The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-31
K.U.CETS $4,000
s. Free State Hotel" is to Be
Paid For.
Congress Will Act EavOrably
Upon the Bill.

Washington, d. c., Dec. S1--A bill will
be passed by congress during the next
week or two allowing $40 coo damages
for the destruction of the old Free State
hoteI'' or EIdridge House at Lawrence
AS is well known in Kansas history this
building was destroyed on May 20, 1856,
by Deputy United States Marshal and
Sheriff Jones, with a posse, who acted
directly on the findings of the United
States grand jury sitting at that time at
LecomptOn.
This bill was originally presented il
the senate by Senator Harris. 1t passed
that body last session, but met a Wa
terloo in the house. The senator renew
ed his efforts and secured the passage
of the bill again in the senate this ses-
sion, when Congressman Bowersock in
troduced it in the house. It has been re-
ported on favorably by the house com
mittee on claims, and as well reported
on the calendar. Congressman Bower
sock, in speaking of the bill, said there
was little or no doubt regarding it's pas
sage, and that it was only a matter OF
taking it's turn on the calendar for final
disposition.
The present beneficiary of this bill, the
University of Kansas, is the assignee or
transferree of the original claim from
damages against the United States sus
tanned by the New England EmigraEt t
Aid company, a Massachusetts, corpora
tion, in 1856.
This claim grew out of the early trou-
bles in Kansas. preceding the late civil
war. The material facts and circumstan-
ces in relation to it have gone down in
the states history with marked prorni-
nance. The New England Enigrant Al !
company had erected a large and we'll
constructed hotel at Lawrence. thor
oughly furnished and equipped, and var
ious outbuildings. This hotel was three
stories high, with a basement It was
said al that time to have been the finest
hotel west of St. Louis, and, together
with its furniture and other buildings,
was worth about $25, 000
On the 5th day of May. 1856, the grand
jury made a preSentment against this
structure, in which it was set forth that
the same was a nuisance and had stbeen
constructed with a view to military oc-
cupation and defense, thereby endanger-
ing the public safety and encouraging
rebellion and sedition in the country" "
and they thereby recommended that the
nuisance be abated.
Thereupon, on the 21st day of May of
the same year, deputy United States
marshal, claiming to act under the auth
ority of the United States district court
for the territory, assembled a large posse
and razed the structure to the ground
making it a total loss
II seems to be clearly demonstrated
that this action of the grand Jury on
which the deputy marshal assumed to
act was unjustihable, and the destruc-
tioE of the property by positive and di-
recE orders OF the OfnceTS OF the United
States was therefore clearly unwarrant-
able.
The New England Emigrant Aid com
pany rnerorialized congress several
times on the subject and sought to have
a reimbursement of the loss it had sus-
tanned, but not succeeding in its own
rights, and despairing OF ever being able
to secure anything for itself out of this
claim, recently assigned the same to the
present beneficiary of this bill-the Kan
SaS State university
. L ". THAvIS