On the night of December 20, 1858, about 11 or 12 o'clock, I was awakened by the cry: "Hello! D--n you, get up and make a light!" I jumped out of bed, and as the moon was shining bright, I saw the yard was full of armed men. At that time I had $52 in gold and silver in my pocket-book, which was in a small table drawer in the southwest corner of the room. My bed was in the southeast corner. Believing the men I saw were robbers, I rushed to the fire-board. The men were now battering in the east door of the room. Our two small children were sleeping in an old-fashioned trundle-bed in the middle of the room. I raised the feather tick of the trundle-bed and slipped the pocket-book with the money into the straw tick under the children. All this was done in double-quick time, and just as I stepped away from the bed the east door flew open. I had not put on my pantaloons nor had I struck a light, but there was some light from the old-fashioned fireplace.
The men entered the room, covered me with their Sharp's rifles and ordered me to surrender. I replied, "I am unarmed and will have to surrender: but if I was armed maybe it would be different." They answered "maybe not," or something of the sort. Instantly one of their number that I recognized as James Steele, who lived near the head of the Little Osage, went to the fire-board, got the key of the drawer where I had kept my money, went to the table and unlocked it, presuming, as I suppose, that my money was till there. I think he saw me through the window get the key and go to the table, and I suppose he thought I was putting the money in instead of taking it out of the drawer. But there was a larger book in the drawer, in which I kept my papers. This he took out and they went through it, but not finding anything of value to them they threw it down. They then went through all four rooms of the house. They took all beds and bed clothing off of the bedsteads, made my wife get up out of her bed, and examined even the straw ticks very carefully in their search for money. I was afraid they would search the children's bed next, but they did not disturb it at all. Then one of them said, "Where is your money? We know you have it somewhere. Only a few days ago you sold eighty acres of land to William Gates and you got the money for it. Now, where is it?" I replied that I had loaned the money to William B. Fail and James Bartlett that very day; but they would not believe me until I showed them the note, then they said, "D--n the luck."
By this time John Brown himself came into the room. He said to me, "Well, you seem to be in a pretty tight place. But you shan't be hurt if you behave yourself," etc. He said he knew I was only a tenant there, but he was going to take off all of the Negroes and free them, and he was also going to take provisions for them and property enough to bear their expenses to freedom. He talked with me rather pleasantly for thirty minutes or more. He said he was doing the Lord's will and was not ashamed. At last a man came to the door and said, "Captain, the wagons are loaded and all is ready."
. . . Brown and his party took from me or from my possession five Negroes, James and his wife Narcissa, and their two children, and another young negro man named Samuel; also, two horses and harness, one yoke of oxen, and some other articles belonging to the estate of my father-in-law, James Lawrence, deceased; also some provisions, pork, lard, tallow, etc., and a saddle, shot-gun, overcoat, pair of boots, two or three bed blankets, and some other articles which I cannot now remember. . . .
They took from the old man Isaac Larue five Negroes, including two men named George and David; also six head of good horses, one wagon, 800 pounds of pork, a lot of bedding, clothing, and many other articles. ( In addition, two white men, John Larue, son of Isaac, and Dr. A. Ervin were taken prisoner, and released after crossing back into Kansas.)