The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-11-27

our own washing. This we have been compel
led to do in small buckets-the same we kept
our water In for drinking, until day or two
since, when Mr.. Caldwell obtained leave to loan
us tub. Mr.. Caldwell is the same man spo.
ken of in our memorial few weeks ago. BY
an error of the compositor, the name Marshall
was connected with his. Mr.. Caldwell is city
marshal. He is about the only human man in
Lecompton.
No one is allowed to see the convicted pris-
oners. Mr.. Hurd, of Lawrence, a brother of
one of them, was here this morning, but could
not obtain admission; nor was he allowed to
speak to him from the street, or send in a mes
sage.
l am closely watched, and will hereafter have
greater difficulty than ever in getting out COM
munications. My becoming known was the
only cause of the eight or ten last indictments
found against me. Let this work. l shall still
do my duty, Notwithstanding their threats.
There is a good time coming, l yet hope, for
it's long Lane that has no turning. K.
WHOLESALE Prison, LEooMPToN,
Tuesday, Nouember IL, 1856.
To the Editor Of the National Era:
Last Saturday promised you the key to the
causes which produced the different result in
the two late trials of Free State prisoners. 1
now proceed to fulfil my promise.
Colonel Titus, it is well known, was an old
Cuban flibuster. Major Bickerton-one of
the prisoners-who once resided in Nicaragua,
remarked, in presence of Titus, few days
previous to the first trial of Hickory Point
prisoners, that he should like to return to that
country, and inquired if some of the others
would not accompany him. Several expressed
their willingness to 60, in case Kansas became
slave State, and few said they would go
anyhow, for the sake of adventure. At this,
Titus unfolded himself, and said, "Well, Major,
if any of your boys wish to 60 to Central Amer
lea, IT'S all right. 1 have just received letter
from General Wheat, of New York, who is
about to raise an expedition destined for some
of those parts. Read it to the boys-meaning
the prisoners-but do not let it go out Of your
hands. Keep the matter secret"
Now, that no one else may suffer on account
of my desire to furnish the Era with the latest
news, 6libustering and all, will tell you how
1 obtained q copy of the letter. After Bicker-
ton had once read it aloud to the prisoners, l
called for second reading, and at this took
advantage of a pretty thorough knowledge of
photography, and reported the letter, Uerbatim.
1t did not go out of the hands of Bickertop, nor
is it now published with any completely of his.
Here it is:
New YORK, Oct. A, 1856.
My DEAR SIR: Having heard time and again
that you had been killed, 1 am glad to see by
the papers that you still live. / see that you
have a large command, and am glad of it.
am now organizing brigade to 60 to Central
America. l have made my arrangements to
be in New Orleans by the 18th or Goth of No
vember. 1 have ample transportation for two
thousand men. / have about 200 from Ken
lucky, 200 from Tennessee, 800 from Missis-
sippi, 800 from Louisiana, and about 200 from
Alabama. Now, want to know whether you
can furnish 500 men, such as you have now
them with transportation to New Orleans. If
they will bring their arms with them, it will be
better. Should you decide to go, write to me
forthwith, and let me know. Write me how
many men you can get, what number are arm
ed and how. l am not going to Nicaragua,
but to q place aohere there IS plenty Of money,
and Just enough Of fighting TO make the time
pass off pleasantly. As soon as ] hear from
you favorably, shall start Immediately to join
you at such point as you may indicate, so that
we may lose no time in embarking the men.
/ wish you, of course, to command the regi-
ment, organizing it upon United States regula-
tons. Direct your answer to me at Louisville,
Kentucky. When we meet, will be able to
give you some details, and would do so in the
letter, but am afraid it might fall into other
that you have my word for it, that it is the best
hot / hove ooA in,
1 resigned my commission of General of Brig
ade in Mexico to take command of this. For
tune invites. Shall we decline? No! Then
write me as soon as this reaches you, and give
me the glorious answer "yes."
Should you meet General J. @. Anderson,
from Georgia, remember me to him, aud tell
him 1 should be delighted to have him along,
with some of his brave boys.
If you can get 1000 men, can take care of
them.
Now, as ever, your fellow-soldier,
G. r. WHEAT.
The italicizing is all my own.
1t was on the 18th of October that Titus
showed US this letter. From that time on, to
within day or two of the second trial. he Wis
tied us almost daily and never left without
enjoining us to keep in good spirits" he
sent General ]. @. Anderson to see Gen. Rich
ardson, who was also implicated in the affair,
to get what money he could, for transportation
and other purposes. On his return, a few
weeks since, Titus tells US he had secured t,po
hundred thousand dollars! that he was to be
in St. Louis with his men by the first Monday
in December. He said that nearly all his
militia had agreed to go, taking with them the
United States arms, Isuppose, Of course. He
said that the Government acas implicated in
the matter, and if Buchanan was elected, it
would remain so and that therefore we peed
have no fears of being apprehended by the
authorities while on the way. He said, that
when they had once conquered Nicaragua and
San Salvador, 1.-THE latter have since learned
is the destination of the expedition everything
was arranged to strike blow at Cuba. Sew
eral times he told us that he would use all the
influence in his power to get US released but
if he could not do it in court he aooatld let as
80.
This accounts for the acquittal OF the fifteen
pho mere first tried. We let him hatter and
make promises, while we did neither. betraY
no confidence or trust in giving you the partic-
ulars of this affair. / would have given them
earlier, but knew Titus would become en-
ragged, and do my comrades a. much injury as
he would otherwise be capable of doing them
good, and did not wish to imperil my friends.
But now q change of affairs has taken PLACE.
Titus has read Che "Appeal to the American
People," sent out by the prisoners few weeks
since, and now declares himself our open enc
my. He read it day or more before tie trial
of the twenty prisoners whS were convicted.
and declared he would do all in his mower to
oring ABOUT s q result, and said be would