Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-03-26
BosroN, March ls, 1880.
Editors Of the Traveller

I
ing:l
BosTON, March l6, 1880,
J Editors Of the Traveller .-
/ Aaron G. Stephens was born at Norwich, Con
necticut, where his aged parents still reside -
| His age was about twsnty~eight. Stephens
was one of the inest specimens Of manly
| strength and viz or that I have ever seem
About six feet in height, and finely proportion.
ed, with erect carriage, quick action and
| generous soul, he would always be chosen as
| leader in peTilous enterprises. His head was
| large, and his voice like bugle.
His active and daring spirit early induced
him to leave home. At eighteen years Of age
be joined the American army, and was employ
ed in the Dragon service. He saw consider
able service in New Mexico and the Rocky
Mountains, among the Indian tribes. In the
spring Of 1855 an officer Of Stephens company
1 committed brutal and unjustifable assault
| upon a fellow soldier who was unable to pros
/ teet himself The injustice fired Stephens, ard
/ he struck down his eOWardlY superior. For
this he was brought in chains to Fort LsavenS
| worth, and there confined. Knowing that the
result of the court martial would be q sentence
/ of death, Stephens succeeded in freeing him
self of his fetters, and breaking from his Jail.
He fed to Topeka, and there, assuming the
name Of Whipple, took a claim and settled
down The difficulties broke out; Whipple
/ Joined the Free State forces; regiment was
raised, composed of Topeka "bOys," of which
| Whlpple was elected Colonel. His military
knowledge, strength and mGnliness made him
general favorite. BE was one Of the best drill
masters in the Free State ranks. Gen. Lane
held him in high esteem. When Gen. Lane
/ 10 r ls,h
| the forces in pursuance of Gov. GeaTy's pro-
elAmation, Stephens (Whipplel commanded his
/ escort party Of forty mounted men.
| An incident occurred on this march, which
shows the education which Kansas has forced
her sons through, better than anything else !
have heard. Stephens supported what was
known as the Free White State doctrine; that
is, he was opposed to allowing cOlored people
to reside within the State boundaries, either as
bond or free. An inhuman policy, having its
| origin, as Gen. Lane has since said, sin the
basest prejudices generated by slavery" Our
/ friend was Black Law Man," par sresLenes
! When Gen. Lane was leaving the territory,
4 James Rsdpath was coming into it in command
Of party Of one hundred and twenty north
ern emigrants In Nebraska, near the Kan
sas border, q couple of fugitive slaves came
into the emigrant camp Lane camped near
\ the same night. Hearing of the negroes being
under Redpath's protection, Lanes men, nearly
all Of whom were neRro-haters, demanded that
they should be returned to bondage, in order to
prOVeto Missouri that it was not for the slave
but the white man, the people of Kansas were
| fighting. Stephens was delegated to convey
their wish to RedPath. BE spent over two
hours in endesvOring to urge that gentleman
to do this wrong. Itis needless to say that he
was not successful. The Colonel rode off in
high dudgeon, and that night Gen. Lane sc
cretly assisted the fugitivss across the Missouri
River 10 Iowa. This cireumsts nee is quite in
contrast with the rescue of the slaves in Mis-
souri and the sttempts at HarpeF's Ferry
Yet have no doubt that Stephens was equally
as honest then, though not so high up on tbs
plane Of progress as when he but few hours
since, stood on Virginia scaffold.
In the fall of 81, Stephens left Topeka with
nine others, and in company with John Brown.
i for Springdale, Cedar Co, Iowa, where the
company studied military science and drilled
under Stephens This is Quaker settlement
Afterthe Chatham (Gsnada) Convention, in
which he took prominent party, Stephens
went TO Ohio for some months, and finally
Joined Capt. Brown in Southern Kansas about
October, 1858. He took an active part with
Montgomery is resisting the attempts of the
Democracy TO drive out and murder the anti
slavery men Of Linn and Bourbon Counties
Il He was one Of the foremost in the rescue ofBen
Rice from unjust imprisonment in Fort Scott
himself and Kagi being with Montgomery al
the head Of the stOrming party Of twenty men
who seized the building wherein Rice was con
fined. -r
Stephens led one party, while Capt. Brown
led the other, on the night when eleven slaves
we're rescued from Missouri bondage David
Cruise, q stakeholder, resisting the emaneipa,
tors, who shot down, in all probability, by
Stephens' hand. He had been warned thai
such would be his fate if he resisted, and h,
met it. Stephens was with Capt Brown il
that celebrated exodus from Missouri to Can
ada.
AtHarper's Ferry he was second in com
lmand He was in command of the party thA
arrested Col Washington and others. He hal
command on Monday Of the ground in front o
the Arsenal gate, and it was while engaged il
arresting the workmen that the following
language was used:-
"By whose authority do you do this!" wal
asked by an indignant prisoner.
"By the authority Of God Almighty wa
the electric response that came ringing from
Stephens, silencing eli complaint and oyeraW
ing tl6 NsteueEs ~ the talncstnch5 anu ilfe o
the tones.
! Albert Hazlett, born in Indiana county, Penn
. sylvania, was about tEenty-fOur years Of ag
ct the time Of his martyrdOm. He came {
Kensss in the Spring Of 81, and settled i
z Bourbon county BE sooE became enliste
with Montgomery in the defensive operation
Of that period, and proved himself brave an
efficient soldier.
4 In the winter Of '5S- -'59, after the rescue Q
7 the Missouri slaves, Kagi was in commend in th
! South. Hazlett was en- officer under him.
z BE dispayed the utmost GOODNESS and daring 0
: several Oeeaaionss-smong Others, rePellIni
4 with ten men force Of 30, acting as q pr
. tended .. s. Marshsl's posse, retreating sue
3 cessfull y over bad ground. Hazlstf was mel
: to Stephens in command ct tho Ferry, and
Z was probably bullet from his Shapes rif
D which killed Geo. Turner. The letter was
; the act Of raising his rifle when shot from Ii
emaneipat ors laid him low.
Hazlett was tall and slender, Of nervou
: esnbuine temperament, 1.-THE and active, WIT
small and sharp oval features, very fair ha
! and forid complexion he was always e
1 teemed among his comrades IS an honest, up
: night man, social companion and possessed
intelligent mind. Il. !. HINTON,