The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-01-29

ter county, in this Territory, which will |
be read with interest by persons acquaint-
ed with the parties. The writer is a young |
lady of only sixteen years of age:
Ell DORADO, Dec. rs, 1858.
Mrs. GATES Perhaps you have heard |
the terrible news, ere this, that nv poor
father is dead. l cannot realise that he
is dead, but it is true-just one month to-
night since he was killed. As you might
be interested in the particulars attending
SO horrible result, will try to give a
few of them. On the night of the 23d of
November, an old Missourian, named Hill
debrand, living on this creek, came into
fathers field and stole Puss. He had a
grudge against father, and knowing how
much he was attached to Puss, well knew
that he could not hurt him worse than to
take her. As soon as he had cleared the
premises, he delivered the stolen property
into the possession of another wretch, if
possible, worse than himself. He took
Puss, with D. Upham's horse, and a mule
belonging to himself, and started on the
Cherokee road for Missouri the following
morning. When father discovered his
loss, he tracked them to the Cherokee
road, then returned to town, found Hide
brand, and made him pull off his shoe.
which he measured, the measure cores
ponding exactly with that of the tracks,
which he had measured also Father i'm
mediately started in pursuit of the thief
in company with young man from this
place, by the name Of Palmer. That was
on the Oath of November, and we did not
receive any news Of them until the 18th
of December. About noon of that dav,
hearing some hallooing from the opposite
side of the creek, looked out and saw
stranger mounted on the horse which fath-
er rode away from home. He was ac-
companied by another stranger on a strange
horse. They were the bearers of the IL
dings of my poor father and Palmer's
murder. They brought letter, written
by Cherokee, by the name ofBell. The
letter stated that father and Palmer over
took the fugitive at the house of white
man living in the Cherokee nation, on
Sunday night, 28th November, flour days
after leaving here) Upon entering the
house, they proceeded to arrest the thief,
(his name was Worldy,) on charge of
horSe-stealing. Worldly unbuckled his
belt containing his arms, and handing them
70 father, said, IL am your prisoner."-
They had been expecting that he would
make violent resistance when they at
tempted to take him, but he surrendered
himself so quietly that it seems to have
thrown them completely off their guard.
1t seems as though fatality attended the
affair from the beginning. His manners,
instead of exciting their suspicious, as it
naturally would, in the mind of any one
in their right senses, seem to have so com
pletely blinded them in regard to him, that
they most unfortunately overlooked the
precaution of searching or combining him.
But oh, what penalty they paid in con-
sequence thereof. The family in the
house had retired into kitchen, giving
up the main part of the house for the pris-
oner to be guarded in. About IL O'Clock
at night, Worldly told father to ego into
the kitchen and call the man of the house,
and they would have some fun, pretty
soon." Father went, and as soon as he
left the room, he heard pistol shot in the
room he had just left. fastening back,
he was just in time to see Worldly stand
ing over Palmer, (whom he had Just shot,
and receive another pistol ball in his own
throat. He uttered only few words,
and died almost instantly. He died in
strange land, among strangers, and so sud-
denly that he had not time to send us one
parting word. But in our grief it is some
consolation to know that our poor friends
received Christian burial. As soon as
Worldly had committed the deed, he rush
ed from the house, mounted Puss, and
rode forty miles before he was retaken.-
Poor Palmer, who lost his life in serving
US, was shot in the jaw, ranging downward,
the ball lodging lie lived two DAYS af-
ter being shot, and gave his affidavit
Worldly was taken down into Van Buren,
County, Arkansas, where the U. s. Court
was in session, and would have iurisdic-
ton over the case. A young man from
this place has gone down to get the horses
which were left at the place where the
terrible scene occurred. 1t is distant 14O
miles from here. Upon receipt of the
news here, Hildebrand was arrested, tried,
and as sufficient evidence was wanting to
warrant hanging, he was sentenced to re-
ceive fifty lashes, and leave this portion
of the country within forty eight hours,
or suffer the penalty of hanging. He re-
ceived his punishment, and left the place
but we have since heard that Ben (Hil.
debraud's son. had been seen at the junc.
ton ten miles below here, and exactly in
the opposite direction from that taken BY
H. in his departure from this portion Of
tue Territory. This circumstance, togeth.
er with what Ben said before he left. lead:
me to believe that Hildibrand is still lurk.
ing about the country, seeking revenge
Ben remarked, "this amt the last OF it.
just before they left the place. The young
man, who has gone after our horse, wa,
one of the committee appointed to ad.
minister Hildebrand's punishment Thi,
circumstance, and the fact that H. had
grudge against the young man before, ar,
of themselves enough to make H. anxiou,
to revenge himself He knew before b,
left here that the young man was goin,
on that journey !; he knew that he intend
ed coming back alone, with several horses
Puss among the rest, and / greatly fea
that he may take the opportunity to re
venge himself Misfortunes never com,
single, and am afraid that more blooC
will be shed before the scene ends.
Mrs. Gates, do you know how we coulC
obtain fathers daguerreotype from tn,
Leavenworth Constitutional Hall? He hat
it taken while there last winter. shouls
regard it as a great favor could you inform
me OF any one to whom We could apply
to procure it Cor copy,) for us.
Please don't delay answering this a
your earliest convenience, as shall lool
for letter from you with some anxiety
Yours, respectfully,