Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-07-20
MIl KlNGMAM's LETTER.

NH NNGMAM's LETTER
CLIFTON, H., July 1, 1860.
SOLOMON SrrRGEs, ESQ. Chicago,
Dear SW-About eight O'Clock last SUNDAY
evening, our usually quiet village was visited
by a band of the most barbarous men that
over witnessed. 1t seems, hV what was de-
veupod AT the trial of some of the parties
yesterday, that several men from Missouri
have had their headquarters Mt A@hkum the
past three weeks or more, where, with the
assistance Of one George - Smith, trader
in Ashkum, and Mr.. Cornelius, formerly a
Kentuckian, who lives in the immediate neigh
horhood of Ashkum, have been working up a
plan for several weeks to kidnap some colored
men who have been living IN this town
About eight o'clock they had managed to get
five of the boys into the "Sollus House"
where Smith mads himself yey free in en-
tertaning them, whom eight olhor men, armed
90 the teeth rushed in and presenting their
pistols told the boys they were prisoners
Two Of the most powerful Of the BOYS made
rush, aud knocking down several of the
rutiians made their escape, the other three
wero pounded severely on the head with the
butt of their pistols, oycrpowered, handcnif-
ed. thrown into a wagon. and driven off he.
fore any alarm could be givon--all done in
the space of ten minutes
What makes the affair the more diabolical
is the fact that one of the men carried off
never was a slave and one had been freed by
his master the third ono might or might not
have been slave, but little was known of
him. 1t appears from what we learn since
the affair occurred that one of the boys that
escaped probably had been a slave. and that
his master was one Of the band who figured
here 1t appears that this slave owner made
bargain with Smith and Cornelius Of Ash
kun that If they would assist him to take
Ned one Of the boys that escaped, they
would catch as many more as they could, take
them South, sell them and divide the spoils.
After the three were taken, they were driven
TO Ashkum, about four miles, where they
were put on board the cars Of the Illinois
Central Railroad Company. There seemed
to be perfect understanding between the
kdnappers and the conductor of the train
"Muehmore -as the cars hardly came to a
stop before the negroes were thrust on board
aud the tram moving. sufficient number
of citizens went on the train from here to pre-
vent the negroes from being put on board,
and were fully prepared TO have done SO had
the train made the usual stop, but before half
OF the citizens who went on the train could
get off to render the required assistance the
train was IN molten. as J learn the kidnap.
ped negroes were taken to St Louis.
In addition To the nine kidnappers. who
were doubly armed with reyolvers aud bowie
knives. the section men who work on the
track of the Railroad Company for about
fifteen miles distant, numbering about twenty
i've, were in attendance, apparently to ronder
assistance if needed, all stout. able-bodicd
lrishmen.
hope and pray that it may never be my
lot to witness another such scene.
In haste, truly yours,
j. T.. KINoMAN
In addition to tho above. We have the fol-
lowing IRON an eyewitness
jury 3.-We have to-day five persons on
trial for assisting the kidnappers--three Irish