Lane had gone East; Robinson was a prisoner; Ex-Gov.  Reeder had fled, disguised as a common laborer; and others were in hiding; and perforce the management of affairs had to be given into the hands of new men.  A Committee of Public Safety was chosen, and this committee determined on a policy of abject submission and non-resistance.  A committee of volunteers from Topeka offered their assistance, but were told:  “We do not want you.”  Pusillanimous as Gov.  Shannon was, he found he had a man to deal with more pusillanimous than himself, in the person of S. C. Pomeroy, chairman of the Committee of Public Safety.  Citizens of Lawrence left in unspeakable disgust.  The people of the Territory looked on in amazement.  The boys jeeringly called the Committee of Public Safety “The Committee of the Public Safety Valve.”

The writer had given his testimony before the Investigating Committee while they were yet in Lawrence.  A number of South Carolinians had been present while this testimony was being given, and they had protested in a towering rage, “We will shoot Butler on sight.”  It was evident the town had to be given up to the tender mercies of this mob of ruffians.  There was nothing to be gained by remaining, and the writer, sick at heart, went back to Atchison county; but he afterwards returned to see the blackened ruins of the desolated town.

On May 21st the monster posse, led on by Marshal Donaldson and Deputy Marshal Fain, gathered around the doomed city.  The town was quiet—­unusually so.  Deputy Marshal Fain went into the city and arrested G. W. Deitzler, G. W. Smith and Gains Jenkins, on the charge of treason.  The Marshal went to the Free State hotel, that they were soon to batter down, and got his dinner, and went away without paying for it. And now the opportune moment had arrived for the final denouement.  Sheriff Jones—­the mourned and lost and murdered and much-lamented Sheriff Jones—­whose tragic death had fired the hearts of all the Missouri border, now put in an appearance and showed himself a mighty lively corpse, and led his posse into the town.  The flag of the lone star of South Carolina, blood-red, and on which was inscribed the motto, “Southern Rights,” floated beside the Stars and Stripes.  The monster posse, with loaded cannon, marched into the city and in front of the Free State hotel, and the “Committee of the Public Safety Valve” was called for.  Mr. Pomeroy came forward and shook hands with Sheriff Jones—­should not gentlemen shake hands when they meet?  Sheriff Jones demanded the arms of the people, otherwise he would bombard the town.  Mr. Pomeroy went and dug up the cannon that had been buried, and surrendered it to Jones.  But further than this he could not go:  the people had their arms, and intended to keep them.  Then they tried to batter down the Free State hotel with cannon.  Failing in this, they tried to blow it up with powder; and, failing in that, they burned it down.  They also destroyed the two printing presses, burning the buildings, and then sacked the town.