288 
KANSAS, 
miles from Westport, armed, as all their men are, with XL S. rifles 
and side arms. 
The questions asked of him were, “ W: ere do you live? Where 
are you from ? What are your polities? How much money did 
that d—d Emigrant Aid Society give you to come out here ? 
What the h—1 did you come out here for? Hid you come to 
make Kansas a free state ? Why did n’t you go to Nebraska ? 
That’s a good country, and you d—-d Yankees may have it; but 
Kansas you ’ll have to fight for, and we ’ll whip h—1 out of you, 
but we ’ll get it, Union or no Union ! That’s a game that must 
win, I am thinking.” The question was finally asked, “ If we 
will let you go, will you take a gun and march with the pro¬ 
slavery party ? ” 
“ Never ! ” was the invariable reply. In an instant, the cry 
resounded through the camp, “ The ropes, boys, the ropes ! ” 
It was thrown over his head, and he was dragged to the nearest 
tree, exclaiming, “You do not intend to kill me in this manner, 
do you ? ” 
The reply was, “Yes, G—d d—-n your abolition heart, and all 
like you ! ” 
He asked, if he was thus to be sacrificed, for time to collect his 
thoughts, and arrange his worldly affairs. The fiends told him he 
could have ten minutes to make any disposal of his property, and 
his peace with God. He then gave a list of his effects to one of 
the captains, asking him to send it east to his friends; and, at the 
expiration of the ten minutes, the rope was thrown over a limb, 
and they jerked him from the ground. After being let down, he 
was asked, “Will you leave the territory, if we’ll spare your 
life ? ” 
The prisoner objected, stating he had broken no law, and in¬ 
fringed upon no man’s rights. The leader, who lacl ordered him 
let down when hanging, again interposed, saying he must make 
this promise, or lose his life. He told the men that this gentle¬ 
man had a “ right to be a free-state man, though no right to hold 
such views in Kansas ; that he was guilty of no crime.” With a 
guard he was sent back to Kansas city. 
Others, going out with loaded teams, soon returned, having 
