New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-01
Nem:pork daily Gribn,re
KANSAS.
INCIDENTS OF A PILGRIMAGE THROUGH
KANSAS
s,.eih CorrrspoBdesee Of The n Y. Tribura

shining Israel Of Repubcansm. Yet punishment
follows on the heels Of transgression, sometimes
even in Kansas. have an incident tn record, IL
Illustrating this, the items Of which gathered in my
recent journey.
Some two years ago few men from the west
ern Missouri border moved into the Territory aud
settled in the Valley Of the Blue near the confluence
Of the Black VermiliOn. The place OF settlement,
at the confluence of the two valleys is
very fine, but has hitherto been comparatively
secluded an outpost Of civilization. No other
settlements lay to the west or northwest.
East of them, some miles distance in the Valley of
the Black VermiiOn, there was settlement from
Ohio These came later than Mr.. Langdon-such
was one of the MssOurian's names-and between the
Free.State settlers from Ohio, and the handful OF
borderers there was little communication; differ
ences Of political sentiment offered still greater
barrier than the few intervening miles between
them. Langdon settled close on the creek, ike
most of the class 10 which he belongs. The stream
promised mil-seat, for II rushed over a rocky bed
at the spot; but he had neither the money nor the
enterprise rquisite, and the mill lay sumberlUg
chmera in the brain of the squatter, and the waters
If the Black Vermion murmered idly away. The
first season passed over these squatters marked but
by few improvements, and their residences rude
cabins when change was maugurated. Free
State settler from Ohjo while wandering in search
If good location, CHANGED TO halt at the point Sc
lected by Langdon. His name Brown Intel
hgent and enterprisng, and possessed of some
means. he entered into a partnership with the
ProSayery squatter. His enterprise and wealth
were to be balanced against the labor and location
of Langdon. The mill was to be built and town
was to grow up at this place. Their partnership
wac only to extend to the mill and the town; Lang
don was to continue his farming operations and Mr.
Brown brought valuable stock OF goods and opened
a store Timber for the dam and the mill was
hew ed part of the machinery obtained and affair
prospect of prosperity seemed dawnng on the place
This was la Summer. After the in the thckly
settled portion Of the valley of the Kaw, several
small bands Of the Southern regiment located in diff
ferent parts of the Territory. This was by lar the
smallest portion, most of them left Kansas to
return TO the South. Some half-dozcn of them
located, at or below Marysvle, Pro-Slavcry sta
ton and ferry, and these in visiting range of
Langdon's. Late last FALL Mr.. Brown had several
thousand dollars in money, in his store taken for
the sale Of goods. This money was stolen from
him. mystery, Of course, enve0ped the perpe-
traitors Of the felony, but not sufficiently profound
but that Mr. Brown ancied he could see through it.
As might be expected be expressed his opinion of
certain facts and occurrences in connection there
with To obtain redress was impossible. The en-
forcement of the laws about which we hear so
much. and which affords such fine theme for Off
cial bulletins only means giving something like
vitality to laws framed for political effect, which
the people rcpudiate. The few Pro-Slavery squat
tiers in that region, as elsewhere ID the Territory,
were the county officers, appOintees of the bogus
Legislature and there was too much reason to fear
that these very parties were the ones connected
with the robbery in some shape. At all events
getting ANYTHING ike justice at their hands against
their PrsSayery compeers, was outof the question
The robbery was only the prelude TO more high
handed outrage on the unfortunate free-State SET
tier who had fallen into their hands. MIR. Brown
WAS dragged from his bed one night late last Fall,
but Aort time after the robbery, stripped and
most merclessy whipped by these rutfians who
dragged him from the house of Langdon to thcket
a short distance off. When morning came he was
bleeding and acerated. Fearful of cOusum-
nation of their outrages by his murder, he
hastily packed few OF the more valuable
articles of his property III trunk, and
,ettipg into a skif padded down the Blue
TO the Free-State settlements on the Kansas River
and left valuable stock of goods and all Of his inn
movements 10 the mercy Of those who had shown
themselves SO merciless 10 him. lie left the Terri
tory and has not since returned. almost forgot to
add that in going down the Blue in his he was 30
weak from the barbarous treatment he had received
that he was unable to manage his frail vessel. IL
upset and he was nearly drowned. His trunk and
il contents were lost.
This act of unprincpled barbarity wilted the en-
terprise of the place. The tmbers Tor the mn lie
rotiipg UNDECIDED. The irons rust, and the grass
grows where the footsteps of business would have
been. But mere signal visitation came. In the
region of which | write, the prairie grass grows
most mxuriaptly and when it has dried up, and a
fire gets in IT, il pours resstless food OF tire over
hin and dale. Mr. LangdOn, in company with his
son. had gone to one Of the Missouri RIVER towns
for load Of provisions. They we're returning
having wagon with two pair of oxen, whca they
were met by furious FIRE in the prairie, at a spot
where the grass was very uxuriant. The wind
blew almost gale. Langdon told NE OF the affair
himself.
"Tbe fire leapt hundred feet every pop ne
said. Il tried To git my matches To ire agln IT,
but the wind bowed EN- out; audit seemed 10 me-
as though eveTythn' went wrong, for tne hre KEN
up On US almost afore We knowed. pulled my coat
trbt around me. and turned my back 70 Il, but II
reared and Kissed and was burnln' hundred feet
wide When il first struck us, my boy followed
ard his clotbes took fire. / ran 10 hun to put OUT
the FIRE that was burnin him, and that's why got
! So had burned myself Ii was wadn through lire
| il WAS breathn' FIRE. | am useless man now
stranger NV arms are so burnt that cannot use
| them. and was burned badly here aud there
| viii never do lex o good work AGAIN
Ard the boy yos ask. Well ne died as l
| learned, after Il few days Oh imger,ug oI'IIe;
| Even the even were so burned that they persisted
| .r,m the effects Of the tre.
II want to sell the mill Stranger. It's mighty
fine Site Iowned jist half ot II njseh ana don
| think Br.vn Il ever come back again. III you see
INV ore as wants To buy I'll give EN- chance, an
thcy kin ,ske il and the .rcsk with il. We've got
crr Tow" W. laid Of. too. We've got a charter from
tie Iecslatur tins Winter He pointed to bare
In over the creek as the site. That's a mighty
nice bin oyer there; make a rgh: Peari looAin
/ ulsca for a church.