3. Resolved. That other emissaries of this ‘Aid Society’ now in our midst, tampering with our slaves, are warned to leave, else they too will meet the reward which their nefarious designs so justly merit.—Hemp.
4. Resolved. That we approve and applaud our fellow-townsman, Grafton Thomassen, for the castigation administered to said J. W. B. Kelley, whose presence among us is a libel upon our good standing and a disgrace to our community.
5. Resolved. That we commend the good work of purging our town of all resident abolitionists, and after cleaning our town of such nuisances shall do the same for the settlers on Walnut and Independence creeks whose propensities for cattle stealing are well known to many.
6. Resolved. That the chairman appoint a committee of three to wait upon said Kelley and acquaint him with the actions of this meeting.
7. Resolved. That the proceedings of this meeting be published, that the world may know our determination.”
After the passage of these resolutions they were circulated throughout Atchison and all citizens were asked to sign the same and if any person refused he was deemed and treated as an abolitionist. A few days after this incident Rev. Pardee Butler, a minister of the Christian church, who was living at that time near the now abandoned townsite of Pardee, west of Atchison, about twelve miles, came to town to do some trading. Butler was an uncompromising anti-slavery advocate and never overlooked an opportunity to make his sentiments known. He had strong convictions backed by courage, and while he did not seek controversies, he never showed a desire to avoid them. He was well known in the community as a Free State man, and so when he came into Atchison after these resolutions were passed and the town was all excited about them it did not take him long to get into the controversy and he condemned in strong terms the outrage upon Kelley and also the resolutions which were passed. In the course of a conversation which he had at the postoffice with Robert S. Kelley, the postmaster and assistant editor of the Squatter Sovereign, he informed Mr. Kelley that he long since would have become a subscriber to his paper had he not disliked the violent sentiments which appeared in its columns. Mr. Kelley replied: “I look upon all Free Soilers as rogues and they ought to be treated as such.” Mr. Butler responded: “I am a Free Soiler and expect to vote for Kansas as a Free State.” “I do not expect you will be allowed to vote,” was Mr. Kelley’s reply. On the following morning Mr. Kelley called at the National hotel, corner of Second and Atchison streets, where Mr. Butler had spent the night, accompanied by a number of friends and demanded Butler to sign the resolutions, which of course Mr. Butler refused to do, and walked down stairs into the street. A crowd gathered and seized Mr. Butler, dragging him towards the river, shouting that they intended to drown him. The mob increased in size as they proceeded with the victim. A vote was taken as to the kind of punishment which ought to be given him and a verdict of death by hanging was rendered. It was not discovered until forty years afterwards that Mr. Kelley, the teller, saved Mr. Butler’s life by making false returns to the excited mob. Mr. Kelley subsequently was a resident of Montana and gave this information while stopping in St. Joseph with Dr. J. H. Stringfellow, the former editor of the Squatter Sovereign. Instead of returning a verdict of death by hanging Mr. Kelley announced that it was the decision of the mob to send Mr. Butler down the Missouri river on a raft, and an account of what followed is best given by Rev. Pardee Butler himself:
“When we arrived at the bank Mr. Kelley painted my face with black paint, marked upon it the letter “R.” The company had increased to some thirty or forty persons. Without any trial, witness, judge, counsel or jury, for about two hours I was a sort of target at which were hurled imprecations, curses, arguments, entreaties, accusations and interrogations. They constructed a raft of three cottonwood sawlogs, fastened together with inch plank nailed to the logs, upon which they put me and sent me down the Missouri river. The raft was towed out to the middle of the stream with a canoe. Robert S. Kelley held the rope that towed the raft. They gave me neither rudder, oar nor anything else to manage my raft with. They put up a flag on the raft with the following inscription on it:
‘Eastern Emigrant Aid Express.
The Rev. Pardee Butler again for the underground road;
The way they are served in Kansas: Shipped for Boston; Cargo insured. Unavoidable danger of the Missourians and Missouri river excepted.