The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1857-08-27


The governor, in view Of this COP Ill
ton Of things, issued proclamation on
the 4th, commanding all persons belong
/ ing to military companies by law to dis
perse, otherwise they would be dispersed
by the United States troops" Col Sum
ncr, at the head Of n large force Of dra-
goons, proceeded towards Hickory Point
to enforce the order He went directly
I to the camp of Brown, en- Ottawa Greek,
who consented to diSband, but not until
he was assured by Sumner that Whit
fields armg should be dispersed. Pate
and the other prisoners we're then set at
liberty, aud their horses, arms, and other
propes.s sestorcd. Captain Pate rccciy-
Cd severe rebuke for invading the ter
ritoly without authority, and especially
for being in possession Of the United
States arMs. Co Sumner next visited
the camp Of Whitfield, who promised to
return with his men to Missouri, and at
once moved down the Santa Fe road, and
eneamped about f7c miles below Palmy-
ra on the black Jack.
Early on the following morning. June
9Th, this army separated Into two diyis-
Ions, one half Of it under General Reid,
with Captain Pate, Bell, Jenigen, and
other prominent leaders, moving towards
Osawattomie, whilst the others, under
Whitfield, started for Westport. They
had, in their march on the day previous,
taken several prisoners, and before they
divided, held court among themselves
and tried one Of these, a free-state man
named Cantral, whom they sentenced 10
death, carried into deep raVine near
by, and shot His body was subsequent
" found, with three ballet holes in the
breast. The executioner IN this case is
said TO have been man named Forman,
q Pate's company, belonging to West
port, Missouri
On the 7th, Reid, with one hundred
and seventy men, marched into Osawat-
tonic, and without resistance, entered
each house, robbing ii Of everything Of
value There were but few men in the
town, and the women and children were
treated with the utmost brutality Stores
and dwellings, were alike entered and pill
laged Trunks, boxes, and desks were
broken open, and their contents applopri-
atcd or destroyed Even rugs were
rudely pulled from the ears and fingers
of the women, and some of the apparel
from their persons. TIE liquor found
was freely dunk, and served to incitc
the plunderers to increased violence in
the prosecution Of their mischieyous
work Having completely stripped the
town, they set FIRE to several houses, and
then beat a rapid retreat, carrying off
number of horses, and loudly urging
each other to greater haste, as " the ID
i abolitionests were coming
There are hundreds OF well authentica-
ted accounts of the cruelties practised BY
this horde of rutfians, some Of them too
shocking and disgusting TO relate, or to
be accredited, if told. The tears and
shrieks Of terrified women, folded in
their foul embrace, failed TO touch a
chord Of mercy in their brutal hearts, /
and the mutilatcd bodies Of murdered men,
hanging upon the trees, or left to rot up
on the prairics or in the deep rarines, OF
furnish food for vultures and wild
beasts, told frightful stories Of brutal fe-
ro>itv from which the widest sayages
might have shrunk with horror
GA the 2lst of June, an Indian agent,
named Gay was travelling in the vicinity
of Westport, and was stopped by party
IF Ruford's men, who asked if he was in
savor of making kansas a free-state.-
He promptly answered in the affirmative,
and was instantly shot dead. Such was
the only crime for which this soul was
hurried into the eternal world.