Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1863-09-04
The Lawrence Massacre.

on the 2lst, the day of Quantreli's visit,
states that in the business part of the city
the only buildings left were Mr.. Grosvenor's
grocery, butchers shop and one store, and
these were all robbed and sacked. In burn
ing houses the ruffians professed to discrm-
mate against those engaged in The war.
The rutfians were in the town about three
hours and half, and seem to have done
up their work of destruction Systematically.
They first stationed guard around the
town to prevent the escape of the inhabit-
ants TO give the alarm elsewhere, and then
plundered the banks and stores and robbed
citizens in their houses We infer from
what is stated in the letter that there were
at first some attempts at resistance, but it
was unavailing, as the p, ople were general.
ly unarmed and taken by surprise. But
there were many murdered who made no
resistance. There were many narrow es-
capes. Mr.. Joseph Savage was taking his
family out of town in wagon, $ ,on after
the alarm was raised, when they came upon
the rebel guard. Mr.. Savage jumped out
and ran into a corn!ieid and escaped the
rufiitns stopped the team, and were about
to shoot the hired man who as in the wag-
on, bit Mrs. Savage plead for him that he
was foreigner, and had not been in the
war, and they spared him. The rebels then
demanded money, but Mrs. Savage told
them she had none they wanted 10 see
what was in her trunk, which she opened,
and they did no, take the clothing, and for
tunately did not discover the silver hidden
it it. The rebels had just shot the man OF
house near by, and Mrs. Savage went
and found him, nearly dead, and then en-
tered the house and put out the fire the reb-
els had kindled for lis destruction, the wife
of the wounded man having previously h"d
and hid herself Mrs. Savage certainly
showed extraordinary self-possession and
pluck under the exciting circumstances.
The Leavenworlh papers add some par
ticulars to previous Geographic accounts:
When the bushwhackers rode into the
town, they did SO yelling at the tops of their
voices, and saying that they intended to kill
all, without exception. Gen. Lane escaped
into corn-feld near his house, and thus
saved himself. He was one of the first
men back into the town after Quantrell left,
and Immediately organized band and
started in pursuit. His house was burned.
Mrs. Lane tried hard to save it, but it was
fred three different times, and finally was
entirely destroyed with everything in it.
Gov. Robnson's house was saved by squad
Of the 18th Kansas regiment, who were on
the north bank of the river, and who fired
upon them whenever they approached the
house.
Through the interposition and negotia-
tioss of Mr.. II. S. Stevens and others, be-
tween fifty and sixty persons who were in
the Eldridge House were saved. They
were marched out under an escort, and pro-
ttcted during the terrible scenes that We're
transpiring. -Four Germans lying on
platform in front of building, were shot,
early in the morning, while asleep. About
twenty-five negroes were killed A party
went to the residence of DR.. Griswold, aud
with demoniac yells and curses, demanded
that they should come out. MIR. Trask, and
we believe, Mr.. Thorp. were boarding with
DR.. Grisw old, and all three of the ger tie
men went out of the house by the froLt
door, where they were immediately taken
prisoners. Their names were asked, and
as the answers were given each IN turn was
deliberately shot down. Mr.. Trask was re-
Gently married, and his young wife stood by,
a witness of her husbands assassination.
Mr.. Griswold leaves most amiable lady
and two children to lament bis loss. Mr..
Stone was killed Ly one of the party which
remained in town after the main body had
gone. They remained with the avowed
purpose of killing Miss Stone, her father
and brother and for that purpose ordered
all in the house to form line outside.
Hearing this Mr.. Stevens went up stars
and informed Miss Stone that she as well
as himself was marked for victim, and
asked if she would not try to escape. The
brave girl replied that il would be useless
that they would probably kill some of them,
and that she would share the danger; it I
might as well be her as any of the others"
During the confusion which ensued in front 1
of the house, Mr.. Stevens and MIR. Stone,
Jr-, escaped by back Dc or and secreted
themselves on the bank of the river. FL |
nally the house was cleared, and the citi- |
zens formed in line outside, when the VII !
lains commenced questioning them, asking
their names, where they were born. etc.
A gentleman answered central Obi"
when one of the party remarked, that is
worse than Kansas" and shot him, the
wound. however, not being fatal. A lady
in the house was then fired at, when Mr..
Stone commenced to demonstrate with them
he was Immediately shot, the ball entering
the left side of the head, killing him almost
Instantly.
The EIdredge House was ransacked from
cellar TO garnet, and plundered OF every
thing which could tempt the cupidity of the
guerriIlas. Trunks were cut open, clothing
taken, ladies' wardrobes seized or ruined,
and the house fired in the drug stores be-
low, from whence the flames rapidly spread,
and in a short time the noble structure was
only heap Of iuins. the second destruction