Jackson County, Missouri - Chapter 7: The Settlement of Kansas, 1881

Chapter 7: The Settlement of Kansas

The Kansas- Nebraska Act - Preparations by Pi o-Slavery and Anti-Slavery Parties to occupy Kansas - Early Settlement - Kansas City again Recognized - Development of Kansas - Navigation of the Kaw River - The Kansas Troubles - The Effect on Kansas City - Col. Coates.

With the concentration of the Indian and Santa Fe trade at Kansas City, there was here a sufficient business to have made a town of ten or twelve thousand people, had there been no increase of business until the capabilities of the town had developed to an equality with it. But at this time other events were transpiring which were destined to give the place an unprecedented forward impulse. These were the events attending the organization of the Territories of Kansas and I^Tebraska, and the opening of them to settlement. These events, however, were attended with circumstances that made the settlement of Kansas troublousy which injuriously affected the development of the trade of the young city.

The events leading to the organization of these Territories began as early as December 13, 1852, when Hon. Willard P. Hall of Missouri introduced into the House of Representative at Washington, a bill to organize the Territory of Platte, which was to embrace both Kansas and Nebraska. On the 2d of February, 1853, Hon. William A. Richardson, of Illinois, introduced a bill for the organization of the Territory of Nebraska. Neither of these bills proposed to extend slavery into either of these Territories, as it was already excluded from the country embraced in both by the Missouri Compromise of 1820. On the loth of February, Richardsbn's bill passed the House, and on the 17th it was reported in the Senate by Hon. Stephen A. Douglas. Nothing was done however before the adjournment and expiration of that Congress.

At the meeting of the next Congress, Hon. Augustus C. Dodge, of Iowa, introduced into the Senate a bill for the organization of Nebraska. This bill, like its predecessors, did not provide for slavery. On the 4th of January it was reported in the Senate by Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, and on the 23d of the same month Senator Douglas offered a substitute providing for the organization of the two Territories of Kansas and Nebraska and containing this significant clause :

"That the Constitution, and all laws of the United States which are not locally inapplicable, shall have the same force and effect within the said Territory of Kansas as elsewhere within the United States, except the eighth section of the- act preparatory to the admission of Missouri into the Union, approved March sixth, eighteen hundred and twenty, which, being inconsistent with the principle of non-intervention by Congress with slavery in the States and Territories, as recognized by the Legislature of eighteen hundred and fifty, commonly called the Compromise Measures, is hereby declared inoperative and void; it being the true intent and meaning of this act not to legislate slavery into any Territory or State, nor to exclude it therefrom, but to leave the people thereof perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic institutions in their own way, subject only to the Constitution of the United States, provided, that nothing herein contained shall be construed to revive or put in force any law or regulation which may have existed prior to the act of sixth of March, eighteen hundred and twenty, either protecting, establishing, prohibiting, or abolishing slavery."

This clause was the result of hostility, on the part of Senators and Representatives for the slave States, to any bill looking to the exfension of freedom in the

Lindell Hotel, Kansas City, Mo History Of Kansas City

Territory of the United States, and its exemption of Kansas from the operations of the compromise measures referred to wasregardedassignificent of a determination on their part to make Kansas a slave Territory, and subsequently a slave State. This led to one of the most memorable contests in the history of the American Congress, during which were aroused those passions and sentiments and antagonisms which subsequently led to open conflict in Kansas, and, in less than ten years, to the most stupendous civil war in the history of man.

The House passed it with amendments May 22nd, by a vote of 113 to 100, there being twenty-one members absent and not voting. It passed the Senate again without discussion. May 24th, by a vote of thirty-five to thirteen, and was signed by President Pierce May 30th.

While these events were transpiring in Congress, the Indian titles were being extinguished to all save small reservations. The country became intensely excited. It was understood on the part of the slave States, that Kansas was to be made slave, and the free States equally understood that such was the intention of the slave States, and there was an equal determination on their part that it should not be so. While the bills were pending in Congress, both parties in their respective localities were preparing for the expected struggle. The Pro-slavery party were open in their expressions of intentions to use force, if necessary to accomplish their purpose. To this end there began to be secret societies organized in Missouri and throughout the slave States as early as February, 1854, called "Blue Lodges," " Society of Friends," "Sons of the South," " Social Bands," etc., the distinctive feature of which was a solemn oath to make Kansas slave territory at all hazards, and keep out by force, if necessary, the Abolitionists, as all opponents were opprobriously called. On the other hand, the Anti-Slavery party were less open in their boasts. If they had any intention of using force, that intention was not expressed ; but, depending upon the right of local settlement of the slavery question, they seemed to rely more upon the votes of larger numbers of immigrants ; and, therefore, took steps to fill Kansas with anti-slavery voters as speedily as possible. On the 26th of April the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Society was organized by act of the Legislature of that State; in June another society was organized in that State, and on the 24th of July the New England Emigrant Aid Society was organized, in Boston. The purpose of these societies as expressed by their articles of agreement was to " assist emigrants to settle in the west," Kansas being the particular part of the west meant.

The Early Settlements

Such were the circumstances under which the settlement of Kansas was begun. As soon as the Territory was opened to settlement people began to flock in from the adjac nt parts of Missouri. The Leavenworth Town Company was organized at Weston, Mo., on the 13th of June, and the Atchison Town Company was organized in Missouri, on the 27th of July; and about these dates the sites of these two places were taken possession of by the Missourians who were determined to make Kansas a slave Territory.

The pioneer party of anti-slavery emigrants left Boston, July 17th, and arrived in Kansas City July 30th, under the lead of Charles H. Btamscomb. Dr. Charles Robinson and S. C. Pomeroy, since Governor and Senator respectively, of Kansas, came with this party. The first named of these gentlemen proceeded with the party into Kansas, arriving on the Wakarusa on the ist of August, near where they soon afterward founded a town, which, on October 6th, was called Lawrence, in honor of Amos J. Lawrence, of Boston, one of the principal benefactors of the society. The other, Mr. Pomeroy, remained in Kansas City, and purchased the Union Hotel, (now the old Gillis House on the levee,) to be used as a rendezvous for iTnmigrants, and agency of the society. Great excite- ment and enthusiam attended the movements of these societies in the east, and the immigrants were cheered on by orations from the leading men of that section, and by poems from the pens of such distinguished writers as Bryant, Whittier and Lucy Larcom.

On the other hand, there was an equal excitement and enthusiasm on the part of the pro-slavery element, but it took the form of prevention of anti-slavery immigration, as much as that of fostering pro.slavery immigration. In July a number of meetings were held in Missouri, near the border, at which resolutions were adopted, to the effect that Kansas should be slave at all hazards, and that Abolitionists should receive no protection in the new Territory. The speeches made at these meetings were of a most inflammatory character. Missourians continued to pour over the border in great numbers, but the emigrants from the east continued to arrive and unite with the Lawrence settlement with equal rapidity, and thus for a time Leavenworth and Atchison as pro-slavery, and Lawrence as anti-slavery, grew rapidly. The excitement along the border, meantime, was intense, and the friction between the settlers of the different parties in the Territory very great and very irritating.

At the time these events were transpiring, steamboats were running freely on the Missouri River its whole navigable length, and being the only method of transportation at that time, other than stage coach across the State of Missouri or private wagons, offered equal facilities to all river towns. Independence and Westport had already been overcome by Kansas City, but Parkville, Weston and St. Joseph, all of about equal size with Kansas City, afforded equal advantages for immigrants with Kansas City, except on the one item of easy access to the new country. The new towns of Leavenworth and Atchison were also in the field, but aside from their newness, were lacking in this essential feature, also. Hence, while Missourians passed across the border at the nearest accessible ferry, the emigrants from the east came by way of Kansas City. Subsequently when parties began to come from the south, they came here also, and for the same reason. Thus the movement of population into this new country, like the Indian fur trade, the Santa Fe trade, and the late Indian trade, found this the line of least resistance and followed it. From the settlement of the new Territory, all the border towns, and especially the new Kansas towns of Leavenworth and Atchison, expected great advantages. However, owing to the facts and principles above mentioned, Kansas City, from the first, was most benefited.

Development Of Kansas

The political antagonisms already mentioned were destined soon to affect materially and detrimentally the development of both Kansas and Kansas City, as the record of events will show.

Hon. Andrew H. Reeder, of eastern Pennsylvania, was appointed first Governor of Kansas, June 29th, 1854. He took the oath of office in Washington, July 7th, and arrived in Kansas, October 7th, temporarily establishing the executive office at Fort Leavenworth. He soon became aware, however, of the superior accessibility of the Territory from the mouth of the Kaw, and hence, November 24th, removed the executive office to Shawnee Mission, eight miles southwest of Kansas City, and on the road leading from this angle of the river into the Territory.

One of his first official acts, while yet at Leavenworth, was to divide the Territory into sixteen election districts and order an election for delegate to Congress. This election occurred November 29th, and J. W. Whitfield, proslavery, was elected. This election was the occasion of the first invasion of Kansas by the people of other States, mainly from Missouri. They were deter- mined to control the political affairs of the new Territory in the interests of slavery, and,to that end, hundreds of them went into the Territory and voted, thus electing a pro-slavery delegate to Congress. These events aroused the bitterest feelings of the free-state people in the Territory, and led to the holding of free-state meetings for the purpose of organization. The first of these meetings was held at Lawrence, December 23d, and on the first of February following (1855), the Free State Society was organized at Lawrence.

On the 8th of March, 1855, Governor Reeder issued a proclamation ordering an election for members of the Legislature, March 30th. This election was the occasion of another and larger invasion from Missouri, the pro-slavery people of this State being, by this time, most thoroughly aroused by the free-state movements in Kansas, and determined, at all hazards, to make Kansas a slave Territory. The excitement, along the border and throughout Missouri was at this time intense, and public meetings were of frequent occurrence. At these meetings speeches of the most inflammatory character were made, and resolutions adopted strongly denouncing the Abolitionists, and justifying any means that might be adopted for their extermination.

The election of the 30th of March resulted in the election of a pro-slavery body, the Missourians attending and voting by the thousands. Its first session was held at Pawnee, a new town adjoining the Fort Riley military reservation, whither the executive office had been removed by Governor Reeder, June 27th. The Legislature met here, July 2d, as ordered by the Governor, and immediately adjourned to meet at Shawnee Mission, July 16. Here the first session was held, and the first code of laws adopted for Kansas. These laws were largely copied from the Missouri statutes, but the provisions for the protection of slave property were more stringent than were ever enacted before. This law made it a penal offense to deny the right to hold slaves in Kansas, or to have in possession books or papers that denied such rights. It required all officers of the Territory and counties, judges and clerks of election, and all lawyers practicing at the bar, to take an oath to support the fugitive slave law; and made ineligible as jurors, in cases where any questions affecting slaves or slavery was to be decided, all persons who did not believe in that institution. It was provided, also, that all officers of the Territory, and of the counties, were to be appointed by the Legislature, or by some officer appointed by it, and at subsequent elections for members of the Legislature, judges and clerks and voters, if challenged, were required to take an oath to support the fugitive slave law. The effect of these laws was, of course, to prevent free-state men from holding office and to disfranchise them, while any manifestation of anti-slavery tendencies, even to the extent of reading an antislavery paper, was a penal offense, and subjected the offender to liability to imprisonment at hard labor and in chains. Before this Legislature adjourned it fixed the permanent seat of government at Lecompton. Governor Reeder having previously located the seat of government at Pawnee, held that this Legislature had no right, under the act of Congress, to sit elsewhere, and could not enact valid laws elsewhere. His refusal to recognize the Legislature led to his removal by the President, who was in sympathy with it and not with him. Notice of his removal was communicated to him August i6th, when Mr. Secretary of State Woodson became acting Governor.

Pawnee Navigation Of The Kaw

The town of Pawnee, as above stated, was located on lands adjoining the Fort Riley military reservation, which was within a few miles of the junction of the Republican and Smoky Hill Rivers, which form the Kaw. It was a freestate town, and hence soon became the object of hostility of the Pro-Slavery party and of the President, so in the summer of 1855, Jefferson Davis, then Secretary of War, issued an order so extending the military reservation as to include the

The motives that prompted Gov. Reeder to locate the seat of Government at this point cannot be definitely stated, but he was doubtless influenced largely by the idea that the Kaw River could be navigated with steamboats to that point, which would make it a commercial center and distributing point. The steamer Excel made a trip on the Kaw in the spring of 1855, prior to the location of the seat of government of Pawnee, and in May the steamers Emma Harmon, Financier No. 2, and Hartford went as far up as Lawrence. Gov. Reeder has always been credited with the inaugurating this enterprise. While he was Governor he caused two engineering parties to be sent to examine the Kaw, one from Fort Riley to Tecumseh and the other from Tecumseh to the mouth of the stream. He is credited also with having invested money in the boats.

In 1855 ^^^ Excel and several other small boats plied irregularly on the Kaw and with such success that in December of that year a company was formed, and several boats built for that trade. Those mentioned as plying on the river in 1856-7, werethe Excel, Kate Cassel, T^inancier, Emma Harmon, Express, Lightford, Wa-tos sa, and Lizzie, the latter of which was built at Kansas City and afterward employed as a ferry boat. The navigation of the Kaw was then regarded as successful, though the boats did not run regularly. In 1859, however, two boats ran most of the season as a regular line, but the river appears to have been abandoned after that, though they were said to have found no difficulty in navigating it. These boats were Silver Lake and Gus Linn.

Urmoil In Kansas

The course that was being pursued by the Pro-Slavery party, the invasions of the Territory at elections by Missourians, the manifest tendencies of the Legislature, together with a spirit of intimidation on the part of the Pro-Slavery party, became very exasperating to the Free-State party and they began movements, looking to assistance. On the 14th and 15th of August, 1855, a convention of freestate men was held at Lawrence, at which they adopted resolutions setting forth that Kansas was without any legal law-making powers, and recommending the holding of a convention of dona fide citizens at Topeka, September 13th, for the purpose of consulting upon all matters affecting public interest but specially the propriety of State organization. This was followed by another similar meeting at Big Springs, September 5th, at which was formulated the platform of the Free State party. The proposed convention at Topeka received the indorsement of this meeting and immediately steps were taken by the Free State party to raise delegates for such convention, and it was held. It provided for the election of delegates to a constitutional convention at Topeka, which election was held, only free state men voting, October 9th; and the convention met October 23rd and formulated a constitution which was submitted to the people and adopted December 15th, only free-state men voting. Under this State organization Dr. Charles Robinson, of Lawrence, was elected Governor, at an election held January 15, 1856 ;W. G. Roberts, Lieut. Governor; P. C. Schuyler, Secretary of State; C. A. Cutter, Auditor ; J. A. Wakefield, Treasurer ; H. Miles Moore, Attorney- General ; M. F. Conway, S. N. Latta and M. Hunt, Supreme Judges.

Meanwhile, the Pro-Slavery party were far from being inactive. Wilson Shannon, of Ohio, was appointed Governor to succeed Gov. Reeder, Aug. loth, 1855, and arrived at Kansas City, Sept. ist. He was fully in sympathy with the Pro-Slavery party, and at once established the executive office at Lecompton. Prior to his arrival, however, the Pro Slavery party, through Acting-Gov. Woodson, began preparations for mihtary operations, and a long line ot generals and colonels were appointed. The independent attitude of the free state men, and the large accessions to that class of population from the east, rendered it neces-

Meanwhile, public feeling was intensely excited and feverish, and there began to be personal collisions and murders. On the 2rst of November, Charles W. Dow, a free-state man residing with Jacob Branson, at Hickory Point, near Lawrence, was killed by Franklin N. Coleman, a pro-slavery man. The next day there was a meeting of the free-state men at the scene of the murder, and that nights. J. Jones, pro-slavery postmaster at Westport, Mo., who had been appointed sheriff of Douglas county, Kansas, arrested Branson for taking part in the meeting. This was the beginning of efforts to enforce the laws against free-state men. On his way to Lecompton, Jones was overhauled by a party of free-state men, and Branson was liberated. Jones sent to Shawnee Mission, where Gov. Shannon was at the time, for aid, and the people of Lawrence, fearing a raid from Missouri, began to gather their forces for the impending struggle. A pubhc meeting was held and the citizens were placed underarms, and neighboring settlements of free-state people were notified and began to arm. On the 27th, Sheriff Jones informed Gov. Shannon that open rebellion existed at Lawrence, and Gov. Shannon directed Maj.-Gen. W. P. Richardson, of the miUtia, to collect as large a force as he could, and proceed to the assistance of Jones. The next day he notified the President of a fearful state of affairs, saying, "It is vain to conceal the fact; we are standing on a volcano." The same day Lucian J. Easton, Brigadier General, ordered his brigade under arms, affirming that a state of open rebellion existed in Douglas county.

Early in December indictments were found against the leading free-state men by the courts setting at Lecompton. Companies of free-state men gathered at Lawrence from Bloomington, Wakarusa, Palmyra and Topeka, and the proslavery militia began to collect at Franklin, a few miles below, and at Lecompton, a few miles above, while a party of Platte county. Mo., Riflemen appeared on the opposite side of the Kaw River. Gov. Shannon applied to Col. Sumner, commanding at Fort Leavenworth, for United States troops to suppress the Lawrence rebellion, but Col. Sumner would not act without orders from Washington. By the 6th of December, one thousand five hundred Missourians had collected at Frankhn, and that day Thos. W. Barber was shot and killed by pro-slavery men while returning to Bloomington from Lawrence. On the 7th, Gov. Shannon visited Lawrence, and on the 8th concluded a treaty of peace with Gov. Robinson, Gen. J. H. Lane and other leaders, and on the 9th ordered the militia disbanded.

Thus ended the first struggle, but it seemed only to intensify the bitterness of the antagonism already existing. Besides the killing of Barber, trains of provisions from Kansas City to Lawrence had been stopped and robbed by the Pro- Slavery party, and when peace was concluded, it was no peace, but the turmoil continued, and the country became infested with lawless bands and individuals, and life and property became unsafe. It was soon apparent to both sides that the planting of freedom or slavery in Kansas was to be attended with bloodshed, and both parties began to prepare for that result.

During the winter some of the Southern States appropriated money to send men to Kansas, and parties began to be made up, all of which were armed for the fray and organized into military companies. At the same time the Free-State party sent men to plead their cause in the Northern States, and to ask for aid in men and money, both of which were freely given in various ways. The prospect for the coming spring was anything but peaceful.

The Effect On Kansas City

As already stated, Kansas City became the gateway to Kansas with the beginning of the settlement of that Territory. Its relations to the new population were, therefore, so intimate that such a state of affairs as is briefly sketched above could not exist in the new Territory without being reflected in the affairs of Kansas City. The hopes of trade from the new population were delayed in their realization by the troubled state of affairs ; and as it was the place of debarkation for both pro-slavery and anti-slavery immigrants, it became disturbed by the disturbance across the border. Besides this, the Kansas struggle was otherwise exceedingly depressing to Kansas City, though she still prospered and continued to grow. It retarded the Santa Fe trade and nearly cut off the plains trade. It was previously the custom of Indian agents to bring the annuity money due the Indians to Kansas City, and take it thence to the agencies without a guard; but during this trouble a strong guard had to be sent out with it. The local trade with Kansas towns suffered equally, and from the same causes. It was unsafe to ship goods through the Territory because of roving bands, who, upon political pretexts, managed to do so large an amount of robbing that they assumed more the character of banditti.

The towns of Leavenworth, Lawrence and Atchison were rapidly settled, and soon overtook Kansas City in population. Then Leavenworth became a strong competitor for the western trade. And in this contest, with about equal population, she was strengthened materially by the fact that government roads were made from there, by a requirement on the part of the Government that its own freight should be transported from that place, and by a State pride hostile to building up a town in Missouri. During the memorable contest in that young State in 1855 and 1856, this feeling ran so high that in the disorganized and anarchical condition of affairs, trains leaving Kansas City were frequently guarded. Notwithstanding all these impediments, Kansas City held the trade ; it was found after awhile that it was impossible to transfer it to Leavenworth. The roads diverging from thence were rough and the streams unbridged and impassable. After the new route was laid out from Leavenworth by United States authority, and upon the prestige that gave her a few Santa Fe traders were induced to start their trains from there, but when they reached the Kaw River they found it impassable, and had to return to the mouth of the stream and get a ferryboat from Kansas City to cross them, when they took the old accustomed trail.

The Troubles Of 1856

The events of the spring of 1856 fully reaUzed the sad expectations of all parties. Immigration continued to pour in from the east, and as early as March nearly every boat on the Missouri River was searched for articles which the proslavery men had pronounced contraband, and free-state emigrants were robbed and sent back. In April, Maj. Buford arrived in Kansas City with a large body of armed men from Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. In May, Gov. Robinson, Geo. W. Smith, Geo. W. Deitzler and other free-state men were arrested for treason under the stringent laws of the Territory. An attempt was made to arrest Ex-Gov. Reeder, who had remained in Kansas and taken an active part in free-state movements, but he made his escape to Kansas City where he was secreted at the American Hotel (now old GiUis House) by the Eldridges, who then kept it, and from there he made his way in disguise as a laborer and on the deck of a steamboat to Illinois.

The District Court sitting at Lecompton, declared the Free State Hotel, at Lawrence, and the Herald of Freedom and Kansas Free State nuisances, and ordered their distruction. This order was executed May 21st, by a large party of pro-slavery men under direction of Sheriff Jones. These men were mostly southern men, who had come to Kansas in armed companies for the purpose of driving free-state men from the Territory, and were commanded by Col. H. T. Titus, of Virginia. After the distruction of the hotel and newspaper offices, the stores were robbed and much property ruthlessly destroyed. This led to retaliation by the free-state men, and Kansas was soon filled with small armed parties of all kinds, the most prominent among which was John Brown's Free-State party. During all this season, parties of armed men continued to arrive from the south, some of whom remained in Kansas City, but most of whom made their headquarters at Westport and from thence projected incursions into Kansas. One of these parties was led by H. Clay Pate, a citizen of Westport, who at one time captured two of John Brown's sons, and who was himself captured by John Brown's party. Another was led by Gen. J. W. Reid of this city, and another by Col. E. M. McGee, of this city, besides those led by Buford of Georgia, Titus of Virginia, Whitfield, Coleman, Bell, Jenigen and others. Besides John Brown's Free- State party already mentioned, there were others led by Shore, Walker, Crockhn, Abbott, Cook and Hopkins. There was also an occasional infusion of United States troops, under command of Col. Sumner and Maj. Sedgwick, when called upon by Gov. Shannon to suppress violence and restore order ; and in August Gen. J. H. Lane added materially to the free-state forces by bringing in a party of emigrants through Iowa and Nebraska, all free-state immigration through Missouri having been stopped. Fights and battles and routs between the contesting parties were of frequent occurrence. Thus while Kansas was being filled with people, it was being overrun with armed bands, and industry and trade were depressed. To add to the horrors of the situation, the season was unfavorable for farmers, and before the close of the year the people had to be aided by relief sent to them from the east. In August, Gov. Shannon was removed and Gov. Geary appointed in his place who continued in office until March, 1857, when he was succeeded by Robert J. Walker of Mississippi. This disturbed situation continued until the fall of 1857, when, at the October election. Gov. Walker maintained peace sufficiently to admit of a tolerably free ballot of bona *fide votes, which resulted in free-state triumph, after which the contest was abandoned by the Pro-Slavery party so far. as armed effort was concerned. While these troubles continued, they were exceedingly dispressing to Kansas City. The people of Kansas City with few exceptions were in sympathy with the Pro-Slavery party, but still had little sympathy with the methods employed by it. They wanted the trade of the new population, and were averse to methods that disturbed society and deprived them of it.

Col. Kersey Coates

At this time, Col. Kersey Coates was a very important man in Kansas City- He was then, as now, a man of more than ordinary determination of character) cool, courageous, and active, and the leading free-state man in Kansas City- He came to Kansas in the fall of 1854 as an agent for a party of Philadelphia capitalists, to buy lands and make investments where, in his judgment, it was most profitable to make them. He first went to Leavenworth and then to Lawrence, looking over the field for investments, and finally came to Kansas City. With that far seeing judgment for which he has since become distinguished, he selected this place for his investments, and in the spring of 1855 purchased large amounts of land adjoining this city, and took up his residence at the American hotel. At the time of which we now write, he was counsel for Gov. Robinson and the prisoners confined with him at Lecompton for treason, and was a bold outspoken free-state man in a community overrun with border ruffians. The people of Kansas City, though perhaps little in sympathy with his political ' views, regarded him as an important tie between them and the people of Kansas, and looked to him largely for the efforts and measures which were to bring them the trade of the new Territory. He was thus supported by them, and in a measure protected against the pro-slavery men from the south, who soon came to regard him as a most dangerous man for their cause, and who would gladly have kidnapped or killed him if they had felt it safe to do so. Afterward, when the tide turned against them, several of them had to appeal to him for protection.

In the fall of 1856, he visited Washington in behalf of the free-state prisoners confined at Lecompton, charged with treason under the laws at that time prevailing in Kansas. During his absence the pro-slavery men had determined upon kidnapping and perhaps killing him on his return. He was met at St. Louis by pro-slavery men from Kansas City and warned of his danger, which shows the esteem in which he was held by men who, though opposed to him in politics, admired his influence in commercial affairs. He spent the winter in Wisconsin where he procured appropriations from the State Legislature for the relief of citizens of Wisconsin living in Kansas, the object being understood to be the strengthening of the free-state forces for the portending struggle of 1857.

Another man who deserves special mention here was J. P. Howe, the city marshal. He was cool and fearless, and when warrants were placed in his hands diected against any of the lawless peace disturbers from the south, never flinched in his duty. Many interesting incidents are told of his affairs with these men, many of which were exciting at the time and are amusing now.