The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1859-10-29

greatly respected IN the neighborhood for
i his high character and noble qualities.
The ShepardstoWn troops next arrived,
marching down the Shenandoah side, and
joining the Charleston forces at the BRIDGE.
| 4 desultory exchange of shots followed,
one of which struck Mr.. Fountain Beckham,
Mayor of the town, and agent of the rail-
road company. entering his breast and pass
ing entirely through his body. The ball
| was large slug, and made a dreadful
/ wound Mr.. Beckham died almost imme-
diately. He was without fire arms and was
exposed for only moment while approach
ing water station. His assailant, one of
Browns sons, was shot almost immediate
! ly, but managed to get back to the engine
house where his body was found next day
The murder of Mr.. Beckham greatly ex
cited the populace, who Immediately raised
cry to bring out the prisoner, Thompson.
| He was brought out on the bridge, and
there shot down. He fell into the water,
and some appearance of life still remaining,
he was 4iddled with balls.
At this time the general charge was
made down the street from the bridge to-
wards the Armory gate by the Charlestown
and Shepardstown troops and Ferry people.
From behind the Armorv wall fusilade
was kept up, and returned by the insurrec-
tionists from the Armory buildings.
While this was going on, the Martins
| burg levies arrived at the upper end of the
| town. and entering the Armory grounds by
the rear, made an attack from that side
This force was largely composed of railroad
employers, gathered from the tunnage trains
at Martinsburg. and their attack was gene
rally spoken of as showing the greatest
amount of fighting pluck exhibited during
the day. Dashing on, firing and cheering.
and CALAMITY led by Capt. Alburtis, they
carried the building in which the Armory
men were imprisoned, and released the
whole of them.
They were, however, but poorly armed,
some with pistols, and others with shot
guns and when they came within range
of the engine house, where the elite of the
insurrectionists were gathered, and were
exposed to the rapid and dexterous use of
Sharp's rifles, they were forced to fall back,
suffering pretty severely. Conductor Evans
Dorsey, of Baltimore, was killed instantly,
and Conductor George Richardson received
a wound from which he died during the
day. Several others were wounded, among
/ them son of DR.. Hammond of Martins
burg.
A guerilla warfare was maintained du-
ring the rest of the day, resulting in the
killing of two of the insurrectionists, and
the wounding of third. One crawled out
through culvert leading into the Potomac,
and attempted to cross to the Maryland
side, whether with the view of escaping, or
conveying information to Cook, is not
known.
He was shot wtile crossing the river, and
| fell dead on the rocks. An adventurous
lad waded out and secured his Sharp's rifle.
The body was afterward stripped OF part
of its clothing. In one of his pockets was
found a captains commission, drawn up in
full form, and declaring that the bearer,
Captain Leham, held that commission under
Maj. Gen. Brown. A light mulatto was
shot just outside the Armory gate. The
| ball went through the throat, tearing away
the principal arteries, and killing him in
stantly. His name is not known, but he is
one of the free negroes who came with
Brown. His body was left in the street
until noon yesterday, exposed to every in
dignity that could be heaped upon it by the
excited populace.
AT this time tall, powerful man, named
Evans Stephens, came out from the Armo
ry, conducting some prisoners, it was said.
He was twice shot-once in the side, once
in the breast. He was then captured and
| taken to a tavern, aud after the instruction
was queled was turned over to the United
States authorities in a dying condition.
During the afternoon a sharp little affair
took place on the Shenandoah side of the
town. The insurrectionists had also seized
the halls of the rifle works, and party of
their assalants found their way in through
a mill race, and dislodged them.
In this rencontre, it was said, three in
surrectonists were killed. but we found but
one dead body. that of negro. on that
side of the town. Night hy this time had
set in, and operation ceased. Guards were
placed around the Armory, and every pre-
caution taken to prevent escapes
At / O'Clock. the Monday night train,
with Baltimore military and marines, ar
rived at Sandy Hook, where they waited
for the arrival of Col. Lee, deputized by the
War Department to take command.
The reporters pressed on, leaving their
military allies behind they found the
bridge in the possession of the military and
entered the besieged town without difficult
ty-the occasional report of gun or sing
ing motion of Sharp's rifle ball, warning
them that it was advisable to keep them
selves out of the range of the Armory. The
first visit was made To the bedside of Evans
Stephens, the wounded prisoner they
found him to be large. exceedingly ath-
letic man, perfect Sampson in appearance.
He was in a small room, filled with excited
armed men, who more than once threatened
to shoot him, when he was grooming with
pain, but answering with composure and
apparent willingness every question in re-
lation to the fray in which he was engaged.
He said he was native of Connecticut,
but had lately lived in Kansas, where he
Ennru Cant Rrorrn IIo hnI oil rorroI II,