Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-02-11

he wanted to, and he would die before he
would vote the democratic ticket. He
said men wanting Office, and worth theiI
thousands, would come around before
election and pat them on the shoulder
and profess to be their best friend, bu,
after the election was over, it was KNOCK
down, cut down, drag out, any way TO gel
rid Of the id nigger, Chat is the way
the old man put iD. l know these things
are all reported by the press, but it never
came to me with such force as it did tc
hear these people tell it.
We asked them how they got away
Some of them, as they said, had wagon:
which were Joined together, and some hat
teams. Some came away in the night and
others had to leave everything,so that they
would not be followed. They put rs many
on ts the cars as they had money to pay
for-any way TO get out. One woman
told me her husband started two hundred
miles from Denison, five hundred miles
from Chetopa, and laid out all the way
with only blanket. She left in the night
and came on the cars. She said she had
letters from there since she came away
and they were shooting and hanging hel
neighbors because they were trying to
come to Kansas. So much for oul
boasted liberty to all classes and to all
people. saw man since who says his
wife was poisoned last September because
she wanted to come away. He paid a
physician $40 to investigate the case, and
he declared she was poisoned. They
thought they might rs well die in Kansas
or on the way rs to die there. :" We be-
lieved the good Lord would lead us out as
he did the children of Israel, so we came.
We come to stay, to be good citizens. We
want to be men, We are strangers in II
strange land; don't know who TO trust,
who are our friends, nor who to 90 to for
help"
I" How about food and clothing?" One
old man rose up and said, There is a
little meal in the barrel yet and little oil
in the cruise yet, and the good Lord will
care for me, for he always has, but have
daughter-in.aw here with four small
children, her husband is back sick at Den
ison, with two girls, and no money to
come with. She gets Il little washing to
do now and then. We help her all we
can, but our money is about gone. We
can't get work to do this weather, (it was
sleeting at the time). We haven't Cloth
ing to stand this weather. If there is any
help for us, or work that we can do, we
want to know it, for all want work." he
said. TRY us and sec if we are not men,"
Others talked, and they all told the
same story. never listened to so much
misery in my life. then and there re-
solved the Lord helping me- to devote my
time, for while, at least to work amongst
them. went into it the next morning,
although it was seeting very heavy. l
first called on man that was trying to
get his pony out of the sleet. He had no
hay for it and but little corn. He had been
there two weeks, had some money when
he came, but the city marshall advised
him, us he did others, to put up small
houses so rs to stop rent. But the storm
had come on and they could do nothing.
He had Il little corn meal and $l.25 in
money. l talked some with him, He
told the same sad ssory of oppression
and wrong, as did the others. O have
talked with great many since and they
all agree). They all seem, not only will
ing to work, but anxious to DO so. called
next at n small colored church, size about
14x20. There were two families repre-
sented here, and at least twenty souls
large and small. They were huddled
around an old box stove trying to keep
warm and get breakfast They had 3
small bake kettle and we're baking up
their corn meal, which was mixed up with
water, but with no salt to season it. They
had span of horses, but no shelter anC
not much feed for them. They had beer
there two weeks and were trying to pu
up some small houses. They had thu
lumber paid for, but no more money tc
get nails. The storm had come on an,
they could not get anything to do. The,
had a little meal left, but no meat. o.
one side Of the stove lay Il man sick from
exposure and privation, and so weak h
could hardly raise his head. On the othe
side lay a fine looking girl sick and help
less with the fever. and the father sal,
the two smaller ones would be down abou
noon with chlls and fever, 1--WE who liv
in Kansas know what that means) and OF
some benches lay young man sick witt
pneumonia, and another complaining
(IIe came down soon after). Have yo
had docorp" asked. d" No sir. Dow
in Texas if Il colored man wants docto
he can get him only by advancing th
money and we supposed it was the sam
here, and we have no money" l." An
medicine?" No sir" What have th
sick onos to eatp" Corn cake" &" An
colfee?" No sir" sent in some crack
ers and tea and promised to see about
doctor, and went on with my visiting
Crhey did not get doctor till the ne.
afternoon, when, fear, it was too late
found families without anything to eG
and nothing to buy with. Oh, how
longed to have hold of some Of the purs
strings Of some of the men in that town.
| ran across one man by the name
: Hill, who was very anxious TO see II ma
he had been working for. | saw somt
thing was wrong with him, and aske
him if he had had any breakfast. NJ
sir nor no supper either" He had
wife and four children. got him som
meal and some meat and called on hil
the next day. They were living in n sma
!. room 6xl2, paying one dollar per mont
: for rent. They had an old broken stow
,at 6t m Iva 1sal and were n,yino twnpt,