Under pretense of searching for arms, they approached the house of William Phillips, the lawyer who had been previously tarred and feathered and carried to Missouri.

Phillips, supposing he was to be subjected to a similar outrage, and resolved not to submit to the indignity, stood upon his defense.

In repelling the assaults of the mob, he killed two of them, when the others burst into the house, and poured a volley of balls into his body, killing him instantly in the presence of his wife and another lady.

His brother, who was also present, had an ana broken with bullets, and was compelled to submit to an amputation.

Fifty of the Free State prisoners were then driven on board the Polar Star, bound for St.Louis.On the next day a hundred more were embarked by Emory and his men on the steamboat Emma.
At this time civil war raged in all the populous districts.