USA > Kansas > A standard history of Kansas and Kansans, Volume II > Part 10
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Mrs. Snyder and her daughter were doing the family washing at the spring. The mother remained with her husband, and the daughter went up the bluff to the house, and awakened Elias Snyder, who was sleeping late that morning. Elias Snyder seized his gun and went out to join his father. He fired on the Ruffians, wounding one so severely that he died a few days later. As he advanced towards Hamelton, he met his father coming up the bluff towards the house, and who called out, "Give them hell, Elias!" But Hamelton was in retreat, passing north of the house back of some higher land. Looking across to the northwest the Snyders saw a number of men on a mound on the southwest quarter (S. W. 14) of Section 22, and saw them start down the summit. These were the main force of Hamelton's Ruffian army with the prisoners. They came on at a signal from Hamelton, and were not seen again for some time by the Snyders, who had no idea of what was going on in the settlement except at their own claim. Hamelton had only about seven men with him in the attack on Snyder.
Within a short time the Snyders heard firing to the west of them. In a few minutes Austin Hall came through some brush to the Snyder house and told of the massacre of the prisoners. About this time Hamelton and his men were seen to the northeast passing behind a mound into Missouri.
After meeting the rough rebuff at Snyder's shop, Hamelton re- turned to the force left in charge of the prisoners. The prisoners had heard the firing at Snyder's farm, but could not see all that occurred there. Hamelton was furious with rage when he returned to the prisoners. Ordering them to follow, he led them to another ravine only a short distance away. He followed this ravine until it very nearly came out on the high prairie, and above where there were any bushes. The ground was smooth and covered with prairie grass. At a point where the ravine was so narrow as to compel the men to march in single file, he ordered them to halt and face east. After forming in line as directed, they occupied a space of about thirty feet. The man lowest down the ravine was Campbell. Next to him stood Colpetzer, then A. W. Hall, then the Hairgroves and Amos Hall. The order in which the other five stood is not known. Hamelton was in a fury, cursing the prisoners and his men. He separated his party, placing a line on each side of the ravine and about twenty-five feet from the prisoners. Hamelton and his brother, Algernon, the two Yealocks, and a Ruffian Vol. II-6
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named Hubbard, of savage reputation, all of whom were acquainted with the prisoners, were in the party facing them. In the presence of death only one prisoner spoke. William Hairgrove said, "Gentle- men, if you are going to shoot us, take good aim." When Hamelton ordered his men to get ready to fire on the prisoners, Broekett wheeled his horse and left the line. With deep curses he said he could fight in battle, but that he would have nothing further to do with such an act as was evidently about to be committed there. Broekett's action eame near causing a revolt of other Ruffians, but by threats and curses, Hamelton brought them back into line and gave the order to fire. Austin Hall afterwards said that as they fired he saw the hue of death appear on Colpetzer's face, and it came on him as an inspiration to fall flat with the others and feign death.
The horror of the massacre was too much for many of the Ruffians, who immediately galloped away. As they were leaving, Hubbard called out, "They are not all dead. Let us finish them." He dismounted, and, with one or two men, came back. They went among the victims and examined them to see if they were living. They were compelled to protest against the action of Algernon S. Hamelton who sat on his horse and fired at the dead men as they were being examined. Hub- bard's party shot Patrick Ross again to make sure that he was dead. Coming to Austin Hall, they kieked him and pronounced him dead, though he had not been hit at all. Amos Hall was still breathing and Hubbard ordered a Ruffian to "put a pistol to his head. I never knew that to fail." In the effort to obey orders, the pistol was put against Hall's face and the bullet almost eut his tongue in two, but remained in his mouth. That was the last shot fired. After robbing the mur- dered men, the last of the Ruffians rode away. When they had been gone a few minutes, Austin Hall ealled to the others. Two replied, but urged him to be quiet for fear the Ruffians were still near. Crawl- ing to the top of the hill, Hall saw the Ruffians on Spy Mound about a mile distant looking back toward the ravine. Hall then turned his attention to the wounded. Campbell gave him some messages to write to his friends, and directed where some money belonging to his em- ployer could be found. Hall then went to Snyder's cabin, who knew nothing of what had occurred in the morning, and did not understand the nature of the firing which they heard at the ravine. The Snyders and Hall started out to get help. They soon met Mrs. Hairgrove and Mrs. Colpetzer, who, suspecting Hamelton's intentions, had hitched a yoke of oxen to a wagon into which they had put bedding and followed. The men hurriedly told them what had been done, and went on to alarm the settlers. They soon secured about twenty-five men and started to the ravine. On the way they mnet the two women bringing in the wounded in the wagon. The dead were then removed. They were Colpetzer, Campbell, Ross, Stillwell, and Robertson. They were first taken to a house on the north side of Timbered Mound, where four of them, Colpetzer, Campbell, Ross and Robertson were buried in a com-
E. 1/2 N. E. 1/4 Section 27 Township 20 Pange 25 1 1+1 ₮
This Tract was never a part of the Snyder Claim.
The prisoners
o-stone
Border Ruffians
Red Haw Tree
Men shot in this ravine
Center of fractional Section 26 Township -- 20 Range ___ 25
MAP OF THE SNYDER CLAIM
+
DRAWN BY WILLIAM ELSEY CONNELLEY OCTOBER 7 1908
Spring
Wall-
-Brown's camp
Snyders Shop
Hamelton and Omen
/1
.
Fractional N. W. 1/4 of Section 26 Township 20 Range 25 Acres 80
1
NORTH
THE SNYDER CLAIM
Hin
D Snyder's Cabin
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mon grave. Stillwell was buried at Mound City. The five wounded recovered rapidly.
Ilamelton with his men went back to Jerry Jackson's store at West Point, but remained there only a few minutes. Hamelton left and went to Westport, where he resided for some time.
It was long believed that Hamelton was assassinated by Captain Ely Snyder. Snyder himself believed so. Ile trailed him for some years and finally shot some man believing it was Hamelton. In a letter written by General John H. Rice to Joel Moody, dated Fort Scott, Kansas, July 7, 1890, General Rice Says:
I became acquainted with Dr. Thomas Hamelton. in 1847. He was an eminent Physician. As a Physician and scholar he stood far above the average of his class. His sons were :
Charles A. Hlamelton. Born about 1822. George P. .: 1826. Algernon S. 1828.
Dr. Hamelton, the father, died in Rome, Georgia, in 1857.
In 1854 Milt MeGee, of Kansas City, came to Georgia soliciting money to make Kansas a slave State. He made a speech at Cassville. Dr. Thomas Hamelton gave him his check for $1,000.00.
Chas. A. Hamelton was a Planter (as they were called ).
George P. read medicine.
Algernon never followed any special pursuit.
Capt. Charles A. and George Peter came to Kansas to carry out. the Dr. 's sentiments ( I do not remember exact date), I guess about 1855 -What they did in Kansas you know better than I do.
They left Kansas & returned to Georgia in fall or winter 1857 & 8 I think. I was practising law in Rome, Georgia, in 1858, and at Sept. term of court in 1858 Capt. Chas. A. Hamelton came to me and said he was bankrupt, insolvent, and under arrest, then for debt. (Imprison- ment for debt was in vogue then) and, we had a State Insolvent law. similar to the last Nat. Bankrupt law. Under certain circumstances the Debtor could file a schedule of property and take an oath that released him from arrest.
I filed proceedings for him-filed his schedule-as well as I remember now contained one item, a watch. And the court on my motion ordered the oath administered and Hamelton released. When done, he says to me. "I will see you at your office direetly after dinner (not a word had been said about the fee). About one o'clock he came into my office, and said : "General. you did me a great favor, and I am free, and now I start again in the world (and he shed tears freely) ; here is all I can give you as compensation for your trouble. ( And he threw down on my table four $20 gold pieees. ) I am going to Texas, start in an hour, good- bye." That is the last I ever saw or heard from him. except from hear- say. He, however, went to Waeo, Texas ; lived there until 1861. Raised a Regiment and joined Lee in Va. Lived through the War -- returned to Texas; lived there till about 1878, when he returned to Georgia. Lived in Jones county, where the old Dr .. his father, was born, and died about 1881 of appoplexy. He stood 5 feet 10 inches-weighed about 180 pounds -- of a florid complexion. Was intellectually and physically an active man and one of the handsomest men I have ever seen.
George Peter Hamelton, on returning from Kansas, went to Missis- sippi, where he practiced medicine and died there (so I have heard ).
Algernon S. Hamelton went into the Confederate Army and was killed in one of the Va. battles.
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Old Dr. Hamelton was my father-in-law's family physician, and I knew them all well.
They were a very "high strung" family, aristocratic, rich, haughty, and domineering.
In June following this massacre, John Brown erected a fort on the Snyder claim and remained there several months. He made a raid into Missouri in which his force was divided into two bands. A num- ber of slaves were liberated and later carried ont to Canada. This raid was the occasion which caused the writing of the famous com- munication known as "Old Brown's Parallels," as follows :
OLD BROWN'S PARALLELS
TRADING POST, KANSAS, JANY. - , 1859.
Gents: You will greatly oblige a humble friend by allowing me the use of your columns while I briefly state Two parallels in my poor way. Not One year ago Eleven quiet citizens of this neighborhood (Viz.) Win. Robertson, Wm. Colpetzer, Amos Hall, Austin Hall, John Camp- bell, Asa Snyder, Thos. Stilwell, Wm. Hairgrove, Asa Hairgrove, Patrick Ross, and B. L. Reed, were gathered up from their work, & their homes by an armed force (under One Hamilton) & without trial; or oppor- tunity to speak in their own defense, were formed into a line & all but one shot, Five killed & Five wounded. One fell unharmed, pretending to be dead. All were left for dead. Now I inquire what action has ever since (the occasion in May last) been taken by either the President of the United States; the Governor of Missouri ; the Governor of Kansas or any of their tools; or by any proslavery or administration man?
Now for the other parallel. On Sunday, the 19th of December, a Negro man called Jim came over to the Osage settlement from Missouri & stated that he, together with his Wife, Two Children, & another Negro man were to be sold within a day or Two & heged for help to get away. On Monday night of the following day Two small companies were made up to go to Missouri & forcibly liberate the Five slaves, together with other slares. One of those companies I assumed to direct. We pro- ceeded to the place, surrounded the buildings, liberated the slaves; & also took certain other property supposed to belong to the Estate. We however learned before leaving that a portion of the articles we had taken belonged to a man living on the plantation as a tenant & who was sup- posed to have no interest in the Estate. We promptly restored to him all we had token so far I believe. We then went to another where we freed Five more slaves, took some property; & Two white men. We moved all slowly away into the territory for some distance & then sent the White men back, telling them to follow us as soon as they chose to do so. The other company freed One female slave, took some property ; & as I am informed killed One White man (the master) who fought against the liberation.
Now for a comparison. Eleven persons are forcibly restored to their natural; d unalienable rights with but one man killed ; & all "Hell is stirred from beneath." It is currently reported that the Governor of Missouri has made a requisition upon the Governor of Kansas for the delivery of all such as were concerned in the last named "dreadful out- rage;" the Marshall of Kansas is said to be collecting a posse of Missouri (not Kansas men) at West Point in Missouri, a little town about Ten Miles distant, to "enforce the laws," & and all proslavery conservative
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Free State dough faced men & administration tools are filled with holy horror.
Respectfully Yours,
JOHN BROWN.1
In the La Cygne Journal in the year 1895, John A. Hall published an account of the Marais des Cygnes massacre. Concerning the occu- pancy of the Snyder claim by John Brown, Mr. Hall has this to say :
Charles Crystal Hadsall, who became an associate of old John Brown a few days after the massacre, was born in Northmoreland, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, April 14, 1825. He is of Dutch ancestry. He removed to Illinois in 1846, made a trip to California in 1852 and came to Kansas in May, 1858.
Hadsall came down through Bates County, Missouri, where he fell in with one of the assessors named "Bushon," who told Hadsall if he would help him write out his report he would assist him in the selection of a claim which Hadsall was looking for, so that after a day or two they were riding around over the country together. At one place they met a fellow named "Matlock," who was boasting about how he and some friends had "killed a lot of abolitionists" a few days previous over in Kansas. The fellow's details of the crime were revolting to Hadsall and he made notes of what he heard.
The next day they were at the house of Thomas Francis, where they met Captain Weaver and Eli Snyder, the blacksmith. Assessor Bushon was visibly excited at meeting Snyder and soon left. Hadsall then told Captain Weaver about Matlock and where he could be found, but Weaver paid no attention to him, but on leaving invited Hadsall to accompany him over in Kansas, and on the way told Hadsall he had already sent men after Matlock and sure enough they had him a prisoner at the Snyder place when they arrived. Mr. Hadsall cannot tell the exact date but distinctly remembers that the ground was still red with the blood of the victims. It is reliably fixed at about the last week in June. He says that John Brown had already begun the erection of the fort and had
1 This is given just as Brown wrote it. The original is in the library of the Kansas Historical Society. It was first published in the New York Tribune and the Lawrence Republican. The original shows some interlineations made with pen and some made with pencil. Mr. Sanborn believes those made with pen were made by Kagi. Mr. E. P. Harris was a compositor in the Republican office when the copy was received. The changes and additions made with pencil, now to be seen on the original, in the library of the State Historical Society, and the changes in orthog- raphy, were made by Mr. Harris, as he informed me. He also changed the punctuation. These changes all appear on the original copy in the handwriting of Mr. Harris. The paper as edited by Mr. Harris has been used as the copy of this valuable communication, and may be found in most all the biographies of John Brown. By comparing one of those with this the additions will readily appear.
The original paper bears some evidence that it was contemplated that some one else, probably Kagi, should make additions to it. There are spaces left to be filled if thought necessary ; one of these follows the list of victims of the Marais des Cygnes massacre, and another is at the close. The only word in the original not in the copy as printed herein is the word "party." This is the last word, and is below the space and next to the signature. There is no connection between it and what pre- cedes it in Brown's handwriting, and it is in his handwriting. Mr. Harris made it a part of the last sentence in the copy as published generally.
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purchased the claim from Snyder. Brown had a company organized and had the place maintained in regular military order. From that on Hadsall became a daily associate of Brown, and had every opportunity to learn of his doings. Above all he admires Brown's military genius, as in fact do all those who were with him in those days. He showed great skill in the construction of the fort, and at the expense of tedious- ness his deseription is related. The site of it was in front of where Snyder had his shop. It was in a little cove in the south end of the mound which extended baek about a hundred yards from the road at the base of the mound. At the head of this was a spring of good water and all around rather steep slopes. About fifty feet from the east, north and west wall of the little enelosed valley Brown built out of hewed logs a two-story house, 18 by 20 feet square, with a flat roof. There were numerous port holes on each floor which made it easy to observe the approach of anything from any direction. To the height of a man's shoulder on the outside a stone wall three feet thiek had been construeted and the water from the spring ran through the house and into a pit three feet deep at the southwest eorner on the outside, at the foot of a fine oak tree. Brown usually took water from this place and was proud of the arrangement. At the east end of the fort was another handsome spreading oak under which, during the summer he cooked and ate and carried on the business devolving upon him as commander. Nearly all of his followers were there at first, among them John H. Kagi, Stevens, Tidd, Leeman Anderson, several of whom were afterward with him and died with him at Harper's Ferry. So far as the elaim and the fort eould belong to any one it belonged to old John Brown individually by purchase from Eli Snyder, several eminent historians to the contrary notwithstanding. Brown busied himself with the preparations of manu- seripts and as Hadsall sat and talked with him he asked Brown what his plans for the future were. For answer Brown passed over to him the manuseripts and upon perusal Hadsall found them to be an exhaustive treatise on military science and rules of war. It was a high moral eode in its provision as to the treatment of conquerors enemies and required soldiers to abstain from pilfering and robbery, but permitting them to take their sustenance from the enemy during aetive war. Beyond allow- ing Hadsall to read his writings Brown never communicated his plans to him. At times he would entertain them with deseriptions of great battles of the world and the strategies used by successful commanders. Brown seldom had more than a half dozen men with him at the fort, but all along the Missouri line sentries were posted and men reported to him at various hours. No man was permitted to enter the territory without satisfactory evidence of good intentions. Frequently prisoners were brought in and a court martial assembled at which old John Brown sat as President. If the prisoner was adjudged all right he was released, but if there was a doubt about him he was marehed to the Missouri line and told to travel east. At one time an ignorant squatter from Missouri was brought in and after it was decided he was harmless Brown invited him to dine with them and asked him if he would have a glass of "aboli- tion milk," which the fellow said he would, but showed that he was suspicious by the way he tasted it, and remarked, "Why, that 'ere tastes like cow's milk." Brown laughed and told him it was eow's milk from James Montgomery's eows.
Things went on this way till July 25, when Snyder proposed to Had- sall that he purchase the place from him and say nothing to Brown about it. Hadsall expressed some surprise and told Snyder he would do noth- ing of the kind, and soon after told Brown of Snyder's proposition to him. On that oeeasion Brown showed the only anger that Hadsall had
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ever witnessed, but walked away without saying much. Shortly after he told Hadsall that he was content for him to have the place, but Brown wanted to reserve all privileges of military occupation at his pleasure. It seemed that Brown had not made all his payments to Snyder, who in a way not unusual to him was trying to get some money from Hadsall. That day Brown wrote out and signed the bill of sale to Hadsall, and signed it in his own name, and Snyder, after turning over to Hadsall his three yoke of oxen, cows, wagons and plows, received six hundred dollars from Hadsall and added his quit elaim to the bill of sale. Hadsall lost his precious bit of paper during the war.
Along the latter part of the summer of 1858 Brown's sentinels were withdrawn and his company returned to their homes. Brown then was at the place only at intervals, but Mr. Hadsall remembers he was often there after cold weather. . During his absence he was at Montgomery's fort and in December was down on the Osage in Bourbon County.
During Brown's stay at the Snyder place Hadsall was impressed with the utter absence of selfishness or egotism or vain-gloriousness in Brown. He was modest and unassuming. All his orders were more like requests and implicitly obeyed. He frequently visited Anstin Hall, Dr. Massey and others, and was well known to them, much of his talk being very prophetie of subsequent events. Among strangers he generally passed by an assumed name, usually as Captain Walker, but his men addressed him as "Captain Brown." It was in Dr. Massey's house, the old Jarien trading post, that he wrote his famous "parallels" dated January 3, 1859, as is proved by the testimony of George A. Crawford. This great character-one of the world's heroes, left a reputation here without the stain of a single act of wrong-doing.
OTHER TROUBLES IN SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS
In the spring of 1856 a colony of thirty men from South Carolina settled in Bourbon county under a leader named George W. Jones. This colony came into Kansas by direction of a Southern Emigrant Aid Society. Upon their arrival in the Territory they were very agreeable in their conduct. They visited the Free-State settlers and ascertained from them their names, the locations of their claims, and everything which would enable them to later dispossess these first settlers. In July the attitude of the members of the colony changed. They caused the arrest of the Free-State settlers, who were taken to Fort Scott and there advised to leave the Territory if they had any regard for their personal safety. In this way the Free-State men were driven out and the Pro-Slavery men put in possession of their claims.
In Angust a party of Texas Rangers arrived at Fort Scott. These "Rangers" joined a party under command of Captain William Barnes, which numbered, with their addition, about one hundred and fifty. They marched north looking for adventure and for the purpose of having "some fun." They camped on Middle creek, in Linn County, some eight miles south of Osawatomie, where they were attacked by Captains Ander- son, Cline, and Shore, and dispersed. They fled in a mad ront toward Fort Scott. They burst in upon Fort Scott about midnight yelling, "The Free-State men are upon ns! The buildings will be burned!" A panie ensned. Many of the citizens fled the town. A large number of
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them, under command of Colonel H. T. Wilson, took refuge in the cabin of one Brantly, where they spent the remainder of the night in prayer. The Free-State men did not appear, and the panic-stricken citizens returned to their homes. They felt, however, that it would be best to send their families away. George W. Jones owned a large wagon, called Noah's Ark No. 2. Into this he loaded all the women and children who had no other means of escape at their command, and set out for Missouri, his wagon being drawn by four yoke of oxen.
JAMES MONTGOMERY [Copy by Willard of Portrait in Library of Kansas State Historical Society ]
In 1857 the Free-State men who had been expelled the previous year began to return. They came in increased strength, and believed them- selves strong enough to maintain their rights. They organized a society known as the "Wide Awakes," which was to offset a society known as the "Dark Lantern Lodge," maintained by the Pro-Slavery men. Leaders in the Wide-Awakes were J. C. Burnett, Captain Samuel Stevenson, Captain Bain, Josiah Stewart, and Benjamin Rice. Having completed their organization, they notified the Pro-Slavery men that their claims must be vacated and restored to them. Many of the Pro-Slavery men abandoned the claims, but others had to be forced out. The incident
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