The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1876-07-13
The Quantreil Massacre.

Many of the citizens were then shot
down. With the quickness Of light
ming the news spread over town that
the accursed Quantrell, with his BUSH
whackers, was in town. The surprise
was so complete that it was utterly
impossible for the citizens to under
take anything whatever for their de-
Tense. The few, who heroically ran
out with their guns, were quickly
murdered, as were, in fact, all who
showed themselves during the first
| half hour. The hills above, and the
woods below the town were well
guarded by guerrillas, so that 1t was
| impossible for persons living on the
outskirts of the town TO make their
escape. Every thing was done by com
mand, or well understood beforehand
| by these murderers. After they mad
spread over the town they commenced
to plumber in the most deliberate man
ner conceivable. Every store was
broken open by few men, guarded
against surprise from the inside. The
| first thing they looked after was the
safe. then everything else of value.
Every safe was burst open when they
could not get the key; but they were
so well Informed about everything
that they sent, in several instances, To
the private residences of persons, de-
handing the KEYS for the safes III the
stores. Well informed citizens think
they took three hundred thousand dol
/ lars in cash along with them. 1t
would seem they took more. They
| had been in town some time before
they commenced burning the build
ings.
The inmates of the Eldridge House
were reused up by some one violently
beating the gong. Most of them soon
assembled in the hall and it was found
that not an arm was in the house.
/ CAPTAIN Banks told them the best thing
they could do was 10 surrender, and
this being agreed upon, Captain Is.
took white sheet and waved 1t from
the balcony. This was greeted by a
universal shout from the guerrillas.
The commander of the bushwhackers
around the house asked B.: do you
surrender this house," eve do, and
hope you will treat our women ana
children with decency." TO this the
rebels agreed, and b. asked for Col.
Quantrell. Quantreil was sent for,
and soon came. He asked b. whether
he was Federal officer; and being
answered i'll the affirmative, assured
him that they should be treated as
prisoners and would not be moested.
They were all searched and everything
valuable taken away from them-eyen
finger rings of men and women. The
whole house was then ransacked ana
everything of value taken out by the
guerrilas. The prisoners were
marched over to the Whitney House
aud there guarded.
Bv this time most of the plumber
had been secured on horses driven to-
gether from all parts OF town. The
safes had all been broken, some blown
up by powder, Others deliberately
ehiscled open. They picked out the
horses, only retaining the best, and
driving the poorer ones oil.
AT about seven o'clock they set fire
TO the court house. We heard several
explosions, which, at a distance, weuld
have been taken for cannon shots. We
heard some person running down the
street. commanding their friends TO
burn the stores: and we soon heard
the cracking Of the fire, and saw most
of the buildings east and west of us
wrapped in flames. To the south we
could not see from the houses we
were in.
During all this time citizens were
being murdered everywhere. Ger
mans and negroes, when caught, were
shot immediately. Many persons were
shot down after they had been taken
prisoners, and had been assured that
they would not be hurt if they would
surrender. Messrs. Trask, Baker, and
two other citizens were so taken. and
while being marched towards the
river as prisoners, after being assured
that they would not be harmed, some
guerrillas asked their names. Mr..
| Trask gave the names, when they
were Immediately fired upon, and all
four killed upon the spot, except MIR.
Baker, who is not expected to live,
] however. Mr.. Dix had been taken
prisoner and his house set on fire,
when one of the fiends told him if he
would give them his money he would
not be Killed, otherwise he would. Mr..
Dix went into the burning house and
cot a thousand dollars and handed ii
over, and had not proceeded twenty
stems when he was shot dead from be-
hind. Mr. Hampson. clerk of the
Provost Marshal, had a revolver and
tried to defend the few things he had
saved from the johnson House. His
wife interfered, and they told him if
he would surrender he should be treat
ed as prisoner and be safe from harm.
He surrendered, and was Immediately
shot from behind, the ball entering
near the spine and coming out below
the Kidneys in front. The wound is
not considered fatal.
In one instance the wife and daugh-
ter of man threw themselves over
his body, begging for his life. But
one of the murderers deliberately
thrust his revolver down between the
two women and killed the man.
Before ten o'clock the body of the
guerrillas left with their plumber, leav-
ing a. guard over the prisoners in town,
and few stragglers. The few per-
sons wounded were wounded at this
time by the passing .fiends. In the
earlier part of the day most persons
were fired at from very near and
killed instantly.
One of the first persons out was Col.
Deitzler. Mr.. Williamson and myself
helped him carry off the dead. The
sight that met us when coming out |
cannot describe. have read of out
RACES committed in the so-called dark
ages, and horrible as they appeared to
me, they sank into insigniticance in
comparison with what was then COM
PEELED to witness. Well known citi-
zens were lying in front of the spot
where their stores or residences had
been. completely roasted. The bodies
were crisp and nearly black. we
thought at first that they were all ne
eroes. till we recognized some OF them.
In handling the dead bodies pieces OF
roasted flesh would remain iii our
hands. Soon our strength failed us III
this horrible and sickening work.
Many could not help crying like chill
dren. Women and little children were
ali over the town hunting for their
husbands ard fathers, and sad indeed
was the scene when they did finally
fad them among the corpses laid out
for recognition. cannot describe the
horrors: language fails me, and the
recollection of the scenes | witnessed
makes me sick when | am compelled
to repeat them. ~,
The town is complete ruin. The
whole of the business part and all
good private residences are burned
! down. Everything of value was taken
bv the fiends. No store is left, aud 1T
is necessary that the good people OF
Leavenworth send provisions imme-
diately.
The men who perpetrated this afro
eious deed are all Tilden men.