Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-06-23
sPY..WEDNEsD DAY, JUNE %.

I detailed to stop them, OF bring them prisoners,
the remainder of the company hating. As
this party was ahead of Mr.. Barber and his
friends, Clark and Burns had merely to ride
into the prairie to the right in order to inter
cept them. The BARRIERS, when they saw
they were to be attacked, neither attempted
TO run, nor did they hasten their gait beyond
a walk, when the others rode up and halted
before them. Richardson, Cato, and the 9TH
ers, were in full sight, and within gunshot.
The two BARRIERS were riding first, Thomas
to the right. Pierson was behind them. Maj
Clarke gave the orders to ''halt," at which all
of the party stopped.
"Where are you going ;" demanded
Clarke.
"We are going home" said Thomas Bar
Der.
"Where are you from =
eve are from Lawrence"
"What is going on in Lawrence, just now :"
"Well, nothing in particular"
Nothing in particular hey :" said Clarke,
who then added, 1--WE have orders from the
governor to see the laws executed in this ter
ritory. We arrest you
"What laws have we broken or disobey-
ed:' asked Mr. Barber. "0r what laws
have the people OF Lawrence broken :"
Clarke here raised his hand, and, pointing
to the horsemen upon the California road,
said:
Turn your horses heads and 60 with us. -
ave won't do it, said Barber.
At this Clarke spurred his horse, and rode
to the right of Thomas Barber, who partly
turned his horse and looked at Clarke as if he
scarcely knew what Clarke was going TO do.
The latter, having got in the position referred
to, pulled out his revolver, and saving, "Y GU
won't, won't you ?'-fred. At the same in
slant Colonel Burns, who had also drawn his
revolver, fred. Robert Barker pulled out
his pistol, and fired three shots at them. They
rode few yards off. Clarke said something
to Burns, and then they started back for their
comrades. MIR. Pierson had been unable to
get his pistol out of the holster in time to fire.
AS Clarke and Burns rode off, Thomas Barber
said to his friend, ''Let US be off," and they
started at the gallop.
AS they rode along, Thomas Barber turned
to his brother with a sickly smile, and press
ing his hand on his side, said That fellow
shot me-.
Where-where are you shot ?" asked
Robert.
"Rere," said Barber, still pressing his hand
upon his side. And he gave another sad
smile.
at is not possible, Thomas =!
The wounded man shook his head and said,
sit is )" then he dropped the reins and rode
unsteadily. He would have fallen had not
his brother caught him. At this time General
Richardson's full party were in pursuit of
them. 1t was a terrible ride of life and death
for Robert Barber held the body Of his dying
brother until the nerves began to relax, and
the brain to reel. Then the corpse fell the
brother holding it and elinging to it until it
reached the ground.
Robert Barber dismounted, and stopped
both horses. He stopped over the body of
his brother, and found him dead-dead They
saw the enemy approach, and as they could
do nothing more for the deceased, got on their
horses and galloped off. The murderers came
only near enough to see their work, and then
wheeled and galloped off to Franklin.
The dead body was afterwards brought to
Lawrence, where the widow of Barber, in
seeing it, received her first intelligence Of the
murder. Clarke was never arrested.
Such are the men whom the federal govern
ment delights to honor. -Hartord Press.