The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-07-26

AFFAIRS OF KANSAS.
/ nspert - sAe lavsssigaslng Ce..
| miltee.
/ C.o~.inusd.l
| To provide for the election q Delegates
TO Oensress, and Mt the same tins - Il d
such manner ~ to obtain the judgment Of
the House Of Representative 1pea the
validity OF the alleged Legislative Assembly
! sitting at Shawnee Mission, Convention
/ was held atH(g SPRING On ths 5th ard 9Th
days Of September, 1855. This was parry
Convention, and party calling itself the
Free State party was then orsanissd. twas
| in no way connected With As State move
mont, cscspt Mat ~ slestisa 81 dslsgaass
to Congreys Wa fixed BY Il on The same day
% the election OF members OF = Constitu.
tional Convention, instead Of the day pre-
scribed by shs alleged Legislative Assem-
bly,. Andrew Fl. RsedsD Was put in nomins-
ton ~ Tssri1oeial Dslegals - Conessss,
and m election Vas provided FOR under tho
regulations prescribed for the election Of
March 30, 1856, excepting - to the appoint
msnt Of o6cers, and the persons to whom
the returns Of To election should b. made.
The election was held in accordance with
these regulations, an abstract Of the returns
4 Va WILMA OuVW NAfs AS0C0OE kCCotvV0 90 10
| votes, ull that were cast.
Tho resolutions passed BY this Convection
indicate the state 81 feeling which existed in
the Territory in consequences Of the inyasioa
from Missouri, and the snsctnents Of the
tallegcd Legislative Assembly. The Language
Of some OF the resolutions 10 violent, and
can only be justified in consequence Of the
| attempt to enforce the grossest aSts Of tyrau.
ny, or for the purpose Of guarding against
q similar invasion in future.
In tho Fall Of 1855, there sprsng out OF
the existing disoords and sxcitemsnts Ia the
Territory, two secret Free State societies.
They we're defensive in their character, and
were designed to form protection to their
members against unlawful acts Of violence
and assault. One of the societies vas purely
OF local character, and was confined TO the
town OF Lawrence. Very shortly after its
organization it produced its desired effect,
and then went out Of use and ceased 20 ex
lst. Both societies were cnmbessome, and
OF no utility except to give confidence to
Free State men and enable them to know and
aid each other in contemplated danger. SO
far - the evidence shows, they led 70 20 aOt
OF violence in resistance 70 either real or A.
legged laws.
/ On the 2lst day Of November, 1855, F. N.
Coleman, a Pro- Slavery man, and Charles
w. Dow, = Free-State man, had dispute
about the division line between their respect
i've claims. Several hours after ward, 10 Dow
was passing from blacksmith's shop, to-
ward has claim, and BY the cabin Of Colsnan.
the latter shot Dow with double bsrreisd
gun loaded with slugs. Dow was unarmed
He fell across the road and died immediately.
This WIS about ] O'Clock, p. m. HIS dead
body was allowed to lie where it fell until
after shutdown, when il Was conveyed By ia
cob Rranson 70 his house, ct which Dow
| boarded. The testimony ii regard to this
homicide is v0lumnous, and shows clearly
that it was deliberate murder by Coleman.
and that Harrison Buckley and q Mr.. lar
gous were accessories to it. The excitement
caused by i was very great among all classes
OF the settlers. Tn the 26th, large meet
ting of citizens was held at the place where
the murder was coumitted, and resolutions
passed that Coleman should be brought to
justice. In the meantime Coleman had gone
TO Missouri, and then to Gov. Shannon At
Shawnee Mission in johnson County. He
was there taken into custody By s. L. Jones,
then acting AZ Sheriff. No warrant wa 10
sued or examination had. On the day Of the
meeting at Hickory Point, Harrison Bradley
procured peace warrant against Jacob
branson, which vas placed in the hands Of
Jones That same evening, after Branson
had gone to bed, Jones came to his cabin
with party Of about % persons, among
whom we're Hargous and -Buokley--burst
open the door and saw Bransou in bed. He
then drew his pistol, cooked il, and presen.-
ed to Branson's breast, and said, !" You are
my prisoner, and il you move | will blow
you through The others cooked their guns
and gathered round him and took hin pri-
soner. They all mounted and went TO Buck
loy's house. After time they won't on a
crcuitous route towards Blanton's Bridge,
stopping 10 drink" on the way. As they
approached tue bridge there were Is in the
party, several having stopped. Jones rode
up 70 the prisoner and, among other things,
teld him that he had g heard there we're loo
regrettad they we're not tkeu, asd that th&y
were cheated out Of their sport. /. "a
moan time, the alarn had besa given ia The
neighborhood OF Branson's arrest, sad sew
eral Of the settlers, anon whom were some
who attended the meeting at Hickory
Point that day, gathered together. They
were greatly excited s the alleged inius.
tice Of such an arrest u qsist settler un.
der u peace warrant BY Sheriff Jones, aidsd
BY two men believed to be accessory 70 muir.
der, and who wsalloWed to ~ q large. ex.
sapcrated them, aad they proceeded % ran
idly rs possible BY = nearer route than thai
taken by Jones, aud stopped pear the hous,
Of J. $. Abbott, one Of the1n. They wer,
On foo. when Jones's party approached o.
. cantsr. The Seseusrs >s6ddsnly formed
across the road in trout Of Jones and hi,
party. Jones halted. and asked. sWhat,,