|
 
Legends Home
Site Map
What's New!!
Content Categories:
American History
Destinations-States
Ghost Towns
Ghostly Legends
Historic People
Native Americans
Old West
Route 66
Travel Center
Treasure Tales
Legends Of America's

Old West Mercantile
Route 66 Emporium
TeePee Trading Post
Book Shelf
DVDs
Postcard Rack
Tin Signs
and
Much More!

Legends Of
America's Photo Print Shop

Ghost Town Prints
Native American
Prints
Old West Prints
Route 66 Prints
and
Much More!!

About Us
Advertising
Article/Photo
Use
Copyright
Information
Blog
Forum
Guestbook
Links
Newsletter
Privacy Policy
Writing Credits
We welcome corrections
and feedback!
Contact Us
| |
| |
|
Lawrence Massacre
- Page 4 |
|

|
|
<<
Previous
1
2
3 4
5
6
Next >> |
|
Scenes And Incidents
We can only give a few incidents of the
massacre as specimens of the whole. The scenes of horror we describe must
be multiplied till the amount reaches one hundred and eighty, the number
of killed and wounded.
General Collamore, Mayor of the city, was
awakened by their shouts around the house. His house was evidently well
known, and they struck for it to prevent his taking measures for defense.
When he looked out, the house was surrounded. Escape was impossible.
There was but one hiding place -- the well. He at once went into the well.
The enemy went into the house and searched for
the owner, swearing and threatening all the while. Failing to find
him, they fired the house and waited round to see it burn. Mrs. Collamore
went out and spoke to her husband while the fire was burning.
|

Lawrence,
Kansas,
1863 |
|
But the house was so near the well
that when the flames burst out they shot over the well, and the fire fell
in. When the flames subsided, so that the well could be approached,
nothing could be seen of Mr. Collamore or the man who had decended into
the well with him. After the rebels had gone, Mr. Lowe, an intimate friend
of Gen Collamore, went at once down the well to seek for him. The rope
supporting him broke, and he also died in the well, and three bodies were
drawn from its cold water.
At Dr. Griswold's there were four families.
The doctor and his lady had just returned the evening before from a visit
east. Honorable S. M. Thorp, State Senator, Mr. J. C. Trask, Editor of
State Journal, Mr. H. W. Baker, grocer, with their wives, were
boarding in Dr. Griswold's family. The house was attacked about the
same time as General Collamore's. they called for the men to come out. When they did not obey
very readily, they assured them "they should not be harmed if the
citizens quietly surrender it might save the town." This idea brought them
out at once. Mr. Trask said, "if it will help save the town, let us go."
They went down stairs and out the doors. The ruffians ordered them to get
in line, and to march before them towards town. They had scarcely
gone twenty feet from the yard before the whole four were shot down. Dr.
Griswold and Mr. Trask were killed at once. Mr. Thorp and Mr. Baker
wounded, but apparently dead. The ladies attempted to reach their husbands
from the house, but were driven back. A guard was stationed just below,
and every time any of the ladies attempted to go from the house to their
dying friends, this guard would dash up at full speed, and with oaths and
threats, drive them back. After the bodies had lain about half an hour, a
gang rode up, rolled them over, and shot them again. Mr. Baker received
his only dangerous wound at this shot. After shooting the men, the
ruffians went in and robbed the house. They demanded even the personal
jewelry of the ladies. Mrs. Trask begged for the privilege of retaining
her wedding ring. "You have killed my husband let me keep his ring." "No
matter," replied the heartless fiend, and snatched the relic from her
hand. Dr. Griswold was one of the principal druggists of the place, Mr.
Thorp was State Senator, Mr. Trask Editor of the State Journal, and Mr.
Baker one of the leading grocers of the place. Mr. Thorp lingered in great
pain till the next day, when he died. Mr. Baker, after long suspense,
recovered. He was shot through the lungs.
The most brutal murder was that of Judge
Carpenter. Several gangs called at his house and robbed him of all he had
but his genial manner was too much for them, and they all left him
alive and his house standing. Towards the last, another gang came,
more brutal than the rest. They asked him where he was from. He
replied "New York." "It is you New York fellows that are doing all the
mischief," one replied, and drew his revolver to shot him. Mr.
Carpenter ran into the house, up stairs, then down again, the ruffian
after him and firing at every turn. He finally eluded them and slipped
into the cellar. He was badly wounded, so that the blood lay in pools
in the cellar where he stood for a few minutes. His hiding place was
soon discovered, and he was driven out of the cellar into the yard and
shot again. He fell mortally wounded.
|
|
|
|
His wife threw herself onto him and covered
him with her person to shield him from further violence. The ruffian
deliberately walked around her to find a place to shoot under her, and
finally raised her arm and put his revolver under it, and fired so she
could see the ball enter his head. They then fired the house, but through
the energy of the wife's sister, the fire was extinguished. The Judge had
been married less than a year. He was a young man, but had already won
considerable distinction in his profession. He had held the office of
Probate Judge for Douglas county, and a year before was candidate for
Attorney General of the State.
Mr. Fitch was called downstairs and instantly
shot. Although the second ball was probably fatal, they continued to fire
until they lodged six or eight balls in his lifeless body. They then began
to fire the house. Mrs. Fitch endeavored to drag the remains of her
husband from the house, but was forbidden. She then endeavored to save his
miniature, but was forbidden to do this. Stupefied by the scene, and the
brutality exhibited toward her, she stood there gazing at the strange
work going on around her, utterly unconscious of her position or her
danger. Finally one of the ruffians compelled her to leave the house, or
she would probably have been consumed with the rest. Driven out, she went
and sat down with her three little ones in front, and watched the house
consumed over the remains of her husband. Mr. Fitch was a young man of
excellent character and spirit. He was one of the "first settlers" of
Lawrence, and taught the first school in the place.
James Perine and James Eldridge were clerks in
the "County Store." They were sleeping in the store when the attack was
made and could not escape. The rebels came into the store and ordered them
to open the safe, promising to spare their lives. The moment the safe door
flew open, they shot both of them dead, and left them on the floor. They
were both very promising young men, about seventeen years of age.
|
|

Lawrence,
Kansas
in 1867.
This image available for
photographic prints and
downloads
HERE! |
Mr. Burt was standing by a fence, when one of
the rebels rode up to him and demanded his money. He handed up his pocket
book, and as the rebel took the pocket-book with one hand, he shot Mr.
Burt with the other. Mr. Murphy, a short distance up the same street, was
asked for a drink of water, and as the fiend took the cup with his left
hand he shot his benefactor with his right. Mr. Murphy was over sixty
years of age. Mr. Ellis, a German blacksmith, ran into the corn in the
park, taking his little child with him. For some time he remained
concealed, but the child growing weary began to cry. The rebels outside,
hearing the cries, ran in and killed the father, leaving the child in
its dead father's arms. Mr. Albach, a German, was sick in his bed. They
ordered the house cleared that they might burn it. The family carried out
the sick man on the mattress, and laid him in the yard, when the rebels
came out and killed him on his bed, unable to rise. These are species of
cruelty to which savages have never yet attained.
Continued
Next Page
|
|
<<
Previous
1
2
3 4
5
6
Next >> |
|
From the Rocky Mountain General Store
Custom
Greeting Cards - Combining
our great
vintage
photographs with
words,
wisdom
and
proverbs
of the
Old West,
these photo
cards are unique to the
Rocky Mountain General Store.
 |
| |
|