New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-12-15
KANSAS.
sy.ei.l Couesposse.ee Of Ths n. !. Ths1s~
JIvpyNCg. X. T., Nov. q,

Of O..vst.mie, Middle Greek and Sugar Mound, 10
row the theater Of legal persecution Of ratners
systematic kind. Marshal Preston, attended by
4. t.ehuept of Col. Ti,uss militia, equipped a.
dragons, have been ransackins and arrestos
people in that quarter fora week past. Tho force
thus employed is divided into several small parties
and as they &C: under the guidance and suggestions
Of the Pro Slavery men Using in the different regions
they visit, they thus OBJ ain information valuable 70
them and are more successful than they otherwise
would be. None of the Free-State men have made
any cslculaiious as to resisting this force by force
Those against whom they act merely try TO keep
ont of their way. The object OF tins arfestlng
moyement in that quarter is clear enough. For
some tine back the locality in question has been
the scene of disturbances more or less aggra-
waited. These originated with the Pro-slavery
men, some of the most violent actors hving
in the Territory. The design of these dis
turbances was to intinidate any Free State emf
grafton that might tend to that qusrrr and also 10
drive away much of what was already there Inns
violence has been resisted BY the holder ana more
warlike Free State men in that quarter, and ag-
pression in some instances has been met oy couh-
ter aggre sion. The war spirit was indeed up.
Further removed from Gov. Geary and his proca-
nations the latter had lees effect upon their mlnds
and when Nissourians aud Pro-SaveIy residents OF
the Territory assaed them they forgot that resist
ance ard self-defrnse were crimes, and therefore,
they did not scrupe to resist To crush OUT these
ipcipient seeds of rebellion and restore law and
order. so that the Pro Slavery men aud Border
RuffiaDs might carry on their operation ana ergo!
the fruits OF their legal supremacy IN security was
too impoI tant an object 10 be neglected. 1he men
arrested are not only those who have been conAeced
with the recent disturbance but those VINO nave
been prominent Free-State men, or leaders OF the
peoule at any time since the Kansas difficulties
began. or course, not one Pro-Slsvery man mas
been arrested. have been informed that several
Free-S State settlers have been arrested IN the neigh
borhood of Sugar Mound, and are now in the hands
of their captors Five Free-State prisoners from
the neiphborhoOd of Osawatamie were taken into
IecomptOn yesterday; among them Mr.. William
Partridge.
Col. Preston, with q party of these mounted
militia had undertaken the arrest OF Mr. Holmes,
formerly of New-York City. This latter gentle
man distinguished himself by his bravery at the
battle of Osawatamie, and has been the nero OF
more than one daring affair since. As IN all such
cases be has been credited with rather more than
his share, and when anything in the shape OF de-
fensve or offensive warfare occurred In that quar-
ter, Capt. Holmes was said to be- at the bottom ot
it, The O.Slayery men have been Anxious 10 get
him arrested OF into their hands IN some shape.
1t has even been said that Governor Geary
has cred reward for his capture BE
that as it may, Mr.. Preston, legally United
States Deputy Marshal aud Border Rufhanly
Colonel" with the military force referred to, I'M
dertOok his arrest The gallant Marshal had WEAR.
some and prOftless hunt on the POttawatamie aud
among the tbckets of Sugar Creek. No
Captain Holmes was to be found, because
that gentleman, who had been supposed to be
proving about with band of armed men in that
direction, was really in this vicinity, alone aud
peacefully engaged. AS fortune would have it,
Mr.. Holmes started for Osawatamie just as Mar
shall Preston and his militia fresh from their un-
successful hunt, were returning. what naPPeoed
was perfectly natural. Mr.. Holmes was riding up
the steep hill at Middle Creek, few miles On this
side of Osawatamie, when he suddenly came upon
Preston and bis dragon militia. Escape was just
about OUT of the question, and as Mr. Holmes was
not aware that any one knew him, he attempted to
pass. He was arrested by them, and as he, under
the circumstances, made no resistance, he was dts
armed and carried toward LecOmpton. Here, by
an unexpected piece Of luck, the gallant Preston
had succeeded in capturing the very man he was
after; but " there's many slip twixt the cup and
the lip" The occurrence narrate happened two
days ago. That night they halted near Washing
ton Creek, ard Mr.. Holmes, thinking that be had
gone as far il was advi able 10 took advantage
Of some slight inattenOn ON the part OF his guards,
lesped fence clOse by and started OIL They
shouted for him to stop, and several bullets whis-
tied after him, but he escaped unhurt, and looked
as composed as ever while he gave me the partlcu.
lars of the adventure.
The prisoners thus taken are thrust in promis.
cuOusy with the others at LecOmptOn. The con-
vcted prisoners, and he who has been taken by the
strong arm Of the military, and against whom no
writ has ever been issued, sharers Of the same
prison and the same hard fate 1t worthy OF note
here that the prisoners taken by Gov. Geary, sew
eral weeks ago, while on his tour to the south,
with the military were then taken without writs,
and are still held without legal process lqueston
if anything could be more despotic than this men
stance of their enemies, by the force Of military
strength and under the authority Of public officers
who ought to be responsible. And yet such irregu-
lar proceedings have became so common in Kan
sas that they no longer excite remark
The prisoners at Lecomp.on in spi.e Of occa-
sional additions TO the flock, are considerably
thinned out. The men removed to Tecumseh on
change of venue, and who made their escape from
that place, were quite q subtraction, and OCCASION
ally one i'll succeed in getting away from Lecomp-
ton. STILL the prison has as many occupants as 1t
has accommodation for When the largest num-
Der was in il, il was crowded. Imagine their con.
di,ion They had no seats. Not bench or board
Offered them respite from one position on easy
terms. When an unfortunate prisoner wants 10
cit he sits on the floor. Think of Kansas patriot,
lover Of Freedom 81 ting on the filthy floor OF this
crowded prison and musing on his hard fate, and
the probable doom Of our Republic, driven into
despo.ism He cOmpreheLds the full sum Of the
KaI sss Diquity. The iron has poixf for him, and
while others speculate, be Jeeis When the news
Of FremOnt's defeat for the Presidency was con-
yeyed to the prisoners the eff C: was worthy Of
note. Theirs was not the political excitement |
that finds vent in EXPLANATIONS. For nearly an hour
all was silent in that sad prison.house. Deep de-
ectiOn "a. on every eOuntenance. They compre-
b. ndtd the nature of the result. They felt that |