Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-10-10
4SulitiraI.
Border Ruff an Outrages upon
Methodist Ministers.

MetnOQlSt MINISTER'S
AuiheHhc Account of the mutrder
Of Father Hoil1nd, and the tar
riHg Of Rec Mr.. Selias-Let-
Ter irons the Latter
From be ST. Loui, ue.lpii.l As,ocs,s Of Angus, A.
We have al lenglh obtained foil
and reliable account Of the late diff
cuIues lu Rochester, Mo, which re-
suited IN the iaurug of Rev W. Sci
Iers, and the shooting Of Benjamin
Holland, an aged aud beloved mem
Der OF the Church. The account has
been delayed ull this time by the Sc
we're sickness Of Mr.. Sellers, the con-
sequence mainly Of hisInhumau treat
meut:-
MR EDITOR At your soliciia.
tion, nerelu transmit TO you for the
benefit OF Your readers, a PLAIN stale
meut OF Ecls connected wnh the re-
cent mob IA Rochester, as they came
under nIy own observation.
had appointed Saturday, June
l4lh, to commence series of meet
ings IA Rochester, Missouri, aud had
written Ia several ministers to cone
aud assicl me On Wednesday or
Thursday previous, a pfo-slayery man
by the nune of Sims, as shot by
Tree soil man Zone Hardesly) because
Sims attempted to drive him from
his home or klll him. | arrived IN
Rochester on Thursday at ~ n'clock.
Soon after my arrival was waited
upon in Mr.. Suock's store. by a
committee of three indIyid Jals, who
SAID they were authorized by the cit
izens Of Rochester aud vicinity TO in
slruct the not TO preach again m
Rochester, and eudeaynred 10y threat
eniug 10 extorl promise from me tn
that fleet declaring at the same
time tins North Methodist preaching
would not be tolerated longer Va the
county ! asked them for few
names of the citizens who had CIV
en- them this authority they had no
names TO give / then asked them d
the claimed 10 he American citizens
They SAID | was a fool, and had bet
ter PROMISE not in preach again n
Rochester | told them ! would no
make that promise that | was guilty
oi no cnme, had violated no law,
and would obey God rather than man
+ asked them what rights or prlvlleg
es they claimed as American cltizeni
by virtue of their cluzenship, lha
were superior la other American cit
lzens AT this remark without Civ
my me an answer, they lei, the store
muiienng that force would be use'
In oider To stop me.
| had some pastoral visiting to dc
IN ihe country, and after attending Il
that important duty, on Saturda,
morning, started for Rochester fu
the purpose of holding my meeting
at the tune appointed As we rod'
into town we observed groups of mel
collected at the corners of the street
engaged in conversation. The eX
citement appeared TO be general.
rode through the village to Nj
Strock's store. ! came into the slor
in ten or fifteen minutes, and lounC
several of nv Rochester friends an
some from the country who had com
TO attend the meeting. Old MIR. HoI
land Ia sainied martyr now J wa
standing near the front door. On
Of the leaders, with several other
of the mob, were standing near NJ
Holland and myself having in the
hands a late number Of the Wester
Christian Advocate, containing III
report Of the majority Of the Con
mlllee on Slavery in the Gcner
; Conference. told them how tn
matter was adjusted, but all to D
. purpose; we were AbOlllionisis sllI
f aud must promise not TO preach, (
A else be mObbed | said l would NJ
4 do II. About this time the mob b.
: gan to collect in front of the door.
Il SUPPOSE there were from seyenty-h'
n 10 one hundred of them, some fro
h Platte County, some from PuchanO
g some from Savannah and others fro
# the vicinity of Rochester. Son
.e were arned with reyolvers, othe
mad knives aud clubs, while o,he
2. had picked up stones IN the stree
IN One fellow clied out, II he had {
W out of the store he would soon
,e me- Al thai remark, one fellow
of me by the arm aud drew me to
~ door Three Others then came