subscribed by the citizens of Atchison. Seven hundred and forty-five dollars came from Mt. Pleasant township. Among the leading contributors were Theodore Bartholow, E. Chesebrough, G. W. Fairchild, J. W. Russell, W. L. Challiss, Dr. William Irwin, G. W. Howe, Bela M. Hughes, William Hetherington, Otis & Glick, Henry Deisbach, J. E. Wagner, Rice McCubbin, McCausland & Brown, Tom Murphy, W. A. Cochrane, Samuel C. Pomeroy, Stebbins & Company, E. Butcher, and William C. Smith, each of whom subscribed the sum of $50 or over. Atchison also made a notable contribution when Quantrell invaded Lawrence, sending $4,000 to assist the people of that city. In 1863 depredations of the Jayhawkers became very annoying, and a vigilance committee was organized and all good, peaceful and loyal citizens were called upon to band themselves together for the protection of their lives, homes and property. Those who joined the vigilance committee took an oath to support the Government of the United States and Kansas, and to do all in their power to put down the rebellion, and also to keep secret all proceedings of the organization. This committee did very effective work in bringing to punishment violators of law and also in keeping the lawless bands of Jayhawkers and other thieves out of Atchison county. The following “circular” has been unearthed by the author, and while it bears no date it apparently contained the constitution, by-laws, ritual and oath of these societies. “CIRCULAR TO OFFICERS. “Be extremely careful in the selection of your members. Admit no one who is not of good standing in the community, and whom you have not good reason to believe to be firm and uncompromising in his devotion to the Union, and to be relied upon to assist in any emergency in maintaining the laws and good order in the community. This is of the first and highest importance to the order, and if any member shows symptoms of defection, watch him closely. “In all cases, deal kindly with your opponents, and strive by gentle means to win them over to a change of sentiment. Many good men may thus be brought within our circle who would otherwise be lost to us. “The first club established in your county seat will be called the County Club, to which all clubs in the county will report, and by those officers all such clubs will be established. It is important that we be frequently advised as to our strength in the State; and for this purpose each subordinate club will report weekly to the county club the number of members enrolled therein; and the County Club will report monthly to the Ex. Com. at —— the number of clubs and number of members in the county. These reports should be carefully sealed and addressed ——. “The officers of County Clubs will be supplied with a printed constitution and ritual, and they will furnish officers of subordinate clubs copies of the same, with a strict injunction to secrecy.