansas, and
quietly pursuing their avocations-a
right which every American citizen is
entitled TO. be his private opinions what
they may. But they were commanded
TO take up arms in favor Of the pro-
slavery cause, and because they could
mol and would not do this, they were
driven of and forced to seek elsewhere
that shelter which they were denied on
the inhospi.able soil Of Kansas.
W. are no. surprised, when such a.
trocities an This, and the horse .stenlipg
outrage At Lexington. are perpe,rs,ed al.
most daily on the border-we are no.
surprised to learn, AZ we do from sour.
ces ~eminently reliable. that the pro slave.
ry sentiment 10 about to react.
1t 10 just such conduc. a. this that has
coined frec-soilers out OF slaves State
men, disguised many pro-slavery ci,i-
zens Of Missouri with . cause assscia.
ted with cruelty, oppression and wrong
The following is the statement Of Mr..
Mc Craoken:
ST. LouIs, Sept. 6.
enig.ated TO L%eavenwor,h city on
The I'd day Of October, 1855. After re-
naming there q few days l rented prop
erty, came TO 81. Louis and bought a
stock Of groceries, and have since been
engaged in the grocery, provision, for.
warding and receiving business. al which
occupation ! employed myself mos, stu
diously.. l was highly pleased with the
appear ance Of the town. It's location,
&c. l endeavorsd TO keep myself GU,
Of improper places, avoiding ali the col
l~ec.ions where there was any probability
Of getting into any discussion on the ex.
citing questions which we're the cause
OF numerous troubles and ou,rages ihro'.
out the Territory. / frequently heard
from numerous friends that ! was &C.
nounced a. An abolitionist, 4 traitor and
a very bad man in the community.
paid no regard 10 such news. a. i, origi-
mated among a class Of men who were
no. worthy Of note. Things went on,
and | was permitted to do business un
til about the 18Th day Of August, when
on the levee, after night, on or abou, tina,
time, receiving a large LOT Of goods be-
longing to Messrs. Hoinby & Ferrill. of
Lawrence, Kansas Terrnosy, there ap-
pearsd TO be considerable anxiety mani
tested by some of the so called Law and
order party Of our city. Capt. Clark
SON came to me, ahs asked me where
those goods belonged. l told HIM !
could not tell only from the packages,
and judging from them there was a vari-
.y Of goods, such a. were necessary TO
supply a general ,rade-such ~ grocer
les, dry goods, boots, shoes, hardware,
salt, iron, &c. He asked me If there
wal any arms or guns in any Of these
packages. l told him | could not tell,
but did no, believe there were any. He
then asked me if there was ne. some
powder for Lawrence. ! told him there
was. He asked me how much. told
him eigh, ksgs-four Of rifle and four Of
blasting powder. He said il was no,
blasting powder. bu. cannon powder, and
was fov Lane and his men nj Law renee.