Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-07-26


where the election was to be held, armed with
bowie-knives, reviewers and clubs. They said
they came to vote, and whip hedamned Yankees,
and would vote without being sworn. Some said
they came to have fight and wanted one. Col.
Samuel II. Woodson, of independence, Mo-, was
in the room Of the Judges when they arrived,
preparing poll books and tally lists, and remain
room of the Judges was also filed by many of
the strangers. The Judges could not agree con-
corning the oath to be taken by themselves and
the oath to be administered to the voters, Mr..
Burgess desiring to administer the oath prescrib-
ed by the Governor, and the other two Judges
opposing it. During this discussion between the
Judges, which lasted some time, the crowd out
side became excited and noisy, threatening and
cursing NJ. Burgess, the free State Judge
Persons were sent at different times by the crowd
outside into the room where the Judges were,
with threatening messages, especial against Mr..
Burgess, and at last ten minutes were given them
to organize in or leave; and as the time passed
persons outside would call out the number of the
minutes left, with threats against Burgess if he
did not agree to organize. AT the end of that
time, the Judges not being able to organize, the
crowd proceeded to elect nine Judges and carry
on the election. The Free State men generally
left the ground without voting, saying that there
was no use in their voting there. The polls were
so crowded during the first part Of the day that
the citizens could not get up 70 the window to
vote. Threats were made against the Free State
men. In the afternoon the Rev. Mr.. Grspatrick
Was attacked and driven of by the mob. man,
by some called Texas, made speech to the crowd,
urging them to vote and remain on the ground
until the polls were closed, for fear the Adolf
tionsts would come there in the afternoon, and
overpower them, and thus they would lose al
their trouble.
For making an affidavit in a protest against
this election, setting forth the facts, Mr.. Burgess
was indicted by. the Grand Jury for perjury, which
Indictment was found more than fifteen months
ago, and is still pending, Mr.. Burgess never hav-
ing been informed who his accuser was, or what
was the testimony against him. large majori-
ty four to one Of the actual settlers of that Dis
trict were Free State men, and there cannot be the
least doubt that if but the actual settlers of
the district had voted at that election the Free
State candidate would have been elected. The
number Of legal voters in the district, according
TO the census returns, WAS lOl. The total num-
Der OF votes cast was 372, and of these but 80
are on the returns, and from the testimony and
records, We are satisfied that not over 40 legal
votes were cast at that election. A body of
armed Missourans came into the district previous
to the election, and encamped there. Before the
time arrived for opening the polls, the Missourians
went to another than the town appointed for the
election ; and one of the Judges appointed by
the Governor, and two chosen by the Missouri
ans, proceeded to open the polls and carry ON the
election. The MssOurians said none but pro-
Slavery men should vote, and threatened to shoot
any Free State man who should come up to vote.
Mockbee, one of the Judges elected by the Mis-
sourlanS, had Il store near the boundary fixed by
the proclamation of the Governor, while he cul-
tivated farm in Missouri, where his family lived
and where his legal residence was then and is
now. The Missourians also held side election
for Governor of the Territory, voting for Thos
Johnson, OF Shawnee Mission. The Free State
men, finding the polls under the control of non
residents. refused to-, and did not vote. They
constituted u decided ma ority Of the actual set
tiers. n petition. signed by majority of the
residents of the district, was sent to the Cover
nor. The whole number Of voters in this dis
trict, according to the returns, was forty
seven (; the number of votes cast was eighty, Of
whom but fifteen were residents the number of
residents whose names are on the cclsus rolls,
who did not vote, was thirty-two.
For some days prior to the election, companies
OF mcn were organized in jackson, CaSs and Clay
Counties, Mo-, for the purpose of coming TO the
Territory and voting in this Fifth District. The
day previous to the election, some 40 or 500
Missourians, armed with guns, pistols and knives,
came into tho Territory and camped, some at Ball
Creek and others 1T Pottawatomie Greek. Their
camps were about liz miles apart. On the eve
ming before election. Judge Hamilton, of the
Cass County Court, Mo-, came from the POtta-
watomie Greek camp to Bull Greek for 90 more
Missourians. as they had not enough there to rem
der the election certain, and about that number
went down with him. On the evening before the
election, DIR. b. e. Westfal was elected to act as
one of the Judges Of Election in the Bull Gre. k
precinct, in the place of one appointed by the
Governor, who, it was said, would not be there
the next day. DR.. Westfall was at that time
citizen of jackson county, Missouri. On the
morning OF the election, the polls for Bull Greek
precinct were opened, and without swearing the
Judges, they proceeded To receive the votes of
all who offered to vote for the sake Of appear
ance, they would get some one to come to the
window and offer to vote, and when asked to be
sworn would pretend to grow angry at the Judges
and would 90 away, and his name would DO put
down as having offered to vote, but ;. rejected
refusing to be sworn.'' This arrangement was
made previously and perfectly understood by the
Judges. But few residents Uf the district were
present at the election, and only l3 voted. The
number of votes cast in the precinct was 1898.
One Missouran voted for himself and then vo-
ted for his little son, but ten eleven years old
Col. Golfer, Henry Younger and Mr.. Lykins, who
were voted for and elected to the Legislature,
were residents of Missouri at the time. Col
Golfer subsequently married in the Territory.
The polls closed and the returns made, and a man
claiming to be magistrate, certified on them that
he had sworn the Judges of Election before OPEN
ing the polls. In the Pot,awatolnie precinct the
Mlssourians attended the election, and after
threatening Mr.. Chestnut, the only Judge present
appointed by the Governor, to induce him to re-
sign, they proceeded to elect two other Judges
one Missourian and the other a resident of
another precinct of that district. The polls were
then opened and all the Mssourians were allowed
to vote without being sworn.
After the polls were closed and the returns
made out for the signature of the Judges, Mr..
Chestnut refused to sign them, as he did not con-
slider them correct returns of legal voters.
Col. Golfer, of Missouri, but elected to the Kan
Legislature from that District at that election
endeavored with others to induce Mr. Chestnut
by threats to sign tho returns. which he refused
to do, and left the house. On his wav home he
was tired at by some Mssourians, though not in
jured. There were three illegal to one legal vote
given there that day. At the Big Layer precinct,
the Judges appointed by the Governor met at the
time appointed, and proceeded to open the polls,
after being duly sworn. After few votes had
been received party Of Missourians came into
the yard of the house where the election was held
and unloading wagon filed with arms, stacked
their guns in the yard and came up to the window
and demanded to be admitted to vote.
Two of the Judges decided to receive their
votes, whereupon the third Judge, Mr.. j. NJ. Ar
thur, resigned, and another was chosen in his
place. Col. Young, citizen of Missouri, but
candidate for and elected to the Territorial Leg
islative Council, was present and voted in the
precinct. He claimed that every Missourian pre-
sent on the day of election was entitled to vote.
But thirty forty of the citizens of the precinct
were present, and many of them did not vote.
Attic Little Sugar precinct, the election seemed
to have been conducted fairly, and there Free
State majority was polled. From the testimony
the whole District appears to have been largely