Freeman's champion., 1858-01-28
The Late Difficulties at Fort SCOTT.
oFFtcta1 REPORT OF GPM LAVE.

| OuhI no W. WoAo aoouI w PrOP"tS
complete account of the recent di fR-
culties in the Southern part Of the
Territory, from both personal knows
ledge and 'hearsay, We received
the following official report of Major
General Lane concerning said diff
culties, which sets the matter before
the country in better light than we
are capable of doing
To His Ercsl1ency, tie Acting Governor
Of KaazGs Tsr,ttOry,ths President Of
the Council, and Speaker ofshe HouSs
Of Representatives. Of the Legislative
AsSem6ly.
GENTLEMEN In the discharge of
duty / submit the following report on
a subject which has excited much in
tercst and comment.
At tho time Of my election by your
honorable body as Major General of
tho Militia, rum ors were rife, as you
will remember, Of q disturbance in
Bourbon County.
Immediately after adjournment Of
your Special Session. | repaired to the
scene Of action, sending Gen'ls Phil :
lips and Plumb in advance to inform
the people that force of U. s. troops
were moving in that direction. Ac-
cOmpanied by Gen'ls Stratton, Whit
man, Shore and Leonhardt, ! arrived
at Sugar Mound, where the people
were encamped under the comman d
of Col. j. b. Abbott, shortly after
the messengers.
On inquiry ascertained that the
people had been impSlled to take up
ans for these causes and reasons
2 years ago, or thereabouts, a man
named Geo. w. Clark, notorious for
his connection with the murder of the
lamentsd Barber, organized a compa-
ay of marauders in Missouri, who
invaded that district of Kanzas, lay
ing waste the country, driving off the
Free State settlers, plundering and
insulting them and their families, and
then taking possession Of their claims
and stock, which they were compelled
to leave. ur.t..s
During the past Summer and An
tumn number Of tho settlers thus
expelled from that district returned,
and endeavored by peaceable means
to recover their rights and property.
They were met by writs from unscru-
pulous and unjust officials, many of
them arrested on pretended charges
for offences which'were never COM
mitted, sadimpEisensd at Fort Scott
in celia undteven fol, ielons to occupy.
In several cases theirproperty was
sold at nominal.priceS, and driven out
Of the Territory to defrsy expenses not
yet accrued, and other outrageS per.
petratsd similar to those which drove
the people to armS.in former periods
of our history. .r
Daring the perpetration Of these
outrages, Col. Abbott, DR.. Gllpatrick
and Rev. j. E. SetWart, who had beer
ordered there arrived, and proceeded
to establish Squstter's Court for tn,
redress ofgrievancss and restoring oil
peace. ~ NA'' " W. b ''' D."
1 AbOut thetime they closed their sit
tings, having decided all the cases Oh
the Little Usage, they were assaulted
by an armed mob five times their
number, pretending to act under the
authority Ola U. S. Marshal; the as
ssult was successfully resisted, several
Of the assailants killed and wounded
and the marauders driven back to theil
dens on the borders. a.s
1t was Immediately after conflict
that l arrived at Sugar Mound anc
proceeded at once to enroll the people
under your act OfDec. II. Sent out
scouting parties in all directions, in
forming people that we were here tc
protect all actual settlers without ref
erence to their political opinions.
We were kindly received by all, and
our authority cheeriully recognized
On the evening the companies were
to be disban ded, our scouts brought
news that company of U, s. troopt
were moving up on JUS, with the avow
cd purpose Of attacking us. We i'm
mediately took position, intending
! ifpossible with honor, to avoid q con,
iict, but preparedto to meet it success
fully II forced upon us, We remain
ed in the position thus taken until we
aScertained that the us. troops had
marched to Fort Scott, and had receiv
cd written asshsrnces from, Judge
Williams that the Free State prison
would be protected and kindly treated
and peace being fully restored, we
disbanded the commend, retaining
two companies in the feld--somo
A fhirtv Ynan-.ywith ordaral N yrntan