The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-10

ty-two unarmed recruits at the lower
end of Massachusetts, street who were
on their way to Fort Scott to be mus
tered in. All but three or four of
them were murdered in cold blood.
I inquired of Quantrell what dis
position he intended to make of US,
calling his attention to the fact that
II the stores below were not already
burning they soon would be, and it
was necessary that we should leave
the building at once. He stood a
moment or so. evidently in thought,
and then saying, "T will be back in
minute" went down the stairs. He
returned almost Immediately and told
tel, which stood near the river bank
where we would be safe As the
streets were full of drunken guerilIas
galloping their horses through the
streets, shooting down citizens who
attempted to escape, and yelling at
the top of their voices, I insisted that
he give us a guard, which he did, and
we started to leave the hotel, which
hfteen minutes later was in flames.
Protected by QuantreM.
Before leaving the hotel many of
the bushwhackers made a rush foro
the rooms and looted them of every
thing of value. They searched many
of the men. but none of the women
were molested. On our way to the
City hotel, we were halted and one of
our number was shot at, but for
tunately was not wounded. Quantrell
was in the vicinity and stopped the
firing at once. Arriving at the hotel,
we took possession of the second floor,
where we remained until nearly $50,
when bugle was sounded and in
short time the stragglers were gath
cred together and the half drunken
mob left the town after having muir
dered more than $50 unarmed and
defenseless persons, wounded many
more and destroyed prosperous and
peaceable town. 1t was the most
the Civil war.
As soon as Quantrell and his men
left the town, the men of our party
went into the street and assisted in
gathering the dead and taking care
of the wounded. Even now, after a
lapse of nearly half a century my heart
fails me as I recall the horrible
scene of death and destruction. All
that day and late into the night we
continued the search. We found many,
who had been shot and thrown into
the burning buildings, probably while
yet living. The dead and dying were
everywhere and the grief of the liv-
ing relatives was heart rending and
pitiable.
Women the Heroes.
During the enactment Of this APP
palling tragedy, the women of Law
renee became heroines and from per-
sonal experience, I emphatically en-
dorse the words of Mr.. Connelley in
his recently published and valuable
work on "Quantrell and the Border
Wars" in which he said, mo praise
can be too great for the women of
Lawrence on that black day. With
ruff1ans. With ready courage, they
concealed husbands. sons. soldiers,
friends, and went forth to outwit the
shaggy bushmen bent on murder.
H.. r-,1r I,-&~ -
breach without counting the conse-
quences. They fought fire, stood un-
daunted in the presence of death,
seized and quenched lighted brands,
chung desperately to the reins of
plunging horses and battled with ruff
fans and flames to save trapped and
hidden husbands from burning in their
own houses"
After leaving Lawrence. the gueril-
las went south and although United
States soldiers hung on their tanks,
they reached Missouri without ma
terial loss One of their number was
killed in Lawrence, and only one. He
was drunken straggler and was shot
by White Turkey, Delaware Indian.
Missouri Too Hot.
General Ewing's order No. II, max
ing Missouri too hot for them, the
guerillas went south in the fall Of
1853 and established camp near
Sherman, Tex, where soon discussions
arose and Quantrell was deposed from
command. They divided into cliques
and never again acted as united
band. Nearly all of the men found
their way back to Missouri where, I'M
der the leadership of Anderson and
Todd, they continued to perpetrate
their ferocious and savage outrages.
until the death of both of their leaders
broke up their bands.
Quantrel1 still had few followers
and in the winter of 1865 they crossed
over into Kentucky. In May Guam
trell was wounded in a skirmish with
Federal soldiers and June 6, 1865, died
in the military prison at Louisville
under the name of William Clark.
Thus has passed from this world,
none too soon, a ravaging wolf satur-
ated with human blood, traitor. in
CRATE, thief and assassin, whose mem
ory will remain in history and the
recollection of mankind like the tree
which Christ cursed on his way to Je-
rusalem, a blasted. blackened. with
cred monument of infamy for all COM
ing time.
set wish were deadi" tHeavensl Can't