The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-19
VISIT FROM OUANTRELL.

[F'rom the N. o. Tfmes-D -Democrat.l
Judge Van Wormer of St Joseph. No,
who was intimately acquainted with
QuantreIl in the days when he figured so
c0nsPi{6H3oqFsiy F as fpa1rsa9 teaGer of t big
somewhat informal introduction to the Ia
1T was the first Of the year. 1861 says
the judge. 'and the political status in
world knows, was about as hot as it is
possible for sUNh things to get. Murders
and assassinatiOns were frequent and
bloodshed and riotousness unhampered by
even a semblance of legal restriction ran
For a man to come out and make a
formal declaration Of his political opin-
ions. let them be what they might
little short of downright suicide and most
of US who had families dependent upon us
Ior support or properly 70 look aIIler,
who did not hesitate to express their sen
timentS fully, regardless of consequences
and these were the men who suffered
most.
"OId Ben -Craddock was of this ilk. He
souri,. and rank unionist who never
hesitated to air his views thoroughly, let
home was in the neighborhOod, and dur
ing my leisure hours 1 was in the habit
for when he WouId 1av aside notifies ana
talk on some more entertaining topic he
was really good conversatiOnalist.
"One afternoon while we were sitting
on the prOnt piazza, talking a man rode
horse, a superb black to the gate-post and
strobe mn The sraVeI walk 10 where We
sat As it was some distance from the
front gate to the piazza L had an an op-
portunity of taking in the makeup of the
man, as he came toward us. He
stoop-shouIdered and was dressed in a
suit of some dark gray stuff, which hung
loosely about him, and added materially
to the ungainliness of his appearance
Notwithstanding this, however. there was
his walk. that indicated a remarkable
personality. When he came nearer I OBJ
served that he had a very large aquiline
nose; so much So in fact, that it remind
ff9 me S derTad 81 bs ee 6d pro %hiGh&o &
small deeply set black, eyes; gave his
pearance and L was not long in making
up my mind that the owner of that ply
Are you Ben Craddock?' he asked. as
he stepped upon the piazza, turning the
and Completely ignoring my presence.
" I sometimes answer to that name
aback at the abrupt salutaiOn; but who
. I will answer your question later re-
piled the newcomer, in the same deep,
even tones in which there was plainly an
undercurrent of fiery passions: but for
about YOU and tell vo9 s0netbi1aI of I11--
the accursed North. black aboiftfonfst ana
traitor to vOl1r cOuntryI Now inst Sit StfI1
and hear what ] have to say. You are rich
I am poor. You have a fine farm here;
hundreds of acres of green pastures. dot
ted over with horses and cattle. I have
nothing save a little band of trusty fol-
lowers, all of them penniless like their
leader You work for your COuntry's ruin;
are striving for its salvation. Now
what we want is this: While we see fit to
remain in this neighborhOod we will re-
tain absolute possession of yO1E' fair do
mains. your grain, your horses and your
cattle and use them as our own You viii
keep mum and maintain absolute silence
as to o4r I ldentI{y and our aims Your
tiOns will be your life ana freedom to en-
JOY what We leave behind. Your punish
ment for noncompliance shall be death
And YOU, Van W0rmer,' turning TO ne
you see I know you-if YOU repeat one
syllable of what you have heard here this