The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-21
Victims of Quantrell's Massacre
HOnOred in Kansas.
Two Hundred Survivors Gath
er in Lawrence.
ADDRESS BY CHARLES GLEED
TOpekan Delivers the Memorial
Grafton Today.
j. w. Fisher Gives an Account
of His Escape.

Lawrence, Kan, Aug. PA tribute
pas paid today to the memory of the
victims of Quantrells raid on Friday,
August %, 1863. More than 200 CT the
500 survivors of the Lawrence massa-
ere are in attendance at the semi
centennial memorial reunion which OPP
ened Wednesday night at the Bower
sock opera house when a thousand cit
liens of the town listened to rem1nls-
cent talks by survivors who told OF
their experiences. Col. John K. Ran
kin acted as chairman of the meeting.
A speciaI memorial service was held
this morning at the monument WhIcn
marks the place where 145 VICTIMS VI
the raid were buried.
This afternoon Charles S. Gleed, OIL
rTopeka delivered the memorial address
at a meeting in Robinson nail D ~
Bishop presided over the meeting.
MANY of those attending the memor-
iaI came from cities and towns all
over the country and some had never
visited Lawrence since the war A
special car brought citizens from LeaN-
enworth who accepted the mayor IN
vitation to participate in the memoir
ial especially because OF the alu rem
dered by citizens of Leavenworth to the
stricken town after the raid, and the
efforts made by them to pursue anu
capture the fleeing raiders before theS
crossed the border
Eighty-two buildings were marked
in the city today which escaped the
fire started by the guerillas.
Many Topel1ans Are There.
Among the Topekans present at the
ceremonies aside from Mr.. Gleed are
L w. Fisher and a. r. Banks FREQ
Stonestreet, Topeka undertaken
whose grandfather was killed in the
raid is also here
Mr.. Fisher, who is a survivor OF the
raid, gave the following account OF MS
experiences:
ION Friday morning. August 81,
1863, 1 resided with my parents in the
two-story brick house then standing
on the northwest corner of the CITY
park and one block west of the present
site of the Douglas county court
house. l was awakened very early IN
the morning by my mother who had
arisen about 4:30 o'clock for the pur-
pose of going graping, for the only
fruit the early settlers had in those
days were wild plums and grapes
which we gathered from the thickets
and woods in the fall of the year ana
prepared them for use during the
winter months following.
Il heard my mother call to my
father CRev. H. D. Fisher), Pa, get
up quick. / believe Quantreu IS IN
town. She had heard several shots
fired and this call to my father had
the effect of us three boys, myself,
brother Ed and brother Joe, dressing
more quickly than we ever had done
in our lives.
For Gods Sake, Run!
LAS we gathered at the west door
of our kitchen and We're parley1ng to-
gether with my father and mother as
to whether we would fight or not, the
three of us, my father, my older broth-
er and myself, he 10 years and II
years of age, decided that it would be
wise for us to protect our property.
Just at this moment Mr. Solomon, a
neigh Dor. turned the corner of our
house with his right arm high in the
air and his left enclosing a baby, very
excitedly yelled, Run, Fisher, for
Gods sake. run, The rebels are kill
ing everybody My mother said, Pa,
YOU had better run and in our eX-
element. we started to run toward
Mount Dread, the hill overlooking
Lawrence on which the University
buildings are now located. AS L had
been very badly poisoned with IVY
which in those days grew unm oleSted
in the woods and my feet being so
badly blistered from the effects of this
poison, l was unable to keep up with
my father and brother and Mr.. Solo
mon and in dropping back was over =
Ernest. and his little sister and in
their company l struggled as best [
could, barefoOted, over the rocks and
through the grass to the brow of the
hill, where Ernest and 1 hid in
bunch of sumach bushes.
NV fathers strength gave out be-
fore he had gone far as he had been
sick with swamp fever contracted in
Arkansas where he had been stationed
with his regiment, the Fifth Kansas