the violence continued. ohio abolitionist john brown led his sons and other followers to plan the murder of settlers who spoke in favor of slavery. at a pro-slavery settlement at pottawatomie creek on the night of may 24, the group seized five pro-slavery men from their homes and hacked them to death with broadswords. brown and his men escaped. they started making a plan for a full-scale slave insurrection to take place at harper's ferry, virginia. they would have financial support from boston abolitionists. the pro-slavery territorial government had been relocated to lecompton.