The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-08-15
outrages in sOuthern Kansas /!
THE CHEROKEES C0MAENCE
THEIR HELLISH WORK!
EIGHTEEN MEN KTLLRDI
sixty Families Driven from their
Honest

From the LeaVenworth Conservative, Aug. g.
From Mr.. Avery T. Spencer, of lola, Al
! len county, we have the following account
/ Of wholesale dastardly outrages on the
4 settlers of our Southeastern border. .a
/ Mr.. Spencer left Humboldt, Allen county,
/ Tuesday night, to procure assistance from
| the Governor. The days were so hot be
travelled only by night, reaching Lawrence
| yesterday morning. 1t not being ia the
| power of Gov. Robinson to render the aid
desired, Mr.. Spencer, in company with Mr..
Smith, the private secretary of the Cover
nor, started for this city, reaching here yes
terday afternoon.
Upward of sixty families from Cherokee
(recently McGee) county, on the Cherokee
Neutral Land, have, within a few days,
reached Allen county, having been driven
|. from their homes by band of Missourians,
Arkansians and Cherokee Indians, under
the leadership of one John Matthews, a
well known trader of Timber Hill in the
Usage Nation, some eight miles from our
southeastern border Threats of an attack
/ on Humboldt, where they had sought safe
ty, have driven many to Leroy, Coffee
county.
The operations of the desperadoes under
Matthews extended throughout the neutral
most every Union family in that section
has been driven away. Their houses have
been plundered, and the greater portion of
their stock seized, and themselves driven
from their thriving places without opportu-
nifty for a moments preparation. Some
were so fortunate as to save their teams and
portion of their stock, but they are only
the exceptions. Sixteen men are known to
have been brutally murdered
In one instance twenty Union men had
gathered together for selfprotection, but
Matthews came upon them with three hun
bred men. Resistance was useless, and none
was made. The iendish commander order
ed them all to be shot, and but for the in
reference of Capt. Miller, of the Cherokee
Nalion-the only.one possessed of spark of
humanity-the sentence would have been
instantly carried into effect. Eighteen were
permitted to leave, and two were found the
next morning hanging from neighboring
tree.
Matthews command is said to consist of
two-thirds whites and the remainder Cher
okee Indian renegades and desperadoes We
have not space to narrate the many fendish
acts of which Matthew has been guilty his
character could not be blacker. His Lieu
tenant, Sam Patten, is a refugee from an
Arkansas Jail, to which he had been brought
by several murders, such as even Arkansas
could not tolerate. Three brothers-Ar-
kansians-by the name of Lizenbyga Cher
okee Indian named VIM Cochran, and
Missouri scoundrel by the name of Bled-
shaw-every man stepped in every eonceiv-
able crime--are prominent in the band.
Mr. Spencer had an interview with Mr.
Prince last evening; no determination was
reached and an appointment was made for
this morning at eight o'clock We ardent |
ly hope that the Major will see to it that a |
terrible punishment be visited upon these /
msrauders, and that with all possible dis
patch. Some of our troops should be sent
TO the devastated region. E~
Arms must be sent to Southern Kansas, I
and the brave hearts and strong arms of her |
sons will make an effective defense of her
soil. This last outrage should be power
full warning. sa a As-Aas