The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1858-06-11
Coun,y Sl655Ssre.
vAAwsMen yMay 90

- a.. M 80
ltion i,h ISsv Or, 5ssd: fV"i1sSi a"d VII
Iliam liar igrove,G E6n county
Both OF these gentlemen were badl,
wonpded by Capt Hamiton's psrty
on the 10Th inst. They have fur.
nishcd me with the full particular.
Of that horrible affair, which | will
give to your readers just as receiv
ed it from their own lips. ! have
resided in this Territory Tor nearly
four years, and have never had occa.
sion to record SO heart -rending and
horrible murder, as that which was
perpctrated in Linn county on the
18th Of the present month.
have no doubt but what similar
cases have taken place before, dur.
ing the continuance Of our difiicul-
ties, as many men were missing, and
the particulars Of their deaths never
reached the public car.
The murder Of Il Z. Brown. in
1855, was one OF tho most brutal
that was ever heard Of /; they cut him
to pieces with their knives his por-
sccntors were maddened with drink.
and in their madness they assassin
ated poor Brown.
Messrs. Read an1 IIarigrove ar.
rived here this morning, accompa.
nied by the wife of Mr.. Read.
called upon them after their wounds
had heen drooood bv physician
and received tie following state
ments. and have their permission to
make them public.
Rev. B. l.. Read is member OF
the American Baptist Home Mission
Society he emigrated from Lake
county, Illinois, to Kansas, in March,
1857, and settled in Linn county ;
he has been engaged as a minister
for several years he is a native OF
Connecticut, ani is forty nine years
of age.
lie gives the following account Of
tne massacre
On the 10Th inst. ] lett my house
and went to II ncighbor's to borrow
a plow. While there met two
men, and entered into conversation
with them. They introduced the
subject Of schools. Ono OF them
believe to have been spy from Ham
ilton's party. Snon after my arrival
at the house Of the neighbor, Capt
Hamilton, Of Fort Scott, a rather
pleasant looking man. about forty
wears of age, and formerly a citizen
of the State Of Georgia, came up to
where was, with about thirty men
and ordered me into the ranks, which
! refused to do. lie then drew a pis.
tol from his belt, and said, You
won't, won't you e. told him tn a,
! was willing to do anything that was
right: he again ordered me into tho
ranks, and the party commenced to
search the houso for arms AMI am.
munition. After completing theil
examination of the premises, Mr.
Stillwell who was afterwards killed
drove up in wagon. They asked
where he was from; he replied
It From Sugar Mound" They ther
put another man into the wagon.
. One OF llamilton's party then re-
marked, "Thnt is a damn good horse
there" Another said, "lf you like
ii better than yonr own, take it,
They took tho horse, also one from
me, and three from Mr.. Nichols, at
whose house We then were.
They then orlered us to march. -
Ross, Stillwell, Campbell and my.
self were the only prisoners at that
time. They took us to IIarigrovc's
honsc, where we were j,ine1 by Will
liam llariGrovc and his son Asa 4;
also Amos Hall, who had been Ia.
ken prisoners. Soon after they
brought Mr.. Colprtzar, Robinson
and Snyder. We were surrounded,
and ordered to march towar Is the
State line. While on the march, a
young man named Hall vas taken
from his wagon ~ prisoner, by order
u Hamilton.
Soon alter we halted on a high
mound Capt. Hamilton, with a por.
ton Of the company, left to take Mr..
Eli Snyder. a blacksmith, who was
at work in his shop, which was in
iull view. Some firing took place a.
the party approached the shop.
Capt. Hamilton then returned to
where we were, and ordered Us to
march. We went on until We reach
ed deep ravine, about a mile from
the mounl, where we were ordered
to halt, lace the company and close
up.
Hamilton then ordered his mer
into line; not being readily obeyed
he repeated the order again and
again. One Of the company refused
and turned his horse, remarking tha
he would have nothing to do witt
such business. Tho Captain ther
drew pistol and ordere his men Il
present arms, take aim, fire w,
all fell. Some Of the party then dis
mounted from their horses and cam,
to where we were they were or
dered to sec that all were dead.
Hamilton then remarked. "Therc i
old Read, give him another one !
In moment the order was repeated
it was asked, " Where is he 2''-sup
posed to have been pointed out ant
fired at again.
When they supposed that we wcr
all dead, one remarked that the maj
from Sugar Mound (Mr. Stillwell
had one hundred dollars. Anothe
said, nTi'sn that man has got
watch. MAO i3},uT s.a wai, - .