The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-09-05
The Lawrence Massacre.

IFrom the Leavenw,rth Conservative
We arrived Mt Lawrence at seven
o'clock. FLYING rumors had pain ed a
terrible picture, buy the reality exceeded
the reports.
We found Massachuse is street one mass
of smoldering ruins and crumbling walls,
the light from which cast sickening
glaze upon the little knots of excited
men and distracted women, gazing upon
the ruins of their once happy homes and
prosperous business. Only Two business
houses were left upon this street-one
known as the Armory, aud the other as
the old Miller Block.
About l25 houses in all were burned,
and only one or two escaped being ran
sacked, and everything of value carried
away Or destroyed.
Six or eight solders, who encamped
upon this side Of the river, and who fired
across at every Rebel who appeared
upon the bank, deferred the towards
from destroying some of the houses near
the ferry, and from Gu ting down the flag
pole. The force of the Rebels is va
rously estima ed from $50 to 400
Trusl worthy parties place it at 3OO.-
Their every act during their stay in the
city was characterized By the most cow
ardly barbarism. They entered the
town on the gaIlop, firing into every
house, ana when the occupants appeared
at the door they were shot down like
dogs. Five bodies, burned to crisp,
lay near the ruins Of the Eldrdge House.
They could not be recognized. Eigh
cen out OF twenty-five unarmed recruits,
campeI sou h Of tom, were murdered
in ,heir tens. Their bodies lay in tie
colored church when we arrived. -
Messrs. Trask, pr. Griswold, Baker aud
Toorp were shot down in the yard of
DR.. G. before the eyes of their families.
Judge Carpenter was wounded in his
yard, and fell, when his wife and sister
threw themselves upon his body, begging
for mercy, but to no avail. The fends
'dismoun ed, stuck their pistols between
the persons Of his protectors and fired.
Miss Stone, daughter of the proprie-'
tor of the City Hotel, had diamond
ring olen from her finger. Quantreli
obliged the man to restore it. In re-
vcnge for this, the ruiIians afterward
came back and shot her father before the
mothers eyes. They also tried TO kill
Miss S one.
Gen. Collamore went into his we'll to
hide, and the bad air killed him. His
son and Pat Keefe lost their lives trying
to get the ia her out.
The life of District Attorney Riggs
was saved by the beroism of his wife,
who seized the bride of the Rebels
horse, who attempted to shoot him as he
ran.
Several cases of remarkable bravery
of women were related to us.
The wife of sheriff Brown, three sue
cessire times put out the fire kindled to
burn the house. Her husband was hid
den under the floor. The house was
saved by her heroism. :
The offices of The Journal, Tribune
and Republican were, of course, leveled
to the ground. John Speer, Jr. of The
Tribune arted for his home from the
office af er the Rebels came in. Mr..
Murdock, a printer in the office, tried to
induce him to accompany him into well
near by for safety, bu he would do moth
ing but 90 home to defend his house,
which he did, and was killed.
Murdoch went into the we'll and was
saved. A younger son of John Speer,
ST., killed rebel and left. The guests
of the. Eldridge House were ordered out,
their rooms pillaged and some of the
people shot. Two men from Ohio were
wounded here, and are now in this city.
Only the presence and perem DRY orders
of Quantrell proven ed the massacre of
all the occupants after they had been
marched out on the street.
The Rebels were told that there was
negro baby still in the house, but they
said, I" We will burn the Cd d--n lit.
tie BRAT" and they did We saw its
charred remains, burned black as the
heart of its murderers. The books of
tho County and District Clerks were
burned, but those of the Register of
Deeds were in the safe, and are supposed
to have been saved. Every safe in the
city but two were robbed in the Eldridge
store. James Edridge aud James Per-
rine gave the Rebels all the money in
the safe, and were instantly shot down.
All the hotels were destroyed except the
City Hotel. The loss in cash is estima-
ted at $250,00O and in properly and all
at 100000. That is low enough
estimate.
The number of bodies up to the time
we left was ll3, of which about 90 were
burned SO badly as to render recognition
impossible. Their were large number
of strangers in town, and when the
entire loss is ascertaincd, We think it
will reach $50 killed. Many were