Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-02-13
A BRUTAL NuRpER III KANSAS


men on both sides had been killed. With tho
usual falsehood OF the reports forwarded by the
| Border Ruffans, the blame of this collision
was ascribed to the Frec-State men, the ar.
! gressor being alledged to be Captain Brown
at the head of a military company from Law.
renee, who had come in contact with another
military company from Kickapoo.
A day or two after the telegraph contradict
ed its own story, and reported the affair at Eas-
! ton to be Of no consequence. But within q
few days past letters have begun to arrive
| from Kansas, in which the matter regains its
original seriousness. We published On Satur-
day two letters of this sort-one from Law
renee, the other from Leavenwortll-bu at
| the same time we expressed the hope and be-
| lief that the bloody story told in them II ust
| be an exaggeration. But that story Is fully
confirmed by the letters which we copied from
the St. Louis Democrat, and by letter from
| our correspondent at Leavenworth, which
! leaves no doubt that the Border Rufians, en-
couraged by the impunity which they enjoy,
| have perpetrated new murder, far outdoing
! all their other exploits in roint OF cowardice
and brutality. Cold indeed must be the heart
which such horrid atrocity fails to stir.
| The facts are these: The city of Leaven-
worth, though it contained Free-State ma
jority, and had Fsee-State Mayor and Com
mon Council, yet Unfortunately had no provi-
sion of Sharp's ribs. 1t had no leader of
/ commanding courage and prudence, and, be-
! ing situated close on the Missouri line, was
| particularly exposed to Boider-rutiian inva-
| sion. Of this the .borter-rufians' have taken
advantage. The voting upon the acceptance
of the State Constitution drew to that town a
VI Missouri mob, who attacked the polls by sur
prise, knocked down and nearly killed one of
the Inspectors who attempted to save the bal
| lot-box, which the ruffians seized and carried
of-thus, for the time, breaking mp the cleo
/ tion. n few days after, in the absence of the
| editor and proprietor of the TerritOriaI Regis
| ter, published at Leavenworth, who had gone
to attend q convention to nominate officers un-
der the State Constitution, a Missouri mob vi
sited the town and seized the press andtypes
of that paper and threw them into the river
Finding it impossible to preserve orderand
hat the city was conquered by the Ruffians,
the Free-State Mayor resigned, and Border
4
Mayor issued Proclamation forbidding any
lection for State officers TO be held at Loaycn-
worth, under pretense that it would produce
a riot. In consequence of this proclamation
the persons deputed to hold the election deter
mined, under authority vested in them for that
| purpose, TO adjourn it for four days and to
hold il on the 18th. 4 similar adjournment
was also made of the election at Stranger
Creek, otherwise called Easton, about twelve
miles from Leavenworth. Thus, the Kiclza-
poo RGngcrs, 4 Bordcr-Rufian military com
pany, which visited that place on the 18th to
| prevent an election, were not only defeated of
| their purpose, but during their absence from
Kickapoo, town on the Missouri some dis
| tance above LcayenwOrth, the Free-Stateucn
| there, where it was not supposed they would
| dare TO vote at all, very quietly completed
their election.
| On the 10Th the voting took place at Strang
or Greek. at night, after the polls were clo-
scd, considerable body ofRufians made their
Free-State men were prepared and armed, and
the RulIians, not daring to attack them, after
some parlcying encamped at distance
About midnight few of the Free-State men,
who, thinking thai all was quiet had set out
on their return home, were intercepted by the
Rufiians. One, however, escaped, bringing
back the news that his companions were pris-
oners, when the men at Stranger Creek
marched on the Rufiians and demanded their
| release. This was conceded, but the parties
did not separate without some firing. in which
lo' L
was supposed, mortalIy.
In the morning at daylight, the Free-Statc
men at Stranger Greek started for their homes
Among them was party Of eight, headed by
Mr.. Brown, who had gone from Leavenworth
TO assist the men of Stranger Greek in defend
ing themselves against intruders. This party
fell in with near a hundred Border Ru1iaus
by whom they were made prisoners, and by
whom Mr.. Brown, after he had given UP his
| arms, was murdered in cold blood in the most
shocking and brutal manner. The other six
prisoners had q very narrow escape, as had al
SO some other Free-Statemen who were pur-
sued and fired at by these assassins. The con-
duct of the murderers resembles more that of
iniuriated Sayages than anything else.
This took place before the arrival OF the
Presidents late message. The arrival of that
message will probably be the signal for twenty
similar murders. The blood of this man rests
on the head of President Pierce, and it will rest
on the head of Congress too, if instant steps
are not taken to protect the unfortunate inha-
bitants Of Kansas against these cowardly and
cruel assasSinatiops.-Nelc York Tribune.
THE SoUSp DU,es-A r1n1or was c,,rra,. :;