The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1905-07-21

Of this Hberating propagandist re
had brought Up three head the 9TH
er night, making sfEty-elght since he
commenced He met with a mishap
yesterday the letter continues Il
went 10 Lawrence with him in the
morning and we had not been there
more than an hour before a runner
came in with word that his place had
been attacked and one man taken and
one wounded We started or as quick
as possible, but could only raise four
hOrsemen, and by the time we got
our arms they were of a good way.
We followed them about six miles,
but found that they all had good
horses and we're so far ahead that we
could not Overtake them When
last seen they were going IT with
the boy on behind one Of them He
was calling for assistance and one Of
them beating him with a club TO keep
him quiet He was a free boy that
had been here for two years They
were blowing In the field and had re-
vOIvers, but there were i've OF the
kfdnappers Things look
kind Of blue and someone viii be shot
before long have posted
S-Ctewart)-and if they get ahead
Of him they viii have to get up early;
he is going to make a haul OF about
fifteen next week"
Many other Kansans would go
down 70 Missouri for apples in the
fan, always with the resulting revival
Of activity in the traffic department Of
the Underground.
The Lawrence division Of the rail-
road crossed the Kaw at that point
and continued north and west via o.
kaIOOsa to HOlton, Kan, the end Of
the first run" The Mound City route
went north through Topeka to HOl-
ton This had been selected as the
junction point because IT was settled
5y northern 80 -59ers.'- who were en-
thusiastic friends OF the Under
ground" Between Lawrence and
Mound City there was a prO-slavery
settlement at Franklin. This fact, to
gether with the constant danger Of
.nte-cept-on by 1IissOurians along the
BORDER accounts for the wide detOur
IF the route from Mound City and for
the complete Independence Of the two
branches The strategic fnterpOsitiOn
II Lecompton likewise prevented an
Underground communication between
Lawrence and Topeka From HOltOn
the line followed the route Of the
Iowa immigration established by Gen
sraI Lane and others to cirCumvent
the blockade Of the Missouri river. 1t
led north to Nebraska City and, cross
ing the river at that point, proceeded
TO Tabor, Ia--the Iowa headquart-
srs for old John Brown and Jim"
lane in their various activities.
The value OF the average fugitive
was probably $1,000, since only the
lblest slaves had the hardihOOd TO
sscape- To cOunteract the labOrs Of
the iberating propaganda Of Kansas.
western MissOurians had horned a
standing reward of $500 for every fu-
yitive returned. This lucrative Op-
pOrtunity gave rise to bands Of kid
nappers that hOurished especially in
the vicinity of Lawrence, under the
leadership Of one Jake Hurd, who
rallied around him a number Of aban-
5Oned miscreants IeagUed together
5or a rather reprehensIble work There
stiII live in the envirOns Of Lawrence
several people who engaged in this
remuneTative occupation, and so bit
-erly were they despised at the time
that years of later respectability have
hardly effaced the Odium Of their
earlier lives