The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-11-27

desires, gave a verdict in accordance with the
charge of the Judge.
l have remarked, that in this trial our friends
were not so careful in the selection of jurors
as in the first. Had there been no other cause,
this alone might have been sufficient to &C.
count for the difference in the termination of
the two trials. But shall write you again on
Tuesday, giving you piece of information of
the most shocking character, and which does
not concern Kansas alone. have not time to
| give it now.
Allth other Hickory Point boys have obtained
q change of cenue to Tecumseh. think they
will be cleared there but if they remained here,
all would be certain of being convicted.
Updegraf and Dolman have gone out on
! ball. Haines and Lewis, whose names by some
mistake were not included in the Hickory Point
indictment, were discharged this morning, i'm
mediately after the adjournment of the grand
jury. The Governor, who had returned Thurs
day night, gave Haines his Sharpe's rifle, but
refused Lewis his musket, on the ground that
none but United States troops had right to
carry one. Lewis brought the musket from
Iowa, and had owned it for years. Of the hun
dred rifles and fifty or more revolvers, scarcely
one remains all have been stolen by the mill
tia or their friends, or given to them. Judge
Lecompte has declared his intention to confs-
cate the arms of all the prisoners, whether
convicted or not.
Marshal Davis, arrested for contempt of
court, has been discharged. Isaac Davis was
to-day taken up to court, and informed that he
would not be further prosecuted on the charge
OF arson, but was told there was another indict-
ment against him, the character of which he
could not ascertain. Beside this, one man from
Topeka, four from Pleasant Hill, and four more
from Prairie City, are kept here after the ad-
journment of court, although no indictment has
been read to them, and several are not aware
OF charges against them. There is probably
no charge at all against Mr.. Sexton, of Topeka.
1t is rumored that the twenty-five already
convicted will be separated and put at work
next Monday. This seems almost impossible,
as the twenty have given notice of an appeal.
But a Lecompte administers the claws of
Kansas" which relieves all surprise.
A ProSlavery man, named Hay, was arrest
ed day before yesterday, charged with the
murder of Bufum. Your readers, perhaps,
already know the particulars of that murder,
but l will repeat them, to show that the Ian
guage used by Geary in reference to it was not
inapplicable. After Gov. Geary had coared
the two thousand seven hundred Missourians
before Lawrence to leave the place, the greater
portion returned to Missouri; and small
portion-one or two hundred-came up to Lee
compton to join the militia. Between these
two places, they passed the house of Buffum
One of the Rufians took liking to Buffum's
horse, and went into the field to get it; and
being demonstrated with by Buffum, he DELHI
erately raised his gun and shot him. The Gov.
ernor came along few minutes after, and
wrote down the dying words of poor Buffum,
and pronounced it the most base and cowardly
murder of which he had ever known. This was
the same company that afterwards passed by
US while we were prisoners in the dragons
camp, flying over them the flag ofpirates. Well,
a man said to be this same base and cowardly
| murderer was arrested, as l have told you He
was kept with us until this morning, WHEN HE
| WAS RELEASED ON BAIL. Let this be contrasted
with the cases of Ritchey, Mitchell and Kagi.
| When the latter was held on nothing but a
false charge of robbery, the same court refused
| to admit him to bail. Ritchey and Mitchell
| are now held on charges of robbery, and of
| assault with intent to kill, and the same Judge
| (Lecompte) declares they SHALL NOT BE RE-
| LEASED on ANY BAIL, HE CARES NOT HOW LARGE.
| Pro-Slavery MURDERERs are set loose upon peo-
| pie, while all prominent Free State men, against
whom any petty charge, however false, can be
trumped up, are to be confined INDEFINITELY
in this loathsome, death generating prison.
These things are producing great disafec-
ton among the Government troops indeed,
such has existed among them for long time
but it has increased of late to great extent.
When the Prairie City boys were in the custody
of the troops, the officer who had command of
the detachment several times told them to go
home, and the guards did the same thing.
At one time, when they stopped for the night
they gave the prisoners revolvers and guns,
and sent them out alone to kill chickens and
| get other game. The prisoners did not leave,
simply because they had committed no crime.
| and therefore expected to get an acquittal upon
| an immediate examination, and then return to
| their homes, without fear of rearrest or fur.
Their moestation. But in this they were sadly
mistaken, as the sequel has shown. Some of
| the militia even have caught passing streak
| of virtue, and swear terribly about the Zone
sided" business of arrestng.
Last Wednesday, spoke of the representa-
| ton of the various trades and professions
| Since then, l have looked around among nv
fellow prisoners, and find that there is not one
among US who cannot both read and write
| There is scarcely man who has not an excel,
lent common school education, fourteen are
graduates Of colleges. What more is wanting
to show the high character of the Hundred
| Free State prisoners ?" Among us, there is a
boy only fifteen years old. His name is Walter
| Florentine. Several times he has been offered
his liberty if he would give evidence against
the rest, but each time he received the PROPOSE.
| ton as an insult. He has brother who is one
of the chief musicians at Fort Riley. On the
Governors recent visit to that place, this broth
er importuned him in tears for the release of
Walter. On the Governors return, his private
secretary, Mr.. McAlister, visited the prison,
and asked Walter if he wished to be released.
He replied that, dearly as he loved liberty, he
asked no fayors which would not be given to
| the others Noble bow
| He has fought bravely beside his fellow pris.
oners, and now if necessary he can die with
them like man, as he is, despite his age!
! We have at last got small room, between
the guard room and the prison, for hospital.
| Only four are now confined in it, although there
is scarcely well one among US. am barely
able to walk and many others are in the same
way. The four who are in the hospital are af.
| ficted with the consumption, which they have
contracted here in prison. One of these cup
per, Mr.. Fisher, from Pleasant Hill, knows not
the charge against him. He lay 80 long on the
floor before he was taken to the hospital, that the
skin became worn from the Joints, so that the
bones now protrude through the flesh, presenting
an aspect truly deathlike. Away up the Grass
hopper, on whose beautiful banks he had COM
menced what he thought happy home, suffer
his wife and child, for be is poor man, and
his daily labor, now robbed from him By the
minions of Pierce, is the only recourse be has
for the support of those loved ones at home."'
| His wife is sick, her cabin neither chinked nor
widows-as destitute as herself This is life
in Kansas, under Geary's rule.
The family of Mr.. Hicks is in similar stu.
alton. Mr.. Hale has no family. The other is
S. J. Pratt, a piano forte maker, formerly from
| Roat0u Nc ono of tho foppdoro &c