The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1860-11-30
EXCITING NEWS FROM KANSAS.



one Capt. JAMES MONTGOMERY figured ex-
tensively as the leader of band of free.soil
marauders upon the pro-slavery settlers of
southern Kansas and south western Nilsson.
ri. He was represented as a man similar in
many respects to old JOHN Brown and
closely initiated him in the religious JUNCTION
with which he cut a shareholders throat.
MONTGOMERY was driven from Kansas by
the Federal authorities; but he has returned
once more to the scene of his old labors, and
at most unfortunate time, too, for the peace
of the country.
The following is the latest news from
Kansas:
WARSAW, Mo-, Wednesday, Nov. 81.
A messenger reached here this morning,
bringing the following despatch, which has
been forwarded to the Administration at
Washington:
CLINTON, Mo-, Wednesday, Nov. 81.
The Abolitionists, with arms newly imported
from Boston, or the East under the command
of Captain Montgomery, numbering from 800
to 500, and increasing in numbers. have at
tackled Fort Scott, Kansas, broken up the Court,
compelling myself and all the officers of the
United States District Court to fly for orr lives;
they have taken the towns on the Missouri line,
the Fort Scott land Office, &c. They intend to
invade Missouri.
[Signed] j. WILLIAMS.
United States Judge of the Third Judicial Dis
trict of Kansas Territory.
A military company will be organized
in this city Tomorrow to aid in the sup
preston of this outbreak.
At meeting of the citizens of Clinton,
Henry county, Missouri, it was resolved to
raise a volunteer company to defend their
holmes, and, if necessary, the western border
of the State, and a committee was appointed
to wait on the Governor of Missouri, lay
the facts before him, and request supply OF
arms.
The following letter has been addressed
to Gov. Stewart:
CLINTON, Mo-, Wednesday, Nov. 81.
SIR:-I am here to inform the citizens of this
place of the following facts, and l have been
requested to present them to you as Governor
of the State:
The Abolitonists, under the command of
of from three to five hundred, armed with
Sharpes rifles, dragoon sabers, navy revolvers
and Bowie knives, have suddenly commenced
war of extreme ferOcity on the law abiding
citizens of Southern Kansas, in the counties of
Linn and Bourbon. These arms arrived by the
wagon load at or near Mound City, about one
month since, in boxes marked as donations for
Kansas sufferers. They are all new.
Montgomery has been in Boston during part
of the summer, and returned with plenty of
money to enlist recruits. Many of his men are
newly imported. He has taken possession of
Fort Scott and other towns on the border near
the Missouri line. He has murdered Mr.. Moore,
Grand Juror, Mr.. Harrison, Mr. Samuel Scott,
Mr.. Kinds, and obliged all of the United States
officers, including myself, to fly for our lives.
His own expressed design in public speech.
as he said without concealment, is to keep
possession of Fort Scott, and other places
near the Missouri lines, to prevent fire in the
rear, while he cleaned out Southwest Missouri
of slaves. So far he has carried out literally
his declared programme.
The citizens of Missouri on the Usage and
Mermahon Rivers, in Bates and Vernon coun.
ties, are flying from their houses into the in.
terror. He boasts that he has money and arms
to sustain and equip one thousand men. My
Court was broken up by them, the United
States Court for the Southern District and
suspect that they have seized the records; also,
the records of the Land Office, as he publicly
declared he would do so. Yours.
United States Judge of the Third Judicial
District OF Kansas Territory.
KANSAS CITY, Wednesday, Nov. 81.
United States Marshal, P. T. Colby, and
party, OF Kansas Territory, arrived here
this evening. They left Fort Scott on
Monday last, and bring the following par
ticulars relative to the operations of Mont
gomery and his men.
United States Judge Williams and the
officers of the Court were obliged to flee to
Missouri, fearing an attack.
Samuel Scott, of Linn county, was taken
from his house on the morning of the 18th
inst, and hung. Many prominent citizens
have been arrested, but their fate is yet un-
known.
Reynolds & Co., of Fort Scott; Craw-
ford & Co.. of Chouteau's trading post and
other merchants of the Territory, are re-
moving their goods to Missouri-the roads
are lined with teams leaving the Territory.
Mr.. Hofnagle, postmaster at Mapleton,
was arrested and threatened with hanging,
but succeeded in making bis escape.
LArER.--Rumors are in circulation here
of the burning of Fort Scott, but they are
not generally credited.
WARSAW, Mo-, Nov. %.
A mass meeting was held here to-day for
the purpose of organizing a military COM
pany to go If necessary to the aid of our
brothers on the border.
Resolutions were passed among them to
the following effect {:
RESOLVED, That we do not desire in any way
to interfere with Kansas Territory or its citi.
zens while they confine themselves to their
own soil, but we owe to the citizens of our
own State duty when assailed by band of
midnight assassins, which we pledge ourselves
to perform.
RESOLVED, That, in our opinion, the Presi.
dent should at once take such decided and
prompt action in the enforcement of the laws
and the suppression of outlaws as the exigency
of the times demands, and that it is the
duty of the Governor of Missouri at once to
send men and arms along our western border,
to protect our citizens and enforce the laws.
Various committees were appointed,
when the meeting adjourned till next Sat-
urday.
The following handbill is now circulated
through the county:
.a TO ARMS!
WARSAW, Nov, "a.
Our State has been invaded, and our friends
murdered, by q band of Abolitionists from
A. l.. 80 80