The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-21

State Historical society and other or
ganizationS. He was a man of ability
and hopes. He was the biOgrapher of
the life of Richard Realf. the first Kan
saS poet, and he was responsible for the
issuing of his poems in book form.
When Col. Hinton was in Topeka last
he had commenced the work of prepar-
ing 1.-The John Brown Papers. THE work
was not finished. Col Hinton to the
last spent his time writing and by what
he earned with his pen he and his wife
lived in comfort at their home on Shore
Road, Brooklyn.
On account of his being compelled to
spend his time in writing he was unable
to give his attention to the John Brown
history which was to have been COM
piled by himself and William Elsey
COnnelley, of Topeka Mr.. COnnelley will
endeavor to collect the valuable and
unpublished John Brown papers that
were in the possession of Col Hinton
and issue the book.
Col. Hinton was the last of the John
Brown provisional government formed
at Chatham, Canada, before the Har-
per's Ferry raid. He was one of the
few members of that govern
ment who escaped with their lives.
Col. Hinton fought in the first Cuban
war for independence under Gen. Gomez
and was wounded.
The following is from the biography
of Col Hinton prepared by Mr.. Con-
nelley and published in connection with
Richard Realf's Free State poems:
Richard ]. Hinton was born in Lon
don, England November 26 1880. His
early life was one of hardship strug-
gle for bread. He was brought up to
labor, learning the Stone-cutter'S trade
But he was ever brave and sanguine;
diScouraging circumstances proved his
greatest blessing, for they developed in
him those sturdy qualities for which the
Briton is so world-famous. Small of
size, he was full of energy and alubi-
ton; while doing the same work per-
formed by much larger boys, his labor
W. hi Sh0n
for he spent many hours poring over his
books. BY his own efforts he secured
fair education. He was a profound
student even in youth.
This adventurous young man landed
in New York in June, 1S51,-befOre he
had attained his majority. 1t was his
intention to get a more liberal educa-
ton. He learned the printers trade,
and while supporting himself by labor
ing in this occupation he studied Inedi-
cine and also graduated in the profess
sion of Typographical engineering Be
Sides he mastered the art of shorthand
writing, a study of which he had be-
gun in England, and was employed as
a reporter by different newspapers in
New York and Boston The fugitive
slave law was then being put into effec-
tive force, and the brutalities of it en-
gagged his sympathetic nature and
aroused his sense of justice. 1t was
impossible for one with his conceptions
of the rights of man to remain aloof
and neutral in such a conflict as was
then raging in the United States. He
espoused the cause of the oppressed,
and was soon numbered as one of the
champions of freedom. He made the
acquaintance of the leaders of this
cause, and became an anti-slavery ssd-
vocate. The interest aroused through
out the country in the affairs OF Kan
sas attracted Mr.. Hinton, and early in
1856 he determined to cast his lot with
the struggling patriots of the terri
tory This resolution was due most
largely to the conviction that the issue
of freedom of Kansas meant that of
emancipation also for the slave states
Young Hinton set out for Kansas in
June He has filed his journal of this
tourney in :sie library of the Kansas
State Historical society, and it proves
a valuable contribution to Kansas his
tory Under date of June "a he says:
s.Shau see New York in the morning,
and then westward for Kansas.
Kansas is the word. and the overruling
Father of Love alone knows what will
be my fate there. One thing do know
and that is / shall not shrink from my
duty, be it what it may"
Colonel Hinton arrived in Kansas on
August Z, 1856. On Sunday, August 81
1856, Hinton arrived at Lawrence; very
tired and weary, but fortunately for my
comfort met friend, Henry Sullivan,
from New York, who insisted upon my