The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-11

ana CElS was one OF the nrSL open
clashes between the free state men and
the officers.
For his part in this episode Cameron
was condemned by the free state people
but he says that he never for a moment
sympathized with the slavery cause. 1t
is one of the queer elements in the
character of the veteran that still crops
out. He insists on measuring friends
and foe with the same yard stick.
On March 80, 1855, Cameron was one
of the three free state men appointed
as judge of election The other two
named by Governor Reeder were N. B.
Blanton and James G.. Abbott. Blan-
ton and Abbott refused to serve be-
cause they had good reason to believe
that the pro-slavery faction had ar
ranged to defeat the will of the people
by fraud. Cameron refused to resign
and he served on the board with VIM.
CumminS and a man named Benjamin,
radical prO-slavery men. General Cam
eron says that it was through him that
this election was invalidated after prac-
tees of the grossest fraud. He secured
the consent of the other two judges that
the portion of the certificate asserting
that the names on the poll books were
those of legal voters be stricken out
and the returns were made without
He says that he took the returns to
Governor Reeder in person and held
them until the governor promised that
the election should be invalidated.
There is now standing in his field the
old press upon which the Lecompton
Union, a pronounced pro-slavery paper,
was printed. He bought it after the
war.
1t was just before the war that Cam
eron became involved in a quarrel over
some hogs with man nam ed VIM. But
Ter. When is was over Butler had
bullet in his neck and Cameron was
tried for assault with intent to kill.
He succeeded in convincing jury that
Butler was pointing his rifle in Cam
eron's direction when he was shot and
the verdict was accordingly one of ac-
Quittal.
ENLISTED AS A PRIVATE.
When the war came Cameron soon re-
assured his neighbors by enlisting in
the cause of the union in the Second
Kansas cavalry. His company was re-
cruited in Lawrence and while the en-
rollment was in progress a pro-Slavery
man from LeavenwOrth known as Bull
Taylor made some remarks which were
not entirely complimentary to the
young soldiers and the cause they rep
resented. He was given a time for re-
Election after he had been stretched in
the gutter by a sudden contact with
Cameron'S fist.
Cameron enlisted as a private but
was soon made a lieutenant and before
the end of two years he was captain of
his CON pany. Then he assisted in
cruiting the Second Arkansas cavalry
and became lieutenant colonel of the
regiment. At about the close of the
war he was brevetted colonel and af-
terward received a second brevet as
brigadier general
BUYS LAND IN WASHINGTON.
After the war General Cameron went
to Washington and purchased a tract
of land near the observatory. He
bought houses and moved them onto
the property to rent to negroes. He
afterward became involved in a quarrel
with the city about the taxes on this
property which is still going on. He
holds the title to this land and has been
paid rents until this year.
General Cameron was one of Horace
Greeley's neutenantS and was secretary
of his campaign committee in Wash
ington. He says that he saw Greeley
when he left the New York Tribune
office broken hearted after the cam
paign.
Il passed him on the stairs" said
General Cameron, land 1 heard him
try is gone, and l am gone He had
just been deposed from his position as
editor of the paper and 1 did not know
it. He did not recognize me, and soon
found the cause of his trouble
THE Kansas Hermit" still takes an
active interest in politics. He was a
supporter of the prohibitory amendment
at the time of it's adoption. Prior to
1885 he lived in log house, but it was
burned, and he insists that the fire was
started by friends of the liquor men
This house was built by him in 1854
and the foundation is still standing.
Many valuable papers were destroyed
in this fire.
In conversation General Cameron
fast. 1t was in 1854 that he was strick-
en- with a fever and for three weeks, he
says, that he remained in the open air,
sleeping at night in the trunk of a syca-
more tree, and taking no nourishment.
He was found by VIM. Yates when
nearly dead and nursed back to health.
The hermit has an orchard. It is on
a side hill, surrounded by timber, and
from this he harvests a crop which he
disposes of as best he can. The apples
seem to partake of the nut flavor, which
may come from the fact that they are
grown SO near the timber.
WILL GO ON A PILGRIMAGE.
But the horticulture and agriculture
at Camp Ben Harrison are simply in
cidental. The veteran lives for other
things. He frequently takes pilgrim
ages, and he is now preparing to go to
Washington, and the following is his
announcement
Just after the close of President
Clevelands administration, eight years
after the establishment of Camp Ben
Harrison, feeling something ought to be
done to strengthen and extend the de-