Freeman's champion., 1857-08-27
The Chicago Company and the
Missouri River Pirates.

from chicago, while coming up the
Missouri on their way to the Terri
tory last season, received from Bor,
der RufianS, but none SO minute and
accurate as the statement contained
in a letter which was written by
member Of the company TO q friend,
shortly after the occurrence, but
which has never yet appeared in
print. We have been permitted to
make q few extracts -
"We left Chicago about the mid
die of June, via, the Chicago, Alton
Il st. Louis r. r. We numbered
sixty-eight, including the women and
children, and were composed of farm
mers, mechanics Of every branch,
three printers, one minister, one doc
tor and two lawyers. Our intention
was to form a Free State colony, and
were provided all the necessaries
for establishing ono. Upon our ar
rival at Alton we proceeded to the
steamer " Star of the West" which
had been engaged for the conveyance
Of our company UP tho river, and
which we supposed had been chartered
exclusively for us and other compan-
MES that were to join us there. BY
some misunderstanding that arrange
ment had failed to be effected, and
we found ourselves on board Of a
Border Ruffian steamer, manned by
a Border Ruffiau crew from captain
to deck-hands, and in company with
a large number of Border Ruffian pas
sengers. Everything passed off very
quietly and nothing occurred worthy
of note until we reached Waverly, a
little town about twenty-five miles
below Lexington, where passenger,
whom we subsequently learned was
employed on the river as a spy, got
ashore, with q horse which accompa-
MED him, and put off at Lightning
speed for Lexington, to warn the cit.
izens of our coming. In his haste
to get there, it is said he rode his
horse to death. At about eleven o.
clock Sunday night, the boat was
moored to the levee in Lexington by
two iron cables and all the ropes be-
longing to the boat. The night be-
ing dark as pitch, it was impossible
to distinguish anything on shore, and
we were unable to conjecture what
was to be our fortune, Presently q
few men made their appearance and
camo on board, followed by others in
small squads, until before we were
hardly aware Of it, the cabin was
filed from one end to the other by
many Of the best citizens Of Lexing-
ton, intermingled by number Of the
most fcndish devils the internal re-
gions ever puked up. Just at this
iuncture the steamer lit q torch-light,
which enabled us plainly to distin-
guish on shore a large body Of men,
armed with with U. Smuskets, and
three brass field pieces loaded with
grape.shot. A committee Of seven
were appointed by the Lexington
people, to hold council with the oil :
GERS of our company, and tho captain
of the steamer, after seeking them,
took them, with the Lexington com
mittee, into his cabin, The commit
tee demanded, in thoname Of the peo-
pie they represented, the arms fur
nishcd us by the Chicago people,
Have them they would, If it cost the
entire annihilation Of our party. II
we quietly submitted dto their demand,
they would only take the arms fur
nished us BY the Chicago people
would give us receipt for the same
and return them when the difficulties
in Kanzas were settled, and would
leave our private arms unmolested.---
Our officers at first stoutly refused u
surrender q thing, and not until two
hours had been consumed in porley'
ing, with the advice, influence and
pursuasion of,the steamer captain
did our company consent to yield tc