The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-17
Groubles OF
Our Doom.
American Wars, RebelIions. In
surrections, Riots, Strikes.
THE JAYHAwKER WAR.


The story of the struggles Of the free
state and pro-slavery men of Kansas
would fill many pages. The most promi-
nent character Of the Kansas struggle
was John Brown. Born Of old RevoIu-
tionary stock In Connecticut, Brown be-
came a jealous aholftionist, and from
early manhood cherished the design
which led him to his death. In 1854 four
of his sons emigrated to Kansas, and
writing back to their father Of the strife
then going on there between the pro-
slavery element and the free state emf
grants, John Brown decided that the
time had come for him to carry out a
purpose that he had long cherished, to
inaugurate a war against slavery. He
therefore went in 1855 to Kansas, taking
with him arms and ammunition, and
throwing himself with most ardent zeal
into the struggle then going on there.
| Though he undoubtedly lent valuable aid
to the free state settlers there In their
struggles with the border ruffians, he was
himself as lawless as any Of the pro-
slavery bands, and being constantly at
war with the efforts to settle the exist
ing difficulties there by peaceful means,
he formed one of the greatest difficulties
with which the legal government had TO
deal. For example, Prof. Spring says in
his book, Kansas, the Prelude to the
War for the Union" that May "a, 1856,
John Brown, with small company Of
others, In the night, dragged five pro-
slavery men from their homes and muir
dered them in cold blood, Ito make an
example Of them" This was the affair
at Dutch Henry's Crossing, which has
been denied by SO many Of John Browns
admirers, but which is now generally ad-
mitted to be an incontestabIe matter Of
history. The affair aroused a terrible
{. excitement, and in retaliation the pro-
eli o0ly1
Aug. 90, during which Browns son. Fred
erick, was killed, and the free state men
were forced to retreat, which resulted
in the burning Of the village by the vic
tors. This fight gave to Brown the nick
name Of Ossawattornie, which he ever
afterwards carried. In December, 1855,
during the Shannon war;" he first made
his appearance among the free state men
at Lawrence, Kan. He brought wagon
load of cavalry sabers and was accom-
panied by thirteen men, seven of whom
were his own sons. Gov. Robinson on
one side and Gov Shannon on the other
had met to make q treaty Of peace.
Brown took the stand unlimited and OPP
posed the terms Of the treaty, urging that
the pro-slavery men be driven from the
territory or hanged. He was arrested for
his language, but later released. The
burning Of the Free State hotel and
and presses at Lawrence exerted him
anew to action. He organized small
company, armed with rifles, bowie knives
and revolvers, and at the head of this
band secured Southern Kansas until the
name Of "Old Brown" became a terror to
border rrffians and slavery advocates.
In 1856 he drove Hami1tons border ruff
fans back to Missouri, seized Village,
shot two men and liberated several
slaves The course was repudiated by
Gov. Robinson and leaders Of the free
state party. This caused Brown to pub
fish his famous letter called "The Two
Parallels" in which he assumed the re-
sponsibdllty of his acts and relieved the
free state men from any share therein.
Soon after this Brown went East with
the avowed purpose of raising an army
TO free Kansas, but In this attempt he
was unsuccessful. though he spent more
than year in the effort 1t was during
this time that he conceived his plot ia
attack slavery in one of the slave states,
which resulted in the Harper's Ferry
raid. 1t is not known how many men
were killed and wounded during the first
years OF Kansas, but the number would
run into hundreds.