A good anecdote is told by a gentleman from one of the Southern States, in regard to these Free State prisoners, when under the charge of Captain Hampton.  Having expressed a desire to see these robbers and murderers, as he styled them, the Governor directed him to the prison.

He immediately started, and looking in vain for anything that resembled a prison, he approached two men who were enjoying themselves with a game of quoits.

“Can you tell me,” he inquired, “where the prison is where these robbers and murderers are confined?”

“That’s it,” said one of the men, pointing to a house near at hand.

“What! that old building, falling to pieces, without either doors or windows?”

“That is the only prison we have here,” replied the man, deliberately pitching his quoit.

“Well,” said the Southern gentleman, “I want to see these prisoners.”

“I am one of them,” said the quoit-player, “and that is another,” pointing to his companion.

“What! you convicted felons?  You the terrible murderers about whom I have heard so much?”

“Yes, we are certainly two of them.  The others are gone over to the House of Representatives, to hear the members abuse the Governor.”

“But,” says the old gentleman, “they don’t allow convicted murderers to go about in this way, without a guard to watch them?”

“O! yes,” says the man interrogated; “they used to send a guard with us when we went over to the Legislative Halls, to protect us against violence from the members, but they found that too troublesome, so they gave each of us a revolver and bowie-knife, and told us we should hereafter be required to protect ourselves.”

“But why don’t you run away?  There is nothing to prevent you.”

“Why, to tell the truth, we have often been persuaded to do that, but then these rascally legislators have been threatening to assassinate the Governor, and we have determined to remain here to watch them and protect him.”

The old gentleman had no desire to see any more of these thieves, murderers and assassins.

There are those who find a Spanish bull fight or a civilized American boxing match very enjoyable events.  Such men would have found great enjoyment in one incident that served to enliven the monotony of the winter’s residence of the Governor at Lecompton.  There was one Sherrard who came from Virginia.  He was of a good family, but strong drink had been his ruin.  He had been appointed by the Legislature Sheriff of Douglas county in place of S. T. Jones, who for some reason was to go out of office.  The Governor refused to commission this Sherrard because he was a drunkard, a brawler, and a cursing, swearing, gambling ruffian and bully.  This made Sherrard furious, and Sheriff Zones and all his crowd of bullies were furious with him.  Then Sherrard tried to raise a row by insulting individuals in the personal service