Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1859-11-04

was never taken into their councils, and never
consulted by them With reference either to their
policy or movements.
The destruction Of the free-State Hotel and
presses at Lawrence, in May, 1856, incitcd him
anew to action, and he organized small COM
pany, composed chiefly of men who bad been
robbed, or whose relatives had been murdered
by the pro-slavery party, and at the head of
this band, armed with Sharpe's rifles, bowie
knives, and Colts revolvers, be secured South
ern Kansas, and the name Of ssOld Brown" be-
came terror to all who opposed bis will in
that region. While he was thus maraudIng,
five pro>slavery men we're taken from their
cabins at Pottawattomie creek, in the night
time, and shot dead. The pro-slayery party
charged old Brown, while the free State party
asserted that they could prove him in Lawrence,
forty miles distant, when it happened, and that
the horrid deed was perpetrated by ssBuford's
Georgian Rufiaus," supposing that the victims
we're free State men.
The news Of this massacre reached Vest
port, Missouri, she place of rendezvous Of the
''borier ruffans," the same evening that the
Kansas Commission sent out by the u States
House of Representatives arrived at that place.
The excitement was intense, and was induced
almost as much by the appearance of the Com
mission, as by the news of the massacre. The
"Iuf6ans" swore vengeance upon the members
i SIo&
their blood should recompense for the slaughter
at Pottawattomie creek, and but for the inter-
cession of Mr. Oliver, the pro-slayery member
of the Commission, and others, it was believed
that the Commission would have been at
| tackled II was at this time that the notorious
Fl. Clay Pate organized band of men in the
streets of Westport, hio., with -firc ar0wed
purpose Of enteringthe Territory and capturing
..Old Brown" He raised about thirty men,
and went into the Territory at twilight ono
evening, and was surprised at sunrise the next
morning by 'sOld Brown" who was in COM
mand Of nine men, armed stated above
Pate sent flag oe truce to Brown, who ad-
vancod some rods ia front of his company, aid
ordered the fag-bearer to remain with him,
and sent one Of his own men 10 inform Pate to
come himself. Pate obeyed, when Brown or
dered him to lay down bis arms. Pate refused
to give the order to his men, when Brown,
drawing a revolver, informed him that he must
give the order, or be shot on the spot. Pate
immediately surrendered up himself and meu
aud they were disarmed aud marched into q
ravine near by, and kept until liberated anG
sent back to Missouri, by Col. Sumner, few
days subsequently, who also ordered "Olc
agreed to do SO, If the Colonel would alst
agree to protect the settlers in that region o
the Territory. This was the celebrated "Bat
tie of Blackjack Point" made famous by th'
"H. g. p" Kansas correspondent of the st
Louis Republican: who was the heroic comman
{ der of the surrendering party. Captain Brow
was not much heard from again until the no
torious Capt. Hamilton made his incursion
into Southern Kansas from Missouri in 1898
when he raised another company, and, Will
Cant. Montgomery, drove Hamilton and hi
companions back to Missouri, and marching
his men into that State, lock possession of on
of the villages, shot one or two men, ana iioer
ated several slaves. This course Of Brown wa
repudisted by Governor Robinson, and tb'
leaders of the free-State party, IN and outof
Kansas, which caused Brown to publish act
ter explaining his position, in which he ASSUMED
the entire responsibility Of his acts, and fslev-
ed the free-State men from any sharetherein.
This letter vas called the "TRo Parallels" on
account of the peculiar distinction nade By the
writer
Captain Brown is very strong believer In
the doctrines of the PresbyteriaI Charch. lie
is faratical on the subject Of abtl-slaVery, and
seems TO have the idea that le is specially de-
puted by the Almighty toiiberate slaves and
kill shareholders. 1t wayalways conceded to
him that he was conscetious man, very modest
IN his deineanor, appfently iuofensive until
the subject of slayer,was introduced, when he
would exhibit feeng of indignation unparal-
leled After msters subsidized in Kansas,
Brown intimated to some Of his anti-slavery
, friends that he contemplated organizing an In
> surreetion amagst the slaves IN Kentucky and
Tennessee. This fact becoming known to some
) Of the leabg anti-slavery men of the coun-
,rv. ,hey fused him means with which to &C
: an and lscoursged his proposed undertaking.
He spet.a portion Of the last summer in visit
:, ;ro dfrent Northern cities, and was ,endered