Freeman's champion., 1858-07-08
PRAIRIE CITY, KANzAS THURSDAY, JULY s, 1858

said here of the cold blooded murder
by Brockett and his gang, some three
months since, when three men were
shot at night in cold blood. The re-
port has no complaint of the number
less wrongs and insults endured by
the few Free State men who lived in
the towns, and those who might be
obliged to visit.
So much Tor the statements Of the
Slavery side; now sec the con-
text, and note k0w elaborately the
position Of the Free State men is sta
ted (or nsis-Stahd:)
"On the other side, it is admitted
that there was an organization Of from
30'to 500 men under Capt. Mont
gomery, outside Of the law. That
these men approved of forcing their
support from Pro.Slavery citizens,
made it q rule that all members in
service should be- mounted on q stolen
Pro-Slayery horse or mule, and that
their leader might order from the
Territory any man. he chose that
these men have forced contributions
from citizens of Douglas, johnson
and LykinS counties, as we'll as in
Lynn and Bourbon attempted to
burn Fort Scott, and operated as an
independent army entitled to levy
their support upon their enemies gen
orally.
"In addition to this organization,
there are ereported to be several small
er bands, who live in the same man
ner, although it should be stated that
Capt. Montgomery diSclaims all re-
Sponsibility for their course, and they
for his. Each band calls the others
robbers, while each justifes its own
conduct. These men have their SYM
pathlSers among the people as well as
opponents. Some regard them as
necessary for their defense, while
others as the cause of all their
troubles"
There are several errors in the
above that need correction, which l
can do by my own knowledge, and
by information derived from the
most respectable source in Lynn
county.
First, in regard to the organization
spoken of: | deny that there has ever
existed any such. If the writer had
said from ten TO twenty-five. | might
not have said ought, though even
chat would not be strictly true
There never has existed any organi-
zation to steal or ride Slavery
horses, or rob Pro-Slavcry men, Ell
ther under the leadership Of Captain
Montgomery or any other man. AT
the most, there never was more than
from ten to twenty-five, as guerilla
band, in the field at any one time,
and the majority Of those who on an
emergency enroll themselves under
Capt. Montgomery, ride their own
horses, and find their own arms and
provisions. Capt. Montgomery has
not levied his support in the counties
named, and he has had nothing to do
with the robberics committed in them.
Those in johnson county have reli-
able information to show were com
mitted by men from Kanzas City,
AS far as regards the Mckinney and
Willow Springs affairs, | suppose
that was done by party claiming to
be Free State, but Capt. Montgomery
was not its leader.
The second paragraph quoted above
the report speaks Of other bands, liv-
ing by plundering, DC. There are
in the counties Of Bourbon and Lynn
. small squad Of vagabonds, number
ing about ten, who steal from either
side indifferently, though pretending
10 be Free State. Capt. Montgomery.
has driven them from his quarters
md threatens to mote out summary
punishment should he catch them in
their disgracoful acts. This band
all the horse thieves, &c.,
hat have ever pretended to be Free
State in that section, and it's GER
.ainly fair and impartial for Charles