170 
KANSAS. 
19th. — Word came in last night, about eleven o’clock, of an 
attack at Easton, two messengers having narrowly escaped with 
the intelligence. S. had gone down, late at night, to see if there 
was any news, and he brought back the startling intelligence that 
a fight had occurred at Easton. One pro-slavery man, named 
Cook, mortally wounded ; some free-state men in the hands of the 
mob, whom they threatened to hang if Cook dies. The council of 
war was to be held, and doctor went down with S. immediately. 
Not long after I was awakened again by a loud knocking at 
the door. I opened the window and asked, “ What’s wanted ? ” 
The reply was, “ The general wishes T. to saddle the horse and 
send him down by me.” After some amusing and fruitless efforts, 
T. was at last awakened enough to know that war was abroad, and 
the horse was soon on his way to head-quarters. 
Two or three horsemen left immediately for Leavenworth, to 
apply to Judge Lecompte for a writ of habeas corpus , that the 
prisoners might be released from the gang, while others started for 
Easton, the scene of the trouble. Our people are feeling much 
excited, and ready to lend any assistance to their neighbors in 
peril. 
Owing to the disturbances at Leavenworth on the fifteenth of 
December, and from rumors of another mob gathering just across 
the river, to prevent this election of the fifteenth of January, the 
mayor issued a proclamation forbidding an election to be held at 
Leavenworth. A few of the free-state men then went to Easton, 
about twelve miles from Leavenworth, where the election had been 
postponed until the seventeenth. On their way to the polls, some 
persons were stopped and disarmed by a body of armed men. In 
the afternoon a company came to Mr. Minard’s house, where the 
election was held, and threatened to destroy the ballot-boxes. Late 
at night, as Mr. Sparks and his son were leaving for home, they 
were attacked and taken prisoners by three men. Information of 
it reached Mr. Minard immediately, by a man who left his house 
in company with Mr. Sparks. Mr. Brown and a company of 
others went to the relief of Mr. Sparks, and saved him when in 
imminent peril. As the rescued returned with the rescuers to the 
house, they were fired upon. They returned the fire, and an irreg 
