The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-10-16
David z. Bufum.


we copy it, that the future historian of
Kansas may have access to it; besides fur
nishing to our present readers several
items of information which they may
not have previously met with
1t appears by an article published in
your paper few days since, that Hays,
the infamous Border Ruffian, who muir
dered the crippled Buffum in Kansas, has
been for the third time arrested, and the
public are now watching with intense
anxiety, to see whether Judge Lecompte
will again iberate him on straw bail, or
what will be done with him.
l formerly lived within a few rods of
the parents of the deceased, and have
been acquainted with the family and rel
atives more than quarter of century.
l spent an hour or two at the fathers resi-
dence in Salem, in conversing with him
and his family on the sad event, but two
days before your publication last week, of
the arrest of the murderer, and saw his
other son, deaf mute, who was in Kansas
at the time and who has ever since been
deprived ofhis reason, in consequence of
that calamity. As the circumstances are
all SO tragical, and so extensively ca
lamitous, and as many people have never
heard of, and others have forgotten them,
and as all are fresh in my own recollec-
ton, / think a correct statement of
the facts, and few remarks on the SUBJ
ject, now, will come in proper time and
place will be read with ayidity, and
have a salutary influence.
David Chase Bufium, son of Edward
Buffum of Salem, Mass, was born Nov.
11th, 1922 had good common school
education; was intelligent, amisble, and
much beloved and respected by his asso-
ciates and numerous acquaintance was
distinguished for his integrity and high
moral sense of right. He was among the
early settlers in Kansas, having been one
of the second party Of emigrants from
this part of the country, in August 1854
He was industrious and prospering in
business; he was resolute, energetic and
perseveriDg; and was one of the officers
on duty guarding fort, in the nighttime
in Kansas, when he was accidsntly shot in
the ieshy part of the thigh, which Grip.
pied him for life, although the wound had
nearly healed when he was killed. In
this situation he was overtaken, between
Lawrence and Lecompton, Sept. 18th
1856, by large military company of Bor.
der Rufians, who were returning from
pillage, robbery and murder, in the inte.
rior. Seeing Buffum and his horses, si1
or eight Of the company sailed out from
the rest, and having seized Buffum's mos
valuable horse, little distance from
him, now demanded the only remaining
one; which he was harnessing, which wa.
partly blind, and which he asked then
very civilly to allow him to retain for hi
use, as the horse was needed by him, anG
could be of but little value to them. Or
this, one said, "shoot the id abolition.
ist." Another then shot him in the abdo.
men, inhicting mortal wound, and wa:
about shooting him again, when Buffum
told them that he was mortally wounded
and could live but few hours, and beg.
ged them to let him live long enough
to adjust his affairs and prepare fol
death, when, perceiving he was nearly
dead, they took his last horse and left him
to die. He sent to his father, as his las
words, II am willing to die for liberty il
Kansas" His property, which would
soon have been of great value, has, il
consequence of his death, been attended
with much expense and trouble, and viii
be nearly sacrificed.
His younger brother, George Buffum
a deaf mute, formerly in the Hartford
Asylum, was an excellent carpenter, and
carried with him to Kansas, upwards o.
700 dollars Of his own earnings, and wa:
there in prosperous business when his
brother received his death wound, which
SO affected him as to deprive him of hii
reason and he has remained in a de.
ranged state ever since, and in all prob.
ability will always continue so. His prop
erty in Kansas, which was valuable, il
likely to be wholly lost. He is at hi:
fathers in Salem, pitiable object.
AS proof of the high estimation il
which David G. Buffum was held by his
young associates in Salem, where he was
best known, we need only adduce the ev
idence, that the Salem Fremont Club, o
which Stephen II. Phillips was Presi
dent and Edward Hodges Recording Sec
retary, passed series Of resolution
speaking of the deceased in the highes
terms of praise and sympathy, and condo
ling his family.
Gov. Geary had ordered this compan,
of Border Rufians home to Missouri, jus
before this murder was committed, anC
saw and conversed with Buffum in hi
dying state. He ordered Hays, the mur
derer, to be arrested and imprisoned, bu
Lecompte, Q. 8. Judge, liberated him OF
strato bail. Gov .Geary had him e-arrest
ed, and Lscompte again set him at liberty
when he absconded, as has been publish
ed. What is most remarkable here, is tn,
perfect recklessness and want of principl,
in Judge Lecompte, in thus approving o
this murder, and facilitating the escape o
the murderer; and the unexampled for
bearance of the people of Kansas, VIII,
viewed this proceeding of Lecempte with
unutterable horror, and yet suffered hin
to live unmolested in their midst; anC
this, too, when this murder was only on,
Of long series of outrages of equaI
atrocity; the preparation Of which b,
had instigated, encouraged or aided. H,
had liberated in like manner, the infa
nous "scalper," Hops, and the still NOR,
notorious and infamous Fuggit, who wor
bet that he would produce the scalp o.
ON aaholikionistiJ 70 Eraa State r,on \ I,