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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 1917)
THE SUNDAY OKEGOXIAX, PORTLAND, FEBRUARY 23, 1917. STORY OF THE BROWNS' STRUGGLE AGAiiST LECOMPTON LAWS TOLD BY SALMON BROWN Stirring Events That Preceded Civil Took Part in Effort The H rowns' Activities 1S55-5U. In KiiMii ET SALMON' BROWN. OF PORTLAND, (This story was written several years so for an Eastern publication, but was never published. It has recentiy been re written and corrected by Mr. Brown.) IN THE Fall of 1855 we were called to Lawrence to defend that little city from the Missouri raiders who had besieged the town with 2500 wen under Governor Shannon, with Bherift Jones to enforce the Lecornpton code of laws. Father took his horse and wagon loaded with guns with all jof his sons that were able to go, my self among the rest, and started for Lawrence in the evening. We got to the Wakarusa bridge early the next morning. The briaga was guarded by the raiders, but they let us pass, as we were all armed to the teeth. We got into Lawrence that forenoon and were greeted by Lane and Captain Abbott with much joy on our arrival and given quarters in the new Free State Hotel. The town was well fort!-. fled with earthworks under the dlrec-J tion ct, Lane. There were then about 600 recruits in town to defend the place. We had plenty to eat of bread and meat and slept on the floor of the hotel. Lane was in command of the men. I think it was the next day after our ar rival that a man by the name of Barber was killed, about one mile south of Lawrence by a gang under the direction or Sheriff Jones. Barber had been out to his home that day to eee if his family were all right. As he was returning he was killed by the Jones posse and his body left where he fell for the flies and vermin to destroy. Some of our people heard the shooting and went out and brought in his body, which was placed in a room at the hotel. Then a squad of our men went and brought Mrs. Barbur in. The scene that took place when the wife saw the corpse was something I will never forgot. It was heartrending. I never heard such screams of anguish from any human being. Conference Is Held. The whole town was now wild with excitement. Governor Robinson had arranged to meet Shannon that even ing at the Free State Hotel to see if they could not patch up a treaty and stop the war. Shannon came up from his horde of Missouri "militia" escorted by a free state committee and was taken to an upper -room In the hotel to discuss the treaty with Robinson's fac tion. He. Shannon, was well supplied with liquor, which the committee fur nished, knowing his weakness and hts fall from high position through drink, lie was .one of the finest-looking men I ever saw, with a gigantic brain and Physique, 6 feet 6 inches in height and as straight as a liberty pole, with a fluent tongue and impressive manners. While Robinson's clique were man ipulating Shannon there was a runior that Sheriff Jones was to be admitted to the upper council in the hotel. The crowd was about equally divided be tween Lane men. and Robinson men, ljl::$ t-iS t H '' V f i "Z- - c I- . , v-! I VWN- ' - ' : . -VT-II yfe ( ( -& J " " ' t-l If - - -y - - '' " - - , ') , , t 1 1 War but Started Crusade Against Slave-Owning Described by Man Who to Restore Order and Preserve Declaration of Independence. and both sides ready to firht. with guns In their hands, flourishing them in a frantic manner. I looked on, amazed at the scene. James H. Lane, at a critical moment jumped on a big work bench and said: "If Sheriff Jones comes In here with the dead body of Barber in the house we will carry him out witn a couple or chips. My brother John placed me at the door to watch my father, for fear he would shoot Sheriff Jones if he came in, as had been arranged for by the Robinson clique. The crowd seemed to cool oft somewhat. Lane among the rest, and Sheriff Aones was admitted to the upper room and doped with rye. Very little sleep came to any of the 600 that night. The next morning Shannon, very much sobered up, realized that he had been beaten by his weakness and tricked by the Robinson crowd, went out to the planks that led into the hotel and in a very dignified speech and manner explained to all of us that a compromise Tiad been completed and no blood would be shed, and the va lidity of the territorial laws would be upheld. Of course he meant the le cornpton laws. In fact, the Robinson crowd got all the concessions they asked for, but let Shannon clear him self before the Pierce Administration, which was behind the Lecornpton laws. , Slavery Protest Made. One of these laws made it punish able with death to "speak, write or circulate anything against slavery." My father, who wanted to make a night attack on the invaders who came there to burn the town and kill the. bona Tide settlers, that slavery might be esiaonenea in Kansas, was so put out ,by the compromise that when Shannon finished his speech he got up on the same plank and said "We have been betrayed by this compromise." Rob inson's men caught hold of him and pulled him down off the plank. The little episode between Lane' and Robinson about admitting Sheriff Jones to the council after he had come fresh from the killing of Barber was settled the next day when we were all drawn up ir line by Lane to be discharged, bv vRobinson coming out rh front of Lane's command ana apologias la a humble manner for asking Jones into the coun cil. He said he had made a great mis "take. Lane, standing in front of his command of 600 brave boys, said in a voice that could be heard the whole length of the line, that if Robinson had been his own brother he would have protested in the same manner. Then we were discharged to go home and through a. very cold Winter with exceedingly deep snows. Border Court Offensive. Ir the Spring of 1856 we were all very busy building houses and doing Spring work, also attending free state settlement meetings. The free state men had a free state legislature run by the bona fide settlers of the terri tory. It was located at Topeka. if I remember rightly. Judge Cato, of Ala bama, was located with his border court at ' Dutch Henry's crossing of the Pottawatomie. The free state settlers held a meeting to consider what was to be done with this clash in their territorial government. There were otw 100 men present, including my brother John's company of nearly 100 trained men. They passed resolu tions to warn Cato not to try any one under the border "ruffian" laws. My father and my brother John were se lected to deliver a copy of these resolu tions to Judge Cato. 1 went along to see how Cato would receive the warn ing. He paid no attention to it but went on organizing his court. He got out warrants for all of the Browns and the members of the free state legislature that were in his district. My brother John and H. H. Williams were two of them. At this time Colo nel Buford's men were located some where within two or three miles a little southwest of the Pottawatomie crossing. My tether, to ascertain what their future purposes- were, took his. surveying instruments and flagmen and cnainmen and ran a Jlne right into their camp. I carried one end of the chain. At this time all of the Pierce Administration surveyors were South ern sympathizers. That made us all hail fellows well met. The Buford men talked very freely, saying, among other things, that they had come to Kansas to help themselves first and the South next. And there was one thing they would do they would annihilate ev ery one of those damned Browns and would stand by Judge Cato until ev ery damned abolitionist was in hell," Lawrence Threatened Asafa. We returned home well nerved up for future action. They did not know at that time that they were talking to Puritan stock. The warrants for the arrests were put into the hands of the Constable, who was old man Doyle, and two sons that were depu ties, to serve upon the whole Brown crowd and Henry Thompson, Brown's son-in-law. As soon as father heard this he sent Henry Thompson and me to Cato's courthouse unarmed. 10 miles away, on foot, to see if they would-ar-rest us. If we were arrested father promised to rescue us the next day. We remained around the courtroom nearly half a day. but they were not quite ready to act. I never could ap prove of this act of father's in sending- Thompson and myself on such a hazardous scheme Just to bring about the issue between, freedom and sla very. I thought he trusted a little too much in Providence. While ail this was going on In the Pottawatomie region we had another call to make haste to the defense of Lawrence, as the border raiders were marching in force In that direction. My brother John's company of Pottawato mie rifles, 100 strong, augmented with troops from the surrounding country. Including Osawatomle, with father's squad, made a forced march in the night for the defense of Lawrence. Hotel la Destroyed. We traveled all night In the dark and at daybreak In the morning we were on the top of the hills south of the Waukarusa, where we could see Lawrence very distinctly. There were about 200 men standing- there, tired and hungry, gazing at the freestate hotel all in flames. Just at this time a messenger on horseback came up the hill from the Waukarusa in great haste. Our men made him a prisoner at once. He said. "Who are you?" We replied, "VVo ace free state men. going to the defense of Lawrence." He said. "You are the very men I want to see as I have a hurry-up call for you." He then took a paper out of his boot leg and it was. read to our men in the gray of the early morning. The im port of the message was to hasten to save Lawrence. The messenger did not know until he got on top of the hill that Lawrence was on fire. This messenger told us that Senator Charles Sumner, of Massachussets. had been knocked down on the floor of the United States Senate by Brooks, of South Carolina. I do not think there was a tired or hungry man in that crowd as they were too much excited to think of creature comforts. This messenger gave his name but I do not remember it. He was soon mixed up with the other men and lost to my view. Some of our men got weak in the knees and expressed the belief that the South had u whipped and were ready to give up the fight. Others were more on the fight than ever be fore. Some Are Frightened. We all turned back to our troubles on the Pottawatomie. My brother John and some of his men on the way had freed some slaves from a man who had settled near our route back. Some of the weak-kneed ones commenced a howl against the act and soon had the company all torn into shreds. They did not want to mix up with "niggers" or bolitionists. In the meantime father's little company went back on the road toward Ottawa Jones' place. I think as near as I can remember it was about half a mile from the Waukarusa hills to the Jones home place. Near there was a station where they served meals. I think, from a tent. Anyway they had a grindstone. There were a good many men there when we arrived, among them being II. H. Williams, of Potta watomie, an old comrade of my brother John, and later a resident of Osawato mle, I understand. He was' a very fine man but got badly cowed after he was taken to Lecornpton a prisoner. Me knew everybody on the Potta watomie. My father told him we were going back there to break up a Cato court and get away with some of his vile emissaries before they got away with us. "I mean to steal a march on the slave hounds, Williams," said father. "That is just right," replied Williams, "and I will write down their names." which he did. I stood within two feet of him when he gave the names of all those that were later killed, and some others. We all had Implicit confidence in Mr. Williams and knew he was giving us the truth. Guide Is Weak-Kneed. We then ground all of our swords on the grindstone. When we had fin ished old man Tousley In high glee volunteered to haul all of our crowd back in his lumber wagon. We started off with the cheers of the crowd, with their hats in the air, they all know ing the purport of our mission. On the way old man Tousley got weak in the knees and wanted to .quit from, sheer fear, but we wouldn't let him go, fear ing he. might turn traitor and foil all of our plans. We went down to near the crossing at Dutch Henry's and turned off to the right up a deep grass canyon next to the timber on the creek, far away from all travel. We stayed there all that night and all of the next day until late n the evening. The reason for taking the night for our work was because it was impossible to take the men In the daytime. And the broadswords were used because It could be done In a noiseless manner, while shooting would have aroused the whole neighborhood. Do ylm Are Slain. We went to Doyles' first and encoun tered a number of savage dogs. Old man Tousley went after the dogs with a broadsword and he and my brother Fred soon had them all laid out. Tous ley then went in without being asked and worked with all his might, but not as a prisoner as he afterwards claimed. The three Doyles were taken out of the house to a point a half mile or so away and were slain with the broadswords. Owen. Brown cut down one of them and another of the Browns cut down the old man and the other. Old Man Doyle's wife gave the Doyles a terrible scor ing as they were being taken from the house. She said: "I told you you would get into trouble for all of your devil ment; and now you see it has come." Henry Sherman was killed by Henry Thompson, and also Wilkinson, at about the same time the Doyles were. Our party divided, Thompson and Winer in one party and Owen Brown, Fred Brown, Salmon Brown, Oliver Brown and old man Tousley In the other, father running back and forth between the two parties. Father never raised a hand In slaying these men. He shot a bullet into the head of old man Doyle about a half hour after he was dead but what for I do not know. Perhaps It was to call Thompson and Winer so they could locate us and we could all get together and return to our camp. We all soon got to camp and remained there all of the following day and un til quite late at night. We left and Tousley was more than willing to go with us. Slaying; la Regretted. The night of the slaying I went alone to the house of Mr. Harris, who worked for Dutch Henry, and had the care of a fine gray stallion. I made Harris saddle the animal and hold the stirrup for me to mount. I said, "Thank you and good by." I never saw him again. He made a report of this just as here given before an investigating commit tee. We moved back towards our place near Middle Creek and camped. M brother Owen felt terribly conscience smitten because he had killed one of the Doyles, and he cried and took on at an agonizing rate. My brother John made his way back to Osawatomle, where his family had gone, in a very dejected state of mind, bordering on a breakdown. He hid himself in the tim ber near Adair's old place, as the Mis souri militia was taking prisoners and scouring the country in every direction. Father sent Owen with a fine race horse that we had got by trading the gray stallion to some parties up north that had taken the racehorse from some Missouri invaders and then brought the animal down to trade with us and get something of their own to take back. Owen was to see John and get him to come to our camp. Father told Owen that if John would not come to leave, the racehorse with him. Owen went along the ridge towards Osa watomle until he came to the bluff about four miles west of that place and to the right of the trail. Owen Brows Chaaed. Under the bluff there was a settlers house and about 40 men, with as many horses all saddled. The men were seemingly taking a little rest. Owen rode down the bluff and was seen by the crowd. They began to yell: "There goes one of them damned Browns." They at once mounted their horses and took after Owen, yelling like demons. Owen put spurs to his horse and made tor. Otawatomie which (ilace he .easily SON OF JOHN BROWN, NOTED RAIDER, LIVES IN PORTLAND Salmon Brown, Last Survivor of Famous Family That Participated in Strife in Kansas Before Civil War, Is Spending Declining Days Here. BY ADDISON BENNETT. HEN John Brown went cheerful- to his death on the gallows at Charlestown. Va. (.now West Virginia), on December 3. 1859, one of the great figures of this country passed away. No matter whether he was right or wrong, no matter wheth er looked at as a vile sinner or as a martyr his name will ever occupy a page on the history of our country as one who died for his convictions, as one who thought he was appointed from on high as a liberator of the op pressed, and was faithful to that ap pointment to the end. Nearly all of those who participated with John Brown during his two active years of fighting in Kansas, as well as those who were with him at Har pers Ferry, have passed away. But little can now be learned of the old warrior save by written history and hearsay at third hand. - But there is still one of the sons of John Brown, Salmon Brown, alive and well, and he resides In Portland, I have recently had many interview with him and have gone over the story of the active days of his father's life in every de tail. Salmon Brown was the third child of John Brown by his second wife. He was born at Hudson. O., Oc tober 2,1836, hence was 80 years old at his last birthday. Family Came la Mayflower. To go back and trace very briefly the Brown family. It Is found that John Brown traced hia ancestry in thii country back to Peter Brown, an Eng lishman, who came over on the May flower with the Puritans in 1820; his first wife. Dianthe Link, was also the scion of Puritan stock, as was also his second wife, Mary Anne Day. also a woman of fine ancestry. During the Revolutionary War the father of John Brown and also the father of his first wife and the father of his second wife, fought throughout the war. His first wife was the mother of seven children John Brown Jr.. Jason Brown. Owen Brown. Frederick Brown (1) , Ruth Brown and Frederick Brown (2) . The first Frederick died in in fancy and the same name was given to the sixth child. An infant son was buried with his mother three days after his birth. The second wife bore 13 children, but only six of them Watson, Salmon, Oliver, Anne, Sarah and Ellen lived to reach maturity. John Brown was pretty well educat ed and studied surveying. However, as a young man he took up the tan ning business and learned that trade. Later he settled down as a farmer, his specialty being pure-bred stock. In the Fall of 185 most of the Browns lived in Northeastern Ohio, the elder Brown there in the stock business. At that time there was a great deal being said about "Bleeding Kansas." and the eyes of the great majority of the citizens of the country were turned in that direction. Kansas Land Takes. Along late in the Fall of that year Frederick and Owen Brown concluded to go to Kansas and take up land. Through their own efforts they had ac cumulated some property and with the assistance of their father they made up quite a little band of livestock, con sisting of pure-bred sheep and cattle and a thoroughbred mare and colt. They got as far as Merlden. III., wh.ri an uncle lived, and there they re- umiiiea auring tne winter. In the Spring of 1855 Salmon Brown went out to Illinois and took charge of the cattle, and Jason and John Jr.. with their families, also left Oh!6 for the "promised land." The latter took with them a well-selected lot of nurs ery stock. After various difficulties these five young men and the families of two of them reached Kansas and selected claims around the Osawatrmi country, in what is now Miami County. aney were aDout bo miles southwest of Kansas City and 25 miles nearly south of Lawrence. Also within 9n miles of the Missouri line. those were troublous days In Kan sas. Of course every schoolboy, even, knows that the whole trouble waa over tne Slavery question. The slavehold- ers wished to make Kansas a slave made, distancing his would-be captors. He saw John in the woods, but he could do nothing with him, as his head was sUIl wild. He would not take the horse, and Owen came back, most of the way through the timber. When he got back he was so used up that he could not keep from going to sleep when he was talking of his trip. The next day Howard Carpenter, who lived near Palmyra, came to our camp on a branch of Middle Creek and want ed our company, which was somewhat Increased in numbers, to go up to Palmyra, as Henry Clay Pate waa camped at Black Jack Springs, and his men were robbing houses In all direc tions and taking free state prisoners. We had Increased our stock of horses since leaving Pottawattomie Crossing by taking them from pro-slavery men, and were now pretty well mounted. We started that night for Palmyra, led by Carpenter. When we got to the lane south of the creek at Ottawa Jones' place we found a company of soldiers, a part of Colonel Wood's command, rank pro-slavery men, camped at the end of the lane to in tercept us in case we should try to get through. Soldiers Lie la Walt. We came up to the lane In single file and were halted by their guards. It was & very dark night. The men were lying along both sides of the road with their feet to the road. There were still live coals In the middle of the road where they had fires earlier in the night. My brother Frederick was in the lead and he commenced to talk to the guard, his horse champing the bit and prancing around. Suddenly, and before the guard had time to think, Fred rushed his horse through the Jane over the coals and we all followed like a flash of lightning. I was behind, riding a mule and carrying the blankets for the crowd, which were fastened to the mule with a clrcingte. I looked back after we had got through-and the road was full of men, who had been startled out ot their sleep, and their, commander sot In sight. We got to the Ottawa Jones place where wo found my brother Jason. He asked father if we killed those men. Father told him they had been killed and that he, John Brown. Sr., was re sponsible for it, Jason replied. "Then you have committed a very wicked crime." Father said. "God is my Judge." Jason started for Osawatomle to give himself up and was arrested with his brother John and' they were horribly treated and taken to Lecornpton to be tried by the border laws. Cato Court Knocked Out. We left the Pottawatomie region with .the Cato Court knocked to the pit and the pro-slavery people flying over to Missouri with their slaves and families as fast as their underpinning would take them. We went from Jones' place up to near Palmyra and camped. James Redpath was a reporter for some newspaper and he came to our camp to get something in the way of news. He wanted to know what father wanted him to say to the Eastern newspapers. Father told him to say it was a summary execution, which waa all he had to say. The next morning we went to Pal myra. Father and Captain Shore had 16 men each for an attack on Black Jack Sprlnes, where Tate's men were camped. We started )ate on Sunday state; the people from the free states wished to have Kansas come into the Union as a free state. Being? so close to Missouri, a slave state, gave the slave owners of that state a chance to populate the mew state with people of their own choosing to a great extent. It was saverred by the free-state peo ple that the elections in the Kansas territory were manipulated by the Missourlans and that most of the votes were cast by men of that state. Browne Lost Property. Be that as It may. It is true that a state bordering on civil war existed in Kansas, that human life and property were not secure, and that murder and raplno ran riot. The five Brown brother found this to be the rase and the most of their property was de stroyed. So along in the late Sum mer they wrote back to their father and asked him to send them out some guns and ammunition to defend their property. Ruth, the sister of the Brown boys, and Henry Thompson, her husband, were also there. It ought to be here stated that the elder John Brown, as well as his father before him. had always been an abolitionist, and it was generally known that Brown frequently had a Job on the "underground railway" over which slave were run from the South Into Canada. But it was not known that up to that time he had made any plans or had given any thought to taking part in the agitation going on in Kansas He did not take many day to make up. his mind about making the trip, and late in August", of 1853. he and his sob Oliver, the latter being about 16 years of age. left Rockford. 111., where the elder Brown had gone with his fine stock, for Kansas. They reached the Osawatomle settlement on October 6. I did not start out to write a story of Kansas or of the troubles of John Brown and his sons In Kansas. My object was in getting the storv of the last survivor of the Browns before the publio in his own language. I refer to Salmon Brown, who. from all ac counts, was looked upon by his father as a leader among men. Salmon was all through the troubles in Kansas, from the beginning to the day when the Browns left, the elder Brown, by that time known as "Osawatomle Brown." from the wonderful victory won in the ' settlement of that 'name, the name being taken from a river that flows into the Missouri. Salmoa Brews Accidentally Wounded. Salmon waa never injured in any of the troubles, but met with an acci dent after the prisoners taken at Black Jack had been surrendered. 'Salmon picked up a loaded musket and the trigger caught in a root and was dis charged. It was loaded with duck shot and the full load was dlseharged into the biceps of his left arm. lt caused a terrible wound and he came near bleeding to death. He finally recov ered but never regained the full use of the arm. Salmon left Kanscas with the others and went back to Ohio. On October 15. 1857, he married Abble C. Hinckley, who is still living and enjoying good health. He removed from Ohio to California and waa there In the live stock and butchering business until about 23 years ago. He then removed to Salem. Or., and continued in the same business. Some 13 years ago he and hia family moved to this city. where they have since resided. Mr. Brown retired from active business several years ago and is passing the afternoon of his life at hia little home on Fast Couch street. Salmon was not at Harper's Ferry with the other boys and his father. He never luon pare in any ot tne later torays or nis xatner. ile knew about the plana for the Harpers Ferry raid and tried to discourage his father and brothers from undertaking the enter prise. But John Brown was a man who could not be shaken when he had once, made up his mind to do a thing, no matter how Impossible it might seem to anyone else. So he went to Harpers Ferry, fought his last fight which, as it Is generally conceded, was "the first shot of the Civil War." and the entering wedge that destroyed slavery. arternoon from Palmyra for the fight Night overtook us near the springs and we had to camp until daybreak the next morning. Their guard on the ridge fired his gun and then ran to their camp to give the alarm. We all Jumped up and made for their camp on the double quick. Captain Shore's men. 15 In all, went down within 200 yards of their camp, lay down on the ground and began to shoot at the men who were scattered all around, getting their breakfasts. They soon began to return the fire. Father took his 15 men right down near their camp, at the right, behind a little bank about two feet high. This was all done under their fire, which was very wild, for tney were in a great panic We began a cross-fire and this drew the fire from the Shores men to us. which gave Shores and his force time to retreat up tne ravine, which they did and they never came back. They went home. saying they were hungry, as they had not naa anything to eat since the day before at breakfast. We kejt up our lire, on ana on, until nearly noon. Nearly one-half of Pate's men had been wounded or had deserted. We fired at every one that ran over the ridge for Westport. They had about 25 horses and mules picketed to the right of our fire at them that they did not have time to get Into the ravines. Two Are Wouaded. It was looking pretty dark for us, as two of our men were wounded right at my elbow and hey had to be es corted away by three others, which reduced our squad to 16. Father sent one of our men up to the ravine to a point out "of our sight to try and get some ot tne men to come back, but he never returned. Father told the rest of us to shoot all of the horses and mules In sight, which we did In short order. In a few minutes they were covered with buzzards, with which the air was by this time thick. Then out came a" man from their camp with a flag of truce. When questioned he said he was a prisoner in their hands. Father told him to go back and tell their captain to come out with him. Pate came out and father asked him what he was doing there. He went on to tell that he was a captain of state militia, sent there to enforce the Le cornpton laws. Father said. "Then I want an on conditional surrender of you and your men. and I will have It: go back to your men." Then he sent us boys on the double-quick around a point that brought us right up to Pate's men. who stood behind the ridge, with only their heads and shoulders exposed, with their rides at their shoulders aimed at us. We pointed our guns at their heads, only about 10 feet away. All Are Takia Prisoners. Father then said to Lieutenant Brocket, "Tell your men to lay down their arms." Brocket replied. "If our captain says so. we'll do it; but I don't think he is such a damned coward as to do so." Father than turned to Pate, who stood by hi side, and ordered him to tell his men to lay down their arms. Pate said. "Boy, lay down your arms until we talk it over." Down went their arms and the nine of us took a company of 28 men. Pate did not know at the time that our men who had gone up the ravin had all deserted, which they had. . Just as they had surrendered, down came Captain Abbott, of the Waukarusa, with 100 men. all mounted and their horses in a foam, to help us eat up. their food supplies, their wagons be ing well stocked. Captain Abbott heard the firing while over on the river early In the morniny and gath ered his men and got over there about noon. When the Pate men laid down their arms to the nine men. five of their captors were Browns, as follows: Joh.i Brown. Owe.i Brown. Fred Brown. Salmon Brown and Oliver Brown. I mention these names to show that none of the Browns who went Into the fight showed the white feather, as they were warne.-t not to by their grand lather before they left Ohio. Eirkanre of Prisoners Ordered. When Colonel Sumner was ordered by Secretary Marcy to make an exchange rf prisoners and to give up the free oU..c men imprisoned at Lecomnton. wo were much pleased. Colonel Sum ner came Into our camp with 160 dra goons and Marshal Donaldson with a warrant to arrest John Brown. Colo nel Sumner ordered Donaldson to serva the warrant, Donaldson, a big. fine looking man. fumbled in his pockets and said he had lost It. Sumner saidl "You are a damned liar and a coward, for I saw you have it a few minute ago." So John Brown was not ar rested. Sumner turned loose all the prisoner that we had taken and then Secretary Marcy countermanded the order for re leasing the free state prisoners that were held at Lecornpton. Our men, who) had gathered to the number of fully 600, scattered to their homes to await future results. Our little band went Into hiding on short rations. - All tho ten of us had to eat for about two weeks was a sack of bran for bread and gooseberries, sweetened with New Orleans molasses. Colonel Woods' troops and bands of border ruffians were hunting us by day and night. Colonel Sumner was always on our side. He said to father one day: "if I am ever ordered to shoot you or at you or your men I will order my men to shoot over their heads." The battle of Black Jack was the first battle of the great Civil War that made our country free from slave- holding;. Battle la Described. I will now give you a description of the battle of Osawatomle. which was given to me by my brother Jason, who participated In the fighting from the start to the finish. I would have been there, but I was accidentally shot Just after Colonel Sumner took our pris oners from us: "There was a rush made by Colonel Buford with 400 men from Kansas City to burn Osawatomie about tho last day of August, 1856. and another rush made by John Brown and 15 men, who were then about 30 miles away, to get there in time to raise more men to defend Osawatomle. "Both forces got there about the same time the night before the battle. Brown and his little band camped just soi:th of Adair's old homestead on tho Pottawatamle. They recruited 15 men that night on the creek, making a force of 80 men. "Buford's men camped right near the Osage River, Just north of the town of Osawatomie. At daybreak the nxt morning Brown's party heard men shooting. They started over the lit tle ridge north for the timber on the Osage, single file. They were seen by Martin White's squad, who were la the lead of Buford's men. Martin White, although a preacher, shot down 10 unarmed men who were doing their chorea Buford had burned Osawato mle and came up with their cannon torch all lighted and colors flying-. They halted a little more than 100 feet from the brush and trees where they saw Brown's men go into the brush. Father's men opened fire on them, 30 guns all at once on their solid ranks. "Their men fell by the score and they broke all into groups. Colonel Buford finally got his men into line again by beating them over the barks with sword. They finally got their cannon, to work: the first few shells hit the tops-' of the big oak trees. My father, to encourage the boys, told them the cannon was the most harmless thlnff they could use. Finally the advance of tha Buford men got down to the edge of the brush, when father or- dered his men to retreat across the Osage. The Buford forces followed and at the bank shot one of our men. George Partridge, as he was clirabins the opposite bank. Battle Cllveo Brown Name. "Our loss was very small, but they had 70 killed and wounded. With four wagonloads of killed and wounded out of 400 men they must have seen the hand of Providence. That Is the way John Brown always looked at that battle he thanked God for the vic tory." (It was this battle that gave Brown the name that he was after known by Osawatomie Brown.) There has been a great deal said about the Pottawatamle slaughter by peSp.'e who did not know the true in wardness of the whole affair. The first warrants issued by Cato's Lecornpton court were for all of the Browns and Henry Thompson. John Brown' son-in-law. for talkirg In public place against the Lecornpton code of border ruffian laws which made It a crime punishable with imprisonment for speaking against slavery and one of the penalties waa death. Cato was warned against trying anyone under that code of law. but he paid no at tention to the warning and assumed the whole responsibility for his ac tions. The warrants were placed in the hands of his underlings to be served, and these underlings were the lowest down slave catchers from Mis souri that could be found on the Kan sas side of the Missouri. Cato wa responsible for the kllHnrr of those five men Cato and nobody else. To submit at that time would have been treason against our form of government. Cato at once lit out. left the country, and all of those who had slaves on the Kansas side went quickly, across the river to Missouri. And those warrants were never aft erwards heard from, although It Is) . now over 60 years since they were . placed In the hands of those bardr officers. SCIENCE CLASS EXHIBITS Experiments Are Made by Students ot Will Una n Colic j;e. WHITMAN COLLEGE, Walla Walls, Wash., Feb. 24. (Special.) The science departments of Whitman College last Monday night gave an exhibition of tho apparatus and work in the various de partments. In the physic department a Caw endish balance for weighing the earth, a large electric machine, the X-ray tubes and a miniature monorail car at tracted the most attention. The biology department had on exhibition the vari ous stages in the development of a chick as well as microscopic mountings ' of parts of small Insects and a fine collection of birds and forms of sea life. The chemistry department demonstrat ed the analysis of milk and alcohollo. liquors and a new apparatus to be used in electro-chemical work. Knights Celebrate at Hubbard. HUBBARD, Or., Feb. 24. (Special.) The Knights of Pythias celebrated tha fifty-third anniversary of the order at Hubbard Thursday. A special train carrying some 100 members of this fra ternity from Portland, Oregon City, Canby. Aurora and other points waa met by the Hubbard band and local lodge. Jewels of honor on account of 25 years' membership In the Knight of Pythias lodge were awarded O. C. Whitney and Samuel Daniels. The main address of the evening waa given by Leslie M- Krause. the vice-grand chancellor of Oregon. Judge Grant B, Dimick and others spoke upon the gen oral theme of patriotism and trataralt fa r 'ha Irirt or . vm-iimm
