The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-06-21
sn,eres.ins 3 frona X an.as.

teresting letters from the scene of war on
J of which wepublish this morning, and tax
the following extract from another:
A GUERILLA PARTY SURPRISED. :. "a
4 On Thursday afternoon, a young maj
named Gull ord, was arrested by guerilli
fparty of twelve men, on the highway betweel
Topeka and Lawrence. They took hin
down to the woods, threatened him, and com
pelled him to swear that he would neve
vote Free State ticket, or bear arms in de
fence of the Free State party.
They told him they were Georgians; hat
| lived by guerilla warfare for ten years, ant
intended to guerilla every id Abolition
ist out of the Territory. Tonight, said one
them, we mean to burn down Walkers
i house. 4'- -i.t
/ Mr.. Walker lives on his claim between To
peka and Lawrence. He is Northern man
When Mr.. Guilford was liberated, he i'm
mediately sent a warning to Mr.. Walker.
1t happened that Col. Topliffe, was at Wal
ker's house. He determined to remain all
night, and give the guerilla party suitable
reception.
"A company of men were summoned to de-
fend the house. Half dozen of them were
stationed inside; and ten or eleven, under
| COL Topliffe, concealed themselves in the
vicinity. - H,,i't
| About eleven o'clock-the night was dark
twelve men rode up to the house, dis
mounted, and were hitching their horses to
the fence, when fire was suddenly opened
upon them by the party inside. - - lH
| One horse was shot through the head and
fell down dead. - 1s5., .-e' a.a - at.
The men inside rushed out and received a
volley from the guerilla who had already
mounted. ai4;5 r- ta4
The guerilla were galloping away at full
speed when the men under Toplife sprang
up before them and fired. Their volley was
returned, but not one of the squatters, of
either party, was killed or wounded. s
'Topliffe seized the bride of horse as it
was galloping past him. The fellow who
rode It, begged like trooper for his life
tsOh don't kill me, don't--I was not with
these men-I-I-I was travelling" as''a
"Well," said Topliffe, otis time you took
think your horses would be tired"
Another squatter seized another member
of the guerilla, and both of them were COM
PEELED to dismount. -Tii' sra
One of them was Deputy United States
Territorial Government Their names are
Wauford and Radcliffe. f'+.. aae -5sse
They pretended at first that they merely
wanted to ascertain what o'clock it was, and
were going to ball. ae 49, -..5 e-
Both of these gave contradictory accounts
of themselves. attf r
Next morning, Mr. Wauford confessed the
truth He said that they had met him ON
~ and lyoI TO fhnx
They told him that they we're going to burn
violence to his wife OF family. Ifthey caught
Walker, they said they intended to hang
him. 3r.a fr.,s. sr.e
times been accused of Northern proclivities.
by refusing to go with them, he had consent
ed to accompany the party. H.
Next morning, the party who had assem-
bled to protect Mr.. Walker, on leaving the
house, found one Sharpe's rife, one United
States carbine, one revolver, four bowie
knives, two saddles, a pair of spurs and
coat-tail with a flask of whisky in it, lying
on the road along which the guerilla had so
suddenly retreated. r.s .r-f
None of this guerilla party were Geor-
gians. >8
Did Walker and his friends do wrong in
defending the house Z? ees
Answer and then read-but not till you
reply.
Next day Gov. Shannon with company
of United States troops, came down to Wal
ker's house to arrest him. Writs had been
taken out against every man who was known
to be in the party who defended the house.
Among them was Judge J. a. Wakefield
"a man of unblemished character, and an
old solder-but Free State man, and an
emigrant from Northern State.
They searched every house in the neigh
borhood for arms, and were employed all
day-Gov. Shannon assisting with his own
hands-in feeling mattresses, peeping into
closets, emptying trunks, looking under
beds, and pryipg in lofts for ammunition and
rifles.
Whenever they found Sharpe's rife
they took it. e.
In the states we would call this action
burglary and robbery; but it has different
name at Lecompton, and in the law and
order" counties of Missouri.
Shannon was so drunk when he was act
ing as chief of this smelling military posse
which throws Joseph Hss's company into
Sudue-tudC uo StdSSclCu3 IOlu VI
furniture to steady himself, and used Ian
guage which even he would have been
| shocked at in his sober moments.
He asked Mrs. Hazletyne where her hus-
band was 2
| She ssid she did not know, and asked
| what be wanted with her husband.
If catch him." said the drunken black
guard, " I'll cut his damned black heart out
of him, and yours. too, madam, if you don't
take care" s4 VI
= If this statement is denled-and | confess
that if lived remote from Kansas l would
hardly credit it, will forward affidavits of
every assertion l have made, or may yet
make about the Governor. ,- e &
Shannon and his posse entered Mr.. Walk
er's house in the forenoon, and remained
there several hours.
Gov Shannon was engaged installing pri-
vate property all the next day. The prop
erty consisted of Sharpe's rifles and ammu-
milton. Shannon called them public arms
/ A party of those men, who travelled with
in sight of the Governors posse, stole a
horse from Mrs. Barber's house-Mrs. Bar
ber, the widow of the martyr of Lawrence
They said they were told by the Governor
to take them. Idon't believe Shannon, was
fool enough to give any such order; but this
+ act is an illustration of the fatherly protec
tion afforded us by the troops.
They have dispersed one or two compa
nies of Free State men-all working for nu
s. e.