New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-09-17
KANSAS.
sACKING AND MURDER IN LEAyENwORTH

SACKING AND MURDER IN LEAyENWORrH.
Correspondence OF The Detroit Advertiser. . ,e-.
LAWRENCE, KANSAS, Sept. s, 1920.
Subjoned is statement made in my presence ny
man Of welknown and established veracltyi VINO "a7
an eyewitness of the scenes disclosed. lie rs a res
dent Of Leavenworth, but being well known by the
Pro-Savery party, desires not TO have his name NEIL
toned in this connection.
STATEMENT OF AN EYEWITNESS.
"On Sunday evening about O'Clock, aparty OF
about SO men, mostly Missourians and Georgians
armed with United States muskets, came into the city
of LeavenwOrih from camp OF the mob on Stranger
Creek. They Immediately called upon all Pro-Siasery
and law-andorder men, TO show their hand, anu ia,
into the ranks. They continued to muster men unti
after midnight. The impression of the Free-State cru
zens was that they had come into take part IN the eec
ton OF Mayor, which was TO take place mex. ai.y
Monday and but few Free-Sate families lett Town.
Monday morning at O'Clock, the mob again COM
menced enrolling men, pressing n number OF our men
into the raDks While the enrolment was still gong
on, party of twenty-five horsemen, commanded ny
Mr.. Frederick Emory proprietor OF the stage line De-
tween Kansas City and lndanoa, and Leavenworih
and Fort Riley, aud mail contractor surrounded tne
house o. VIM. and G. Phillips. One OF these was
partner of McCrea, formerly. Some OF the party ans
mounted, and breaking the door, rushed in; fight
ensued. There were only five or six men in the house
Mr.. Phillips told me but moment before inc a.tack
that be would be taken. The result OF the conflict
VAS that the Messrs. Phillips were killed, one Free
State man wounded and the rest taken prisoners Two
of the attacking party were killed Inc PRISONERS
were rent to the camp at Stranger Creek, te MOD say
ing that they would be hung immediately ms Is he
last know of them The women and children escaped
from the house during the fight. The party then plum
dered the house. The articles taken were put INTO
wagons ond carried into the country. The party then
procee ded to the house of Mr. George ii. Kelly which
they surrounded and the family escaping, they plum
dered it. The party of horsemen then joined the main
body of the mob, who now numbered about TWO nun
dred The mob, dividing up into small parties, com,
menced securing the town. searching every house, and
that Erpt-StAte man, woman ana
child must be out of the town by o'clock that even
ing. They notified the women to be ready to go on
board boat at o'clock. They took all the Free
State prisoners that they could hnd, excepting
those whom they had forced to enroll.
Tie Free-State men were mostly unarmed. The
prisoners taken were temporarily put into building,
and afteiward sent TO the camp on stranger creek.
left town at o O'Clock p. m. When left, the mob
were carrying the work of pillage and murder,
while teror.strcken women and children were run
ming in every direction seeking safety-screaming
with terror. The scene beggars description. large
number of women and children put aboard boats
that evening. and the next morning estimated the
number of families thus partly sent away at from nifty
TO soventy-fve. The children were put on board the
STEAMBOATS, without any regard to their separation from
their parents. Women were allowed to escape down
the river but no men. large number of Free-State
people ran to the fort three miles OIL The mob
Threatened 10 take the fort ran into the bushes, and
at night sent boy to my house near town. to get my
horse and family. My family came along, and think
are now in place OF safety. Several houses were
burnt that night do not know to what extent the
mob carr led on their work after left.
Such is a statement which may be implicitly relied
upon. was present at the sacking of Lawrence but
the eTors of that scene were slight indeed compared
with the barbarous scenes above described. 1t needs
no comment. Leavenworth is a place of about 2 900
inhabitants; about equally divided politically, but
there are many transient Southerners, and as above
stated, our men were unarmed. There was company
of 100 enrolled composed entirely of Germans, who
were strong FreeState, but they had not gun. Then
again, many of our men have attempted to maintain
neutral conservative position they were so near the
enemy. But this will not do already the time is at
hand when every man must take sides. This business
Of pressing into their service, is carried quite
extensively. There not many foreigners in the Ter
ritoiy but they almost entirely FreeState men,
There are several Germans and Irshmcn in army.
The have pressed several into their ranks who have
deserted TO us, and think they will get sick of it,
The news that Congress hos again adjourned without
passing the Army bill has reached This was what
caused the Leavenworth mob to say they would take
the fort. The work of pilage and destruction goes
bravely There about 600 of the enemy,
az we can learn, encamped near Lecompton who are
well supplied with munitions of war and horses |
send you list of men whose houses have been burned
by this Territorial militia within four days, viz:
Judge Wakefield, George II. Snder, the Rev. Mr..
Lewis, Capt. Walker, and Mr.. Heath. These houses
within two miles Of each other, and six seven
mes from here.
1t is also rumored that several more are destroyed
They set fire and plumber what they want, and then
are of before we can reach them.
When this place reached the mob was enrolled
as United States posse, but Marshal Donaldson has
resigned Il hear and the mob is called the Territorial
Militia. When news came to Leavenworth of the de.
feat of the Army BILL there was a query among the
mob as to how they to get their pay, but Majors
Il Russell became responsible for that. This firm is
very wealthy, and its contracts for furnishing prov
sions &C., for the United States Dragons amount to
q very large sum.
] find the Pro-Savery families began to move out
very soon after the sackng of Lawrence and now in
those districts where they do not entirely out number
our pety there are few left. This proved that this
invasion is systematically arranged. Our families are
collecting together, several in house, to lessen the
danger from fire, for no one knows whose turn will
Gene next.
Many and many is the hearthstone made desola,e in
our be autiu Territory by this struggle between Free
dom aud Slavery.