The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-07-15
tsMURDER HOLLOW,v
ohm Browns Farm, Linn Co., Kan

of the Rebellion. shall not attempt to
describe my feelings a. stood where the
victims stood when they were shot down,
the first sacrifices on the altar of Liberty.
This farm lies about Ii miles due west from
this place, and three-quarters of a mile in
side the Kansas line. 1t is now owned by
Mr.. Hadsell, of Pennsylvania. He bought
it from Brown and his partner, Snyder'
and having some sense of the eternal IT.
ness ofthings he has allowed some things to
remain just AZ Brown left them. 1t is the
most romantic spot I have ever seen-I
mean the location of the house. The farm
itself is what is here called "a mound"
being simply an elevated tract of land ON
the prairie. On the south side it is entered
by deep and densely-wooded ravine, up
which the road winds for about SO rods,
when you reach gate; you are then with
in $50 feet of the house and still you do not
see it. Browns hickory log house has
been replaced by large stone mansion,
but the same we'll is still used, from pump
on the porch, whereas Brown had it run
through one of his rooms. The house was
protected on the rear by limestone ledge
of some ten feet in height, on the east and
west sides by lodges and high banks, 80 that
it could be reached only in front. Here
Brown and Snyder lived in times when
human blood hounds sought their lives,
only because they were Free-State men. I
once thought him crazy fanatic-now I
can see reason enough for his phrensy.-
But, to my story. In 1856 one, Capt.
Hamilton, of Georgia, made his home in
this neighborhood. Being man of some
culture, strong character, and withal
violent Pro-Slavery man, he sooningratiated
himself with the people, most of whom had
crossed over from border Missouri coun-
ties. For few years he prospered in his
schemes, reaching first one Office and then
another. But these beautiful lands attract
ed many Eastern men, who came to
make homes for themselves. Hamilton saw
that in this way the Free-State element was
rapidly increasing and his power proper
tionately waning, and it drove him to the
verge of madness. He became .till more
infatuated when he saw that the Lecompton
Constitution was likely to be accepted at
Washington. He then gathered about him
a band of men who were animated with
kindred feelings, and crossed into border
Missouri counties for the purpose of reviv-
ing certain secret societies which had gone
down since 1856, the object being to make
guerrilla warfare against the Kansas SET
tiers. The settlers, long on guard, had be-
gun to hope that their troubles were at an
end and were now off guard. Hamilton
with Is men held a meeting at little
Missouri town called West Point, and there
advocated the slaughter of all Free-StAte
men. At this village the Council of Ten"
held their meetings, and never did the
Spanish Inquisition do its work with more
GOODNESS or certainty than did this council.
Hamilton and his band now, May 18th,
1859, started for little place called Trad
ing Post. AS all had been quiet for some
time, they were not seen until they neared
the door of the village grocery. Here they
were met by John F. Campbell, proprietor
of the store, who not thinking of treachery
gave them hearty welcome. The tends
Immediately made him prisoner, then en-
tered the store and captured his clerk, G.
w. Andrews. While this was transpiring,
a young man, named William Stillwell,
drove up with his team; him they at once
surrounded, and having learned that he was
from Sugar Mound, 10 miles distant, the
home of Col. Montgomery, noted Free
State man, they took him prisoner. Then
dividing into squads, Hamilton's men
secured the village and captured all the
Free-State men who could be found. An
hour before, the quiet was broken only by
the joyous laugh Of young maidens or the
prattle of children now all was anguish and
wailing, for all knew that this meant death.
Eleven men being thus gathered, they were
ill forced into Stillwel's wagon and the
dreadful march began. Half mile from
the village, they met and captured an old
minister by the name of Reed, who had
but lately come into the neighborhood, at
the same time unaccountably freeing their
second prisoner, Andrews. Hamilton now
sent forward few men to Browns farm to
capture Snyder. As they rode up to the
door of his shop, where he was working at
his anvil, they cried out, ''Ha Snyder; we
have got you now where we want YOU"
"Have your said he; then snatching up
his gun, he shot the leader, and by other
rapid shots so Disconnected heband that he
made his escape along the side Of a stone
wall to the house, where his brother and
nephew assisted in driving off the foe.
Snyder, now an old man, lives at Ossawot-
tonne. This defeat so enraged Hamilton
that he at once determined to have
vengeance. Taking his prisoners into a
ravine, about 100 rods from Browns house,
they were there ranged in line. Hamil-
ton and number Of his men, about yards
in front Of them on the bank, and q guard
on the opposite:bank behind them. Surely
never has the setting sun witnessed more
tiendish act, MOI yet one more heroic.
Brave men! Torn from home, wives and
children, unable to say even a farewell
word, most of them young men, they were
the first to fall in the cause of Liberty.
Not word was spoken by one Of them.
with = vain plea Of mercy
No stout knee was crooked;
In the mouths Of tho rifles
Right msnfully they looked"
Not long did they stand, for Hamilton
thirsted for blood. At his command, the
guns, now almost touching the victims,
were fred and the men all dropped-6ve of
them being killed instantly, and the others,
save one, beingmore or less seriously wound
ed. They who were wounded lay with sus-
pended breath, restraining all movements
OK sounds from pain. Then began a scene
at thought of which one sickens. The
fends, dismounting, kicked and rolled the
bodies about in their gore, all the time
using the most horrid blasphemies and i'm.
precautions. They had special hate towards
Rood tho old ro;n;ator who vSa onlv