The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-02-01
VOLUME XII. NO. 5.
Interesting Letters from Kansas.

Thomas A. Parker, who resides at present, in
Spring Hill, Johnson Co., Kansas 'l-EO Dem
have seen reports in the Tribune and
various other papers, s,about tho deprcdalions
which Montgomery and hs men havo boen
guilty Of committing. Some of those tulos
are almost wholly without: foundation, and.
indeed, are all false. Montgomorey's resi-
dence is 35 or 40 milos from here, land thcrc
are many here who know him, and know.
too, what he has done in the way of mob
bing, in the last six months, to morit such II
widespread fame through the press. And
lust now, while write, another paper tthc
Democtd) comes in, loaded with uows from
Kansas, all of which is so much exaggerated
shat, to ono knowing tho facts, as wo profess
60 know them, thoro seems hardly truth
enough In ITS statements to bo recognized as
The Same tale.
There can be no greater falsehood than
that Montgomery has had any band in the
depredatons that have been committed ro
Gently. On the contrary, ho has remained
Mt home, attentive, molostipg Eo ono and
being troubled by no one. bave bOrdor
aper herein which thore are several pieces
intended to stir up tho oxctuble class Of
Missour;ans. 1t is tho Journal Of Commerce,
printed at Kansas City, on the border OF the
Territory. Judge Williams, our District
Judge. wrote 20 President Buchanan, stating
the difficulties hero to bc such as to require
o detachment of soldiers to insure tho safety
of the people in the border counties. and.
accordingly, General Harnoy, who is in com
mand at LeavenwOrth, was ordered to the
scene of Difficult ugsz with six hundred troops.
On Gen. s%tRrstfs return through our
county, hef informed us that Williams had
been frightened by socing tho camp fires OF
some friendly Indians, whom nc mistoOk for
Montgomery and his men, which no, (Wil.
liams, in his letter to Buchanan, stated to
bo FIVE hundred in number, and intent on
invading Missouri. Harnoy stated that
Montgomery had not boon engaged in riot.
ing at all, had no followers engaged either in
borso- stealing or robbing. but. on tho con.
irary, was quiot, pcaceabo minister of tho
Gospel and actually preached a sermon in
the city Of Lawrence, more than 100 miles
from Fort Scott, on the same night of the
troubles at tho ast-named place. 1t is true
that thcro bavo boon some mon hung horo.
during tho latter part of last month; but
they wero such mon as richly deserve hang
ing in any community. Ono man, whose
name was Scott, was hung few days ago.
by some OF his own neighbors. Ho had
J..
aud the only i0onder about it is, that he had
been suffered to live 60 long, or, in other
words, that he was not hung years ago. ]
will relate ore of his many crimes AS wo had
il from one Of his immediate ncighbors L,
was as follows: During tho troubles in
1856 and 1857, Scott was tho head of gang
of marauders who were accustomed to rob
every Froe State man of his stock aud drive
il into Missouri, and sell it for whatever they
could got. One day 10 81, he went with
his gang to tho house Of u widow. No, being
satisfied with taking all her property, hu
outraged her porson, aud ordered his COM
pany to obligc her o!des. son, (thon IL boy of
SIXTEEN to witness tho scene.
This Same son, (now ninetoon) was pres
ont the othor day, whom Scott was hung
and, after tho scaffold was mado roady, he
stepped forth and begged tho privilege to
tie the ropo around his neck. Tho privilege
was granted, and no performed his work
with evident satisfaction.
There has been one or two other casos OF
banging and two of shooting in tho Tori
tory, during tho past three or four months.
The causes have been various, but all owing
to somo personal injury or theft. all efforts
on tho part Of The newspapers to make It a
party nfair, will provo fruitless. All tho
1860, amount to just what similar troubles
would in Texas or Wisconsin, and several
other States, piz Whenever the community
become highly excited at repeated crimes OF
any one person, tho people rise en- mdsse
and hang him, and thus rid tho world of one
moro rascal. We do not approve of mob
bing or lynching; but our approval or dis
approval will make no difference. 1t has
been done, and is likely to be dono again
Right here will montion that the nearest
approach to anything political about any oi
the troubles here, is threat We havo heard
several times, by some of tho Froo State
mon, to Lynch Judge Williams, should he
ever again appear in Lynn Co. The
reason for this is evident. Hc has wilfullS
belied them, in asserting that they were
about invading Missouri, had brokon up his
Court at Ft. Scott, and killed six of his jury
oil OF which is q perfect falsehood.
Some two months ago, thore was some
little trouble along the Southern limo of the
Territory, relative to the settling of tho New
York Indian lands. The Indian Agent
threw out all the sottlcrs and burned thuir
cabins, Irrespective of party, age, sox or con.
dition. You will loarn moro of This affair
from tho papers. than ! can tell you now
All havo told you is just as near to tho
truth ns We can learn, and we havo taken no
little pains to ascorain tho facts. Some
little Instances occurred in our own neigh.
borhood, which raised tho pulse of excite,
mont little. It may not bo amiss 10 mon.
tion one of thcm. A Mr.. Easily, whose
house is not moro than mile distant from
our own humble dwelling, had his windows
and doors brokon in, woather.boarding torn
off and somo of tho furniture damaged to
considerable extent. Ho being IA Mssourian.
reported that Montgomery had previously
given him notice to loavo ut tho peril of his
life, which hc did on tho very day his hoaso
was demolished. 1t is gonorally believed by
all his neighbors. that no did tho mischief
kimse!f, and then fed to Missouri. whore his
father lived, and told tho terrible tale, in
crdor to got sholter under tho roof of d
paront who had long ago turned him away
as an undutiful spendthrift.
THOMAS A. PARKER.
Dec cath, 1860,