Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-07-12

ney of Westport, it was decided to let
Hoyt go, but they insisted upon his sign
ing surrender of the arms. This he
positively refused to do, even to save his
life. At last the boat arrived at Lex
ington, and was welcomed by a thousand
natives armed with every conceivable
weapon. The rabble wanted to hang us
all, at once. But the more respectable
portion proceeded differently. They
sent committee on board, and we held
a conference in the Texas" They in
sisted that we should sign an instrument
surrendering the arms and delivering the
boat from harm, upon pain of being de-
livered over to the mob. But Hoyt per-
emptorily refused. If they took them,
they must do it at their peril. They
finally landed the arms and gave Hoyt a
paper as follows: Taken from d. S. Hoyt
the following described property, to be
delivered to the order of Wilson Shan.
non, governor of Kansas territory. or
his successor in Office" followed by a
schedule of the property.
Without further mishap we arrived at
Kansas City, where we found DR.. Cutter
and Crutchfeld, who had made the journey
overland in safety, and also SC. Pome-
roy. They heard the story and hung
their heads in sorrow.
Hoyt always insisted that some one
stole the fatal letter from his pocket. l
am inclined to think, however, that he
left it upon the cabin table where he had
written it, in one of those fits Of care
lessness into which the sharpest men
sometimes fall. He went to st. Louis
and hbeled the "Aarbia" upon her re-
turn, and collected from her over so per
cent. more than the cost Of her goods in
Springfield, and in 1857 Governor Geary
gave an order for them, and such as were
not consumed were recovered.
After few weeks Hoyt returned to
Lawrence and entered heart and soul in
to the stirring events which followed.
In June he went with white flag into a
border-ruffian fort in the south part of
Douglas county, known as fort Saunders,
and while returning, still under the pro-
lection of the flag, was basely murdered
by the men with whom he had been
treating. Such was the boasted "chival-
ry.'
Hoyt was among the earliest and brav-
est of the Kansas martyrs. He left his
home with the impression fastened in
his mind that he should be called upon
to give up his life somewhere upon the
Kansas prairies, and the thought never
quickened his pulse or produced the
quiver of muscle. l was in his fullest
confidence from the moment of our meet.
ing in Springfield until he died, and knew
his thoughts, desires and emotions. He
was true TO his friends, and no power on
earth could make him swerve one hairs
breadth from what he deemed right. His
heroism was as lofty as old John Browns
and guided by far superior Judgment
He was gentle as a woman, and yet as
stern as Roman emperor. He fell
early in the contest and his name was not
conspicuous in the public prints; but by
the few who knew him well, he was fully
appreciated and fondly loved, and hi:
memory is yet kept green. That hi;
name may be perpetuated in Kansas an
mails, | have chosen to tell this simple
story, with no attempt at anything save
simple narrative of his portion of one
of our earlier attempts in behalf Of the
rights of freemen, and have superscribed
it with his name William r. Pmson,
IN Kansas Magazine.