James Redpath, The Public Life of Captain John Brown

John Brown was not merely an emancipationist, but a reparationist. He believed, not only that the crime of slavery should be abolished, but that reparation should be made for the wrongs that had been done to the slave. What he believed, he practised. On this occasion, after telling the slaves that they were free, he asked them how much their services had been worth, and — having been answered — proceeded to take property to the amount thus due to the negroes.

Kagi went on the southern side of the Little Osage, and called at several houses for the purpose of rescuing slaves. But he failed to find one, until he reached the residence of David Cruse. That robber of God's poor children, on learning the purpose of the party, raised his rifle to fire at it, but was shot dead before he pulled the trigger. He had one slave only — who immediately filled his place in the census of freemen.

The two parties soon reunited. Jarne was carried several miles into the Territory. One of his late female slaves attempted to console him; but, like Rachael mourning for her children, he was not to be comforted; upon which the sympathetic negress remarked:

“Gosh! massa's in a bad fix — hog no killed — corn no gathered — nigger run away: laws-a-me! what'll massa do?”

Jim, who was driving an ox team, “supposed to belong to the estate,” asked one of the liberators, “How far is it to Canada?”

“Twenty-five hundred miles.”

“ Twenty-five hundred! Laws-a-massa! Twenty-five hundred miles! No get dar 'fore spring!” cried