11/13/1861: Kidnapping - Commissioner’s Court Held in a Beer Saloon

Entry/Object ID

NP.0330

Collection

Newspaper Articles

Archive Items Details

Description

“KIDNAPPING. Commissioner’s Court Held in a Beer Saloon – Pendery, Callahan, Gambell, Hook and Medill Act as Body Guard – Court Held in the Night – Judge Callahan Presides at Beer Table” - - (Correspondence of The Conservative.) Delaware (Kansas) November 11, 1861 - - On Saturday afternoon Deputy U. S. Marshals Hook and Medill, U. S. Commissioner Callahan, Judge Pendery, Judge Gambell, ____ Shepherd, and James M. Churchill of Leavenworth, and Dr. (Samuel) Rixey, and a Mr. Vincent of Platte County, Missouri, came to Delaware City, where they remained until it became dark, when the whole party left and went to the house of Adam Bowman, a free negro living about 3 miles south of Delaware, and arrested a negro man named George as a fugitive slave. They returned with the negro to Delaware City about 9 o'clock at night, and Commissioner Callahan opened Court in Fred. Smith’s Grocery, when it was proved that the negro was a fugitive slave and belonged to Dr. (Joseph) Walker of Platte County, Missouri, and he was delivered over to Dr. Rixey as the authorized agent of Dr. Walker, who is a well-known secessionist. Dr. Rixey, in company with Marshals Hook and Medill, took him to the river where they had a skiff in readiness, and crossed into Missouri. After they had landed on the Missouri side and were going up the bank, they were fired upon by a party of men without any challenge whatever. Dr. Rixey was wounded in the breast and cheek, having 5 buckshot wounds in his breast and one in the cheek; he however succeeded in reaching the skiff. The negro ran down the river. Hook and Medill escaped unhurt and succeeded in getting back to the Kansas side. After the party had got into the river, they were again fired at and cursed as “d -- Jayhawkers.” Dr. Rixey was taken to Leavenworth during the night. The party who did the firing have since been ascertained to belong to the company of Stuart, who hails from Parkville, and co-operates with Sy Gordon (Silas M. Gordon) (Silas M. Gordon). Kansas.

Date(s) of Creation

11/13/1861

Other Names and Numbers

Other Names

Name Type

Enslaved

Other Name

George

Name Type

Enslaver

Other Name

Rixey, Samuel, Dr.

Other Numbers

Number Type

Source Citation

Other Number

The Leavenworth Times (Leavenworth, KS, 1861-1977): 11/13/1861, p. 2

Copyright

Copyright Details

© 2026 BAAC All Rights Reserved

Research Notes

Research Type

Researcher

Person

Bill Nichols

Date

7/6/2026

General Notes

Note

Delaware, Kansas

Note

1861.11.13 Rixey Fugiitive Slave The_Leavenworth_Times_1861_11_13_2.pdf

Note

BAAC workbook: 1839-(open) Newspaper Articles CatalogIt version.xlsx [Newspapers begun 04.16.26]

Create Date

September 2, 2026

Update Date

September 16, 2026

Name/Title

11/13/1861: Kidnapping - Commissioner’s Court Held in a Beer Saloon