Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-06-06
The Stacking of Lawrence.

An eye witness writes to the missouri
Democrat a graphic and detailed account
of the doings of the claw and order mob
at Lawrence, on the 21st. We copy 1t
entire:
"a little before sunrise on "Wednesday
morning, May 2lst, body of men, armed
with U. S. muskets and cannon, appeared
upon the hill, about three-fourths of a
mile southeast from the town of Law
renee. Additional forces continued to
arrive for several hours from the direc-
ton of Lecompton, and also from Frank
lin. Between eight and nine o'clock part
of the troops moved down to the north,
by Gov. Robinson's house, to hill i'm
mediately overlooking the town. About
II o'clock, the q. S. Deputy Marshal w.
P. Fain-three weeks from Georgia
posse of eight men, came into Lawrence.
They were respectfully received at the
Eldridge House. The Marshal sum
moned several prominent citizens to aid
his posse, and then proceeded to arrest
Judge Smith and Colonel Dietzler on a
charge of high treason. Judge Smith
was sitting in the reading room of the
Hotel, and when informed that the Mar
shall wished to see him, he cheerfully
went into his room and submitted himself
to the arrest. During these proceedings
there was no stir or excitement in the
town, and not more than twenty or thirty
men were about the streets. The Mar
shall and his posse took dinner at the Ho-
tel, after which Col. Eldridge went with
his hack and conveyed the prisoners and
part Of the posse to the camp.
The Marshal now dismissed his entire
posse, and Sheriff Jones Immediately sum-
moned them all. And then commenced
the scenes disgraceful to humanity, de-
struction to Kansas, and the end of which
God only knows.
About one o'clock, P. NJ, Jones rode
into town with posse of twenty-five
mounted men, armed with muskets and
bayonets. They proceeded to the Hotel
and Jones called for Gen. Pomeroy. He
came to the door, Jones stated he had sew
eral times been resisted in that place
attempts had been made to assassinate
him-and he now declared that he was
determined to execute the law if he lost
his life. And now, said he, 1 demand of
you, as the most prominent man in the
place, the surrender of all the cannon and
Sharpe'S rifles that you have, and 1 give
you five minutes to decide whether you
will give them up taking out his watch.
and noting the time. The General went
up to the Committee room, and returned
in a few minutes, and replied that the
cannon would be given up, but that there
were no Sharpe's rifles in the place, ex-
cept such as were private property, and
that those could not be surrendered.
Jones seemed to be of the opinion that
they had rifles which were not private
property, and requested him to stack all
they had in the street, and said that such
as could be proved private property
would be returned. By this time, the
whole posse, variously estimated at from
five TO eight hundred men, were march
ing down the hill, and coming into town
on the south side.
The cannon -four pieces) were pro-
duced and carried through the street.
One was brass 6 FOUNDER; the others
little popguns, which a man could COM
fortably carry on his shoulders. No rifles
were delivered up. Jones now told Col
Eldridge, who occupied the hotel and
owned the furniture, that the hotel must
be destroyed; that he was acting strictly
under orders. The grand jury at Le-
compton had declared the hotel and press
eS at Laurence O nuisance, and ordered
him to destroy them. He would give Col.
Eldrige an opportunity to remove his fur
niture, and for that purpose he might
have till five O'Clock. 1t was then fifteen
minutes past three. Col. Eldridge re-
piled that the furniture could not be re.
moved in less than half day, and de-
sired longer time. Jones refused. Then
said Eldridge, give me time to remove
my family, that is all ask. A part of
the furniture was afterwards removed bv
the posse as plumber, but most of it was
burned with the house. By this time
the ''law and order" mob was POURING
into the streets, and the residents. men
women and children, sought shelter in
the adjoining woods.
1he first property destroyed was the
press OF the Kansas Free State. which
was thrown into the river, and everything
pertaining to the office, with exchanges
paper, and large quantity of miscelIa-
neOuS hooks yvar 4bro,,,, 80. Il