Lawrence, Kansas Massacre
New York Times Article August 30, 1863
The Leavenworth Times, of Tuesday, has the following additional particulars of the fearful tragedy which was recently enacted at Lawrence: MURDER OF TRASK, THORP AND GRISWOLD. Shortly after their arrival in the city, a detachment crossed the ravine to the west side, and, surrounding the houses, called the citizens out and shot them. A party went to the residence of Dr. GRISWOLD, and with demoniac yells, said "the d -- d s -- s of b -- s must come out of there." Mr. TRASK, and, we believe, Mr. THORP, were boarding with Dr. GRISWOLD, and all three of the gentlemen went out of the house by the front door, when they were immediately taken prisoners. Their names were asked, and as the answers were given, each in turn was deliberately shot down. Mr. TRASK was recently married, and his young wife stood by, a witness of her husband's assassination. Mr. GRISWOLD leaves a most amiable lady and two children to lament his loss. Mr. STONE was killed by one of a party which remained in town after the main body was gone. They remained with the avowed purpose of killing Miss LYDIA STONE, her father and brother, and for that purpose ordered all in the house to form a line outside. Hearing this, Mr. STEPHENS went up stairs, and informed Miss STONE that she, as well as himself, was marked for a victim, and asked if she would not try to escape. The brave girl replied that it would be useless, that they would probably kill some of them, and that she would share the danger; "it might as well be her as any of the others." During the confusion which ensued in front of the house, Mr. STEVENS and Mr. STONE, Jr., escaped by a back door and secreted themselves on the bank of the river. Finally the house was cleared and the citizens formed in a line outside, when the villains commenced questioning them, asking their names, where they were born, &c. A gentleman answered, "Central Ohio," when one of the party remarked, "that is worse than Kansas," and shot him, the wound, however, not being fatal. A lady in the house was then fired at, when Mr. STONE commenced to remonstrate with them, was immediately shot, the ball entering the left side of the head, killing him almost instantly. We are indebted to Mr. WM. KEMPP's account for the following scenes and incidents: Citizens without arms, who came to the door in obedience to their call, would be shot at sight. Several were shot down while on the sidewalk, and when the buildings burned, their bodies would roast. Others could be seen in the burning buildings. Judge CARPENTER was shot once, and fell; his wife and daughter immediately threw themselves upon him, but a fiend placed a pistol between them and shot him through the back, killing him instantly. Mr. RIGGS, District-Attorney, was saved by the coolness of his wife. They were in the yard when a savage rode up and prepared to shoot. Mr. RIGGS started to run, when the ruffian, who was mounted, drew on him. Mrs. R. pulled the reins of the horse and the ball did not hit. He shot again, but she pulled the rein and her husband escaped. Mr. DIX had been taken prisoner and his house set on fire, when one of the fiends told him if he would give them his money he would not be killed, otherwise he would. Mr. DIX went into the burning house and got a thousand dollars and handed it over. He was told to march toward the river, and had not proceeded twenty steps when he was shot dead from behind. Mr. HAMPSON, clerk of the Provost-Marshal, had a revolver and tried to defend the few things he had saved from the Johnson House. His wife interfered, and they told him if he would surrender he should be treated as prisoner and be safe from harm. He surrendered, and was immediately shot from behind, the ball entering near the spine and coming out near the kidneys in front. The wound is not considered fatal. In one instance the wife and daughter of a man threw themselves over his body, begging for his life. But one of the marauders deliberately thrust his revolver down between the two women and killed the man. "One of the first persons out was Col. DEITZLER. The sight that met us when coming out I cannot describe. I have read of outrages committed in the so-called dark ages, and horribly as they appeared to me, they sink into insignificance in comparison with what I was then compelled to witness. Well-known citizens were lying in front of the spot where their stores or residences had been, completely roasted. The bodies were crisped and nearly black. We thought at first that they were all negroes, till we recognized some of them. In handling the dead bodies, pieces of roasted flesh would remain in our hands. Soon our strength failed us in this horrible and sickening work. Many could not help crying like children. Women and little children were all over town hunting for their husbands and fathers, and sad indeed was the scene when they did finally find them among the corpses laid out for recognition. I cannot describe the horrors; language fails me, and the recollection of scenes I witnessed makes me sick when I am compelled to repeat them. Capt. BANKS surrendered the Eldridge House by waving a white flag frow the window, and was promised that the ladies should be treated with respect, and that the men should be regarded as prisoners. The party were then sent to the Whitney House under escort, being followed all the way by three or four of the gang, crazed with drink, and totally regardless of the decencies of modesty in their remarks to the the prisoners. One man was shot while the prisoners were passing toward the Whitner House, but upon the interposition of QUANTRELL's authority they were not further injured. The Eldridge House was ransacked from cellar to garret, and plundered of everything which could tempt the cupidity of the guerrillas. Trunks were cut open, clothing taken, ladies' wardrobes seized or ruined, and the house fired in the drug-stores below, from whence the flames rapidly spread, and in a short time the noble structure was only a heap of ruins -- the second destruction upon the site. Plunder was carried off on pack horses, and each private of the rebel gang must have been greatly elated by his share of the stolen money, as all the safes in the city were cut open or blown up by filling the keyholes with powder. In some instances the keys were demanded, and a refusal in every case was a death warrant, and compliance scarcely better. The amount carried away by the gang will probably exceed $75,000. Eighteen soldiers out of twenty-two, belonging to the Fourteenth regiment, were killed, with a number of the Second colored. The ladies exhibited, in many instances, the greatest degree of calmness and courage.
Among the noble women of the second sacking of Lawrence, Miss LYDIA STONE will always be remembered as a "ministering angel," moving with quiet grace among the throng of sufferers, attending to their wants and speaking words of comfort and cheer. There are many others whom we should be glad to mention, but the names have escaped us, and we are compelled to delay a tribute we would willingly pay to the ladies of Lawrence. The search was particularly directed for Gov. CARNEY and Gen. LANE, the rebels having heard that both were in the city. LANE's lucky star and a neighboring corn-field saved him, and the Governor was in Leavenworth. LEAVENWORTH, Saturday, Aug. 29. In behalf of the sufferers of the Lawrence massacre we make this statement and appeal. The loss of life already reported by the Press is substantially correct. The loss of property a million and a half dollars. Hundreds are homeless and destitute. The business portion of the city is entirely destroyed, together with nearly a hundred dwellings. Leavenworth and the neighboring cities have already contributed largely, but much assistance is yet needed. Aid can be sent to PETER REDNOUS, Chairman of the Aid Committee of Lawrence, President J.M. WELDER, and M.J. PARROTT, H.J. ADAMS, and NELSON MCCRACKEN, Leavenworth Aid Committee. ST. LOUIS, Mo., Saturday, Aug. 29. The Democrat, of this city, has a special dispatch from Leavenworth, Kansas, which says: "The largest meeting that was ever held in Leavenworth assembled last night. Gen. JIM LANE offered resolutions which were unanimously passed, calling on loyal men on the border that can be spared from home to assemble at Panola on the 8th of September, with such arms and ammunition as they can procure, and organize themselves into companies of twenty men each, under a Captain of their own choosing. Gen. LANE spoke for two hours, saying that the people of Kansas must depend upon themselves for protection, and exhorting every man to be ready to meet at a moment's notice. Hon. A.C. WILDER offered a resolution in behalf of the Committee on Resolutions, stating that the tragedy at Lawrence was directly charageable to the imbecile and inefficient commander of this Department, and demanding of President LINCOLN the immediate removal of Maj.-Gen. SCHOFIELD. Mayor ANTHONY offered resolutions that the counties of Platte, Clay, Buchanan and Andrew, in Missouri, be held responsible for any rebel outrages north of the river, the penalty to be "total devastation" of a line 40 miles wide along the frontier. All the resolutions offered were most enthusiastically adopted. Several speeches were made, bitterly denouncing Gen. SCHOFIELD and Gen. EWING, and the policy pursued by them in this Department. Gen. EWING telegraphed Gen. LANE to-day saying that he would defend Lawrence and Kansas, and requesting him to use his influence to prevent a raid on Missouri. Gen. LANE replied that he would assemble with 5,000 men on the 8th of September, and tender their services to him, (Gen. EWING,) and that if they were rejected he (LANE) would appeal to a higher power. Gen. EWING has placed two companies of troops in Platte City, to protect the citizens there against the
"Avengers" from Kansas. A large number of men from the army of Gen. PRICE are organized into guerilla bands in Clay and adjoining counties, preparing for raids on the border. The Sentinel, published in Weston, Missouri, was destroyed on Thursday night by a party of enrolled Missouri militia. The paper was loyal, and has done much good for the Union cause.