Porter had committed no crime--nothing was charged against him, save
that he had entertained us, and was known to be favorable to our union,
or rather unfavorable to any interference in a matter which was of
sacred right our own.
Mr. P. gave me no information with regard to Miss King, except that she
was at home, and that in consequence of the extraordinary excitement she
would probably be unable to get out of Fulton for several days to come.
He returned to Fulton the next morning, and three or four days after, I
received from him the following letter. It is significant:--
"Gilberts' Mills, February 4th, 1853.
"Professor Allen,--
"Dear Friend:--
"I write you under very extraordinary circumstances. I have been obliged
to leave the vicinity of Fulton, for a while at least. I am now stopping
at A. Gilbert's. How long I shall stay here, I cannot tell.
"Mary (Miss King) I have not seen or heard from, for two days. All
communications between her and Julia, (her sister--who was favorable to
our union) and our family has been broken off--strictly prohibited; and
Hibbard's house, on the hill, is the watch tower to guard Elder King's
house against such dangerous invaders as ourselves.
"When I came from Syracuse that morning, Hibbard was at the depot on the
watch. In the afternoon I went up to the Elder's, and was met on the
door-step and told not to deliver any messages or letters to Mary.
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