While Jones and his men were trying to bring down the hotel, the printing offices of the "Kansas Free State" and the "Herald of Freedom" newspapers were destroyed. The machinery was smashed, the type was thrown in the river, their libraries were thrown out the window, and loose copies were either thrown into the wind to be carried off, or used by Jones's party to set fire to the Free State Hotel. When the newspapers were obliterated and the hotel had been brought to the ground, Jones's men then looted the half-deserted town. As they retreated, for good measure they burned Robinson's Mount Oread home.