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Sketch
of the Marauder Quantrell (sic)
and His Operations
Quantrell, the great Missouri and Kansas murderer
and outlaw is represented to be in Kentucky,
perpetrating acts of wantonness and wickedness.
Permit me to give your readers a short history
of him...... He is said to be a native of
Maryland; at all events he, at one time during
his childhood, lived near Hagerstown, in that
State, from which he came west...... I am not
certain as to the exact time he came to the
Territory of Kansas. It is certain that he was
living there in 1858, and that he was...... in
the employ of Waddell & Russell as a teamster,
driving an ox team for that firm from the
Missouri River to Salt Lake City. After reaching
that city, he was discharged by his employers
and, being of an adventurous disposition, he
pursued the caprices of fortune on to California
where he remained one year.....until the latter
part of the Winter of 1859, (when) he returned to
Kansas and there, by the power of his mysterious
nature and will, he gathered about him a band of
outlaws and jayhawkers whose deeds of blood and
crime will be repeated many days and years hence
by the mothers of that State......
About the last of February, 1860, Quantrell came
from Kansas into Jackson County, Mo., with three
of his lawless companions for the purpose of
robbing an old man by the name of Walker and
abducting his negroes (sic) into Kansas. From
some cause, not entirely known, he...... became
disaffected towards his companions, and
determined to have them murdered or killed by the
citizens of Jackson County. He advised Walker
secretly, that, on a certain night, his residence
would be attacked by these desperados. Walker
gathered about him a number of citizens...... and
when his house was attacked...... an unexpected
resistance was made and several of the outlaws
were killed...... It was asserted, and never
denied...... that Quantrell coolly and
deliberately murdered one of the men himself,
after the man was severely wounded in the
attack..... he (then) returned to Kansas......
remained there a short time, robbed...... his old
associates of a large amount of money, and then
turned his back upon Kansas, to become a fit
instrument in the hands of the traitorous
citizens of Jackson County......
In the Spring of 1861 he went to Texas, remained
there until Fall -- perfecting himself in his
future calling -- then returned to Missouri,
whose fair soil he has ever so foully des-
ecrated by his unholy presence ever since. I do
not now, nor did I ever consider Quantrell a
brave man. He will never attack or fight a squad
of soldiers of equal numbers...... He will never
fight equal numbers when dismounted. He will
never stand a charge unless he has every
advantage in numbers, arms and situation of
ground......
As long as Missouri and Kansas have a name and a
history, they will remember with shuddering and
bitterness the name of Quantrell. He is believed
by many to be the brother of one Elliot, who,
several years ago, was convicted of
polygamy...... He is about five feet nine inches
in height, has light blue eyes, light hair, and
an aquiline nose. We Missourians sincerely hope
that some brave Kentuckian may bring to speedy
justice this inhuman monster who has fled the
ruined homes of our State to wage still further
terrible warfare......
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