White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1872-02-15

Deaah of Gel. Janes Monsgome4y.
We received note yesterday morning from
Mr.. Zook, Of the Pleasanton O6sevev, announcing
the death of Col James Montgomery.
"He died At his home st2 o'clock P m. on
his original claim, this, Thursday afternoon. Du-
ring the past summer and autumn Col. N0utgo-
merry has been in very ill-health. but with the
energy which marked his character. he Fought
with disease, and has Travelled from place 10 place
promulgating the religions doctrines he % thor
oughly believed in: The last time saw him he
spoke hopefully Of future lif6, and now he has
crossesl the river, and another VI cur lsrOcs has
joined the army gone before"
from one school district to another, speaking at
lesst every Sunday, ON religions subjects. He
belonged to sect called Soul Sleepers, with
whose dogmas we are entirely unacquainted.
He wass. native Of Ohio, had been a school
tescher, and must have been fifty year, old He
lived in Missouri o few years before comming to
Kansas. His name did not become well known
until the fall Of 1858, when he gained Q nOtoriety
~ Cact Montgomery, and the leader Of less than
. h.ndred anti-slavery settlers in Linn County.
(as Montgomery always called them) at home,
and sometimes carried the war across the line,
and into the enemy's country. Some of the
"Jayhawkers, on one side, like the "Bushwsck-
ers, ON the other side, were thieves, but James
Montgomery was not. We believe he MAS A..
ways and at all times me- os oe nonor. and no
moro "fa".::a" than any man is who tries to
regulate his life b; ;;Ine golden rule.
We first met him in ElwOod, DOniphan County,
twelve years ago this month. Thos. Wentworth
HigginsOn and Richard J. Hinton believed that
Hazlit and Stevens two of John Browns men,
could be rescued from the Jail at Harper's Ferry.
Brown had been hung on the 2nd Of December,
and his two brave companions were soon to suffer
the same fate. Their rescue was left to Mont
gomery. He came to Elwood with four or five
fhI Arrsat turn
The Hannibal and St. Joseph was the only rail-
road across Missouri aud afforded the only ave-
nueby which such men could safely travel through
that State. Montgomery assumed some other
name, which we have now forgotten, and he TO
mained with us several days. We had q good
chance to study the man, and he was worth study
They went on as far a. Harrisburg, where they
met their Eastern friends The expedition failed
there, or on the journey south, on account of the
depth Of the snow. The men could have been
taken from the Jail, but it did not seem probable
that they could then be concealed or got out of
the way. The leading actors in this affair will
doubtless, at some time, publish its details.
At the beginning of the war, Montgomery be-
came Colonel Of the Third Kansas We think he
was the first of our Colonels who released and
employed slaves He told us that he had over
come the army regulations by making negroes
teamstcrs, and this then seemed to him and to us
q great anti-slavery victoy.
When negro regiments were organized, Mont
gomery was called to South Coralina to cooperate
with General David Hunter. His friend Higgin-
son, named above, and also q preacher, was made
Colonel of the first colored regiment there, and
Montgomery of another Neither had much
opportunity to make military regulations, but
they did a far greater work in teaching their SOL
diers that white man could be gentleman and
and true follower of Christ.
The life Of this man will some day be fifty told.
He has left good name, a bright example of
manlness, honor and truth, and he has gone for
ward to continue his wOrk.-Ff. Scott A0Hitor