The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-06-25


from the legitimate consequences OF shsir
Illegal acts"
Ths accusation implied In me governors
response aroused lively indignation among
The Fres-Soi;ers of Lawrence. who In
sisted that they were not resisting the
law. and they held mass-meeting, at
which rhey denied every charge OF In
subordinat!on. but added: I'VE now. as
We have done heretofore. declare our VII
fagness and determination. without re-
sistance, 20 acquisce II the service c: any
judicial writs against Us By the Cat;ed
States marshal for Kansas territory. ard
win furnish him a posse for that Pur-
pose II so requested; but We are ready
10 resist. II need be unto death, The ra-
ages and dsSolatIons OF an invading mob"
a later meeting adopted a memorial ad-
dressed 70 the marshal himself. repeating
this offer. and demanding protection OF
their lives and property from the armed
men who were said to be then approach
ing the town, and who had been quoted
as threatening TO destroy Lawrence and
drive its Inhabitants away. The marshars
response was an iteration OF the charge
OF sedition on the part Of the citizens Of
Lawrence. with additional details. Among
other things he asserted that the Gown
had been fortified an dthe whole pOpula-
ton armed and drilled for resistance 10
the law. A commttte IN behalf OF the citi-
zens sent him letter declaring all these
accusations false; but no rep.y 70 This
was vousafed. On the same day The pro-
prietor OF the Eldridge House wrote 70
the governor. and the next day they
called upon him personally. appealing 20
him for protection for their property.
which seems to have been singled out by
the mob as a special object OF vengeance.
simultaneously. a number OF citizens sd
dressed the governor a note. saying that
VIVA tever arms they had acquired for pur-
poses OF defense against the invaders
would be willingly surrendered 10 the gov
eminent authorities as soon as II was
obvious that they had no use for them.
Both governor and marshal intimated
their satisfaction WIKI this arrangement.
but frankly said that part OF the inyad-
Ing force were resolved upon the destruc-
ton Of the hotel and the printing Offices
from which the local antl-slavery papers
were issued.
Many OF the Lawrence people believed
that terms could be arranged with the in
vadors. and all their property saved: but
the fates had wHled otherwise. About
O'Clock the next day the streets were
filed with accompany Of armed horsemen.
under command of the sheriff. Samuel
Jones, who drew up in front Of the Ed
ridge House and demanded the surrender
Of the arms accumulated by the citizens
,.f 49,,
wards was sent TO the United States sen
ate, answered in behalf Of the citizens
that all munitions OF war which were not
private property would be surrendered
10 await the judicial settlement of the
questions in controversy, provided that
receipts should be given for them by an
officer in authority. This was agreed 70.
and the representatives of the two par
ties went away 10 carry out the exchange.
But that did not satisfy the mob. They
declared that they must destroy the Ed
ridge House and the offensive printing
offices. No remonstrance had any effect.
At quarter past three Sheriff J ones
served notice on the hotel proprietors TO
remove their families and furniture from
the house before five clock.
While this was going on the mob at
tackled the printing offices, and scattered
their types and material all over the
street il was with great difficulty that
the pnlage of the hotel was deferred Till
te women and children inside could be
removed. This was done in time, the
already been planted in front OF the hotel.
families being driven away in carriages
between the armed flies of the more re-
putable part OF the posse. but followed
BY the jeers and Insults OF the others.
The cannon brought by the invaders had
and as the last inmates reached a point
Of safety the bOmbardment began. Il
was ineffective in itself, as the walls were
so strongly built that they resisted the
round shot hurled at them When il was
discovered that little impression could be
made on the building by the canuonade.
that was suspended and gunpowder was
carried inside and exploded. blowing up
parts Of the building and setting FIRE to
all.
A technical point was made by the mar
shall. upon which the opposition 20 the
claim in congress has laid considerable
stress. He had made a promise that n
the citizens Of Lawrence remained faith I
full to their agreement to OFFER no resis- /
lance, he would not bring his posse ac- [
tually into town. This promise he kept
to the letter. but not Ia the spirit. lie .
brought his posse to the edge % the town. /.
and then disDanded it but the same men
were Immediately enlisted and sworn In /
as sheriR's posse and the result which +.
the citizens dreaded followed.
This claim-for the reimbursement Of the /
New England Emigrant AID company.
and later OF It's assignee. the University /
OF Kansas, for the value Of the hotel de- .
stroyed by a federal posse-has been be-
fore congress a number OF years. The .
bin passed by the senate. and now be-
fore the house. does not carry fuil com
pensauon according 20 the estimate Of .
the claimants but gives The university /
s.. 900. The uniform experience q con
gress with such matters 1usUdes the be-
Lief that here will be 10 resistance form
the claimants 10 the payment ~ ta.s
amount, because & is few thousand
saort Of the value set upon the property
destroyed.