Smyrna times., 1856-09-24
A Pennsylvania Mechanics Experience
in Kansas.

n
| We find in the Pittsburg papers an announce
ment Of the arrival at that place of Mr.. Aaron
Jefffies, mechanic, who had rather hard
experience in Kansas.
From the Journal of the 18th we learn that,
on the day previous, dusty and travel. worn, he
arrived from Kansas, having been driven out of
the territory on Monday of the previous week,
travelled over two hundred miles on foot through
the State of Missouri to Iowa, the Missouri
being closed to men from the Free States, and
| arrived there in safety. .... -.5...-
Mr.. Jeffries gave the editor of that paper his
| experie ce. He first went to Minnesota, but
not SO well liking the climate, he made no loca-
iion ofland there, but pushed on to Kansas.
Mr.. Jeffries was in Leavenworth city on the
day when the Free State men were driven cut; /;
was within twenty yards of their house when
the Phillips, brothers, we're shot, the house
where he stopped being nearly opposite the
Phillipses, who boarded with their nephew
The city election was to take place on Monday,
The Free State men had ticket in the field,
but on Saturday night body of men came into
Leavenworth and ordered it to be Withdrawn
on pain of death to any man who persisted in
keeping his name before the people on any
other but the border" ticket. The Free State
ticket was accordingly withdrawn. Not CON-
|
pany of horsemen rode through the city, pre-
ceded by a trumpeter, who proclaimed aloud
| that every man who did not fall into the ranks
would be held an enemy.
As they rode by the house where Mr.. JEFF
fries stopped, he stood upon the door step and
heard them remark, that "there was house
they must mark" meaning the house of the
Phillips. After having perambulaied the town
and terrified into their ranks every man they
could. the whole were drawn out in line just
outside the city. aud the captain, of the. com.
pany named Clark, until within two or three
months an officer in the U. s. service, distfbu.
ted tickets to all of them, remarking that there
was the ticket that must be carried at the polls
On pain of a worse fine which would certainly
5eiall any traitor TO their cause After this was
done, the Ca plain went around and whispered
IN the ear of each one of the soldiers under his
command something in tended for them alone
Then tbe whole troop, at sharp, trOt, rode
back in the direction of Phillips house.
, II will be remembered that at the time o
, the election for the territorial assembly, mar
{ was active in contesting the election OF ont
! of the MissouriaDs. This man was one of thes'
} Phillips brothers. He was at that time taken
tarred and feathered, rode upon rail and soil
to a negro for six cents. His wife was so ter
9 ri6ed at the danger in which he stood that SD
0 became maniac. Philli s took her back t
Illinois, saw her in safety among his friend:
y and but little while ago had gone back {
e Kansas to reside. This was why that hOus
Z was " marked" Lookers.on followed the troo
IS into town, end Mr.. Jeffrles among them.-
e When within a little distance of Phillips hous
he heard the firing of numerous shots. and b
d the time he had arrived on the spot, one brotl
h er, mangled with some score of bullets, wa
l. dead. q, The other lived half an hour. TIL
nephew, with whom they boarded, was take
prisoner and has not since been heard from.-
h, OF course the victims sold their lives as dear
l. as possible. 80 en-. -. .t.t-a .,t
40 Mr.. Jeffries now thought it time to look o.
40 for himself, for unless he would Join the troo
,o and vote their tickets, the next day they wou
IN finish him. He crossed the street TO go to h
40 boarding house. To his surprise he found
n. surrounded with guard of armed men. Th'
~. called him to stand and answer. They to
n. him he was suspected, and had been marke'
, that he must leave the place in twenty minute
Eor lie asked leave to 10 for his clothes; they 7
,r. fused. So, Just as he was, he was obliged
he flee, aud escaped III the clothes he wore VIII
" we saw him. Four hundred dollars in go
nd which he had concealed in the house, not di
ts. ing to carry It with him, was left behind, a
ali whatever else he had taken with him into ks
,ed sas We have already stated his route hon
in! Many newspapers, not in Missouri alone,
ar. 10 this State aud neighboring States, have
oil lhed the truth of the story relative TO the sho
esl ing and scalpng of MIR. Hopp, the brother
a. law of Rev. Mr. Mute MIR. Jeffries sdU
es1 body Of Mr.. Hopp, while yet the pulse v
as. giving It's last throbs, and saw the barbara
The creature who had taken the scalp riding av
from the scene of his exploit, whirling
led. bloody trophy upon The point of the knife "
which he had done the deed. The man '
but did this was .. ~ fuglt. .....,t =, asi.