New-York daily tribune., 1856-03-26
HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

Some weeks since several packages, containing
two hundred Sharps rifles and two cannon, were
forwarded from Massachusetts,, under charge OF
DR.. Cutter and Dir Hoyt destined for Kansas.
On a,r, Dg at 81. Louis these packages, marked
"carpenters' TOOLS" were shipped on board the
steamer Arabia, but DR., Cutter, well knowing the
character of the people among whom he was to
travel. had the precaution to take from the rIfes
tie gates or sdes 80 called the loading apparatus,
without which they would be useless. These he
packed in hls trunk and took with him by land,
leaving Mr.. Hoyt to accompany the packages on
the steamer.
Dr. Cutter with his baggage, arrived safely at
Lawrence, but not so the rfes and the cannon.
The second or third day of the passage up the
river, letter was found on the cabin table or
floor, signed Start, purporting to be written to
friends in the East aud containing plain allusons
to the rifles on board, which were spoken OF as
being under the charge of the writer. About this
letter there is some unexplained mystery. The
Border Rufians On board the boat, and the ac
counts Of their proceedings as gwen ~ the Siis-
souri, newspapers, set up that this letter was writ
ten by Ho,t and left on the table By accident or
thoughtlessness; but the opinion at Lawrence
seems to be-and the contents of the letter itself,
which has much of bogus sound, agree very well
with the suppostion-that it was written BY some
spy or traitor who had followed the party, perhaps
from Massachusetts,, and who took this means of
giving the Border Rufiians on board some color of
pretense for exercising their natural prediction
towa I'd theft and robbery The letter, 1t is TO be
observed, contained some observations on the
Border Ruflans too true to be at all agreeabe
which fact, assuming that Mr.. Hoyt must have
been the ritter, most Of the Missouri papers seem
| to consider ample reason for robbing him of the
goods under his charge, while they set it down as
wonderful instance of Border Rufiisn forbearance
that Hoyt was not chopped to pieces aspOor Brown
was, or at least tarred aud feathered into the
bargain.
This letter having been read to the assembled
passengers, the following persons, who are stated
TO be very respectable men-aceording to the Mis-
souri, standard-C. W. Bell of Brunswick, o. A.
Mcfarland of Richield, DR.. Porter of Independ-
ence, Charles Kearney of Westport, Dr. Prewett
of Parkyille, aud Mr.. Emerson, were appointed
committee TO search for the arms Some
outsider having suggested that if the arms
were seized aud taken away, the captain and
owners would be liable to the shippers, this led
to some fsticufs between this intrusive outsider
and enc of the members of the committee The
obi, ction was disposed of for the moment BY re-
solving TO give the captsin bond Of indemnity in
| 5000, resolve very safe to pass as it bound
nobody. nor would the bond itself have been of
any effect had it been given, any more than
bond Iom one thief to another against the conse-
ounces Of join; robbery
The boxes containing the arms having been
found in the bottom Of the hold new Robbinp
Committee, consisting of DR.. Parker Of Indepen-
dence, DR.. Prewett of Parkyille, Charles Kearney
of Wesport, Colonel Hall of Independence and
Mr. Elkins OF Westport, was appointed TO take
possession Of them, aud the following ingenious
and truly MitsOuian method was hit upon 10 escape
giving the proposed bond Ofindemnty to the captain
The steamer by this time had reached the town Of
Lexington. and BOrder-Rufian mob was speedily
collected who by threats of bodily violence forced
Mr.. HOyt, who now came forward 3 claim the
boxes as his, to sign psper-abOut as valid in Law
as the proposed Border. Rufhan bOua-relinquish.
ing all claim upon the captain, the Robbing Com
mittee On their part signing an obligation TO hold
the boxes subject to the order Of Gov Shannoni
| Hoyt was then dismissed and has since arrived
safely al Lawrence At the last accounts he was
| about to apply TO Governor Shannon for an order
upon the RObting Committee at Lexington to de-
liver up the arms As Shannon is well aware from
personal observation last Winter how essential
these ShArps rifles are to the Free-Stste men of
Kansas IS theiT sole protection agans; being driven