Dear Brother Z. A.
 

We have had quite an episode .... about two weeks ago 8  (slaves) came over from Mo. one night, & we took a woman & 3 children to keep till they could get a better place.  The woman was smart & capable and did work about enough to pay for the board of all.  As their master lived almost in sight across the river he soon learned where they were.  A week ago to-day [Thursday] a half-breed Indian sent me word that their master was coming after them that day.  I knew that he would not dare to use force in the daytime, but thinking that he might come after dark I went over to  Mr. Storrs' and borrowed his gun.   . . . Nobody appeared that day nor Fri. nor Sat.  But Sat. night, a little after midnight I was aroused by a loud knocking at the door.  I went to the door...  & asked what they wanted.  There were 3 men on the steps but the night was so dark that I could not see a man 60 feet from the house.  The answer was that they wanted me to come down and open the door, they wanted to see me.

I repeated my  question (and they replied)  we have come for those blacks that ran away from the other side of the river." My only answer was, "you can't have them"

    They then said "We all have them for we've got men enough to tear the house down, so you had better let them go.'

    I said, "That makes no difference, I am well armed and ready for you." "My 2 boys are here to help me."  Then turning I said loud enough for them to hear.  "Melville have everything ready." Mary said I spoke very calm and deliberately.  This decided ans [answer], took them aback.  They then changed tone & began another.

They said that they did not want to  harm anyone but only wanted their slaves.  I told them in reply, "I don't want to harm any one but if any man undertakes to enter my house in the night without my permission he will be very likely to get hurt."

They then concluded that they would "go see the Captain." They went off down into the woods & after some whispering together they cleared out.  I next heard something stepping about in the road in front of the house but could not tell whether it was man or beast.

    Thinking that they might possibly come back I asked M. & J. Melville and Josiah] if they would be afraid to go over  to Mr. Storrs & get aid.

    They said no & I let them out the back door & told them to go through the fields where they would not meet any one.  After they were gone. . . Soon the boys came back with Mr. S. Storrs & Mr. Brown," a lawyer.  The (slave catchers )  "picked up his heels" & sent after the others and we have not seen them since. . .

    We kept the slaves till Monday afternoon when I took them out 3 miles & on Tues.  Mr. Learned (formerly a sheriff in Franklin Co. Ks & a man who had been to Pikes Peak & C) I' & myself took them (the slaves) and one other ...to Leavenworth.

 ...  Monday soon after I had gone, hearing that the master was again after them, sent 13 soldiers past to the (my) house to look after things.

     I do not think there were more than four (slaves who escaped on) Sat. night.  It is said their master offered $50. a head to recover his slaves.

The blacks are frequently coming over on the ice & very often go back to get others away.  Leav. [Leavenworth] is full of (run away slaves)..