New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-05-17
LAWRENCE, X. T., Noon. Mey 9. 1856.

Creek in the Fourth District. His testimony went to
prove the frauds at the first election November 1854
Had seen large crowd Of men there many of whom
be recognized as being from Missouri they were
armed; said they had as good right to vote as any
body: testified that the Rev. Tom johnson Shawnee
Mission acted clerk Of election his poll book was
redcoored paper he had pencil, AID kept bawling
out g More votes"
DIR. C. s. WEsTFALL swom-Came from Missouri
near the frontier of the Territory; he into the
Territory January 1856; testified to the frauds at the
March election, 1855, in the Fifth Districts he went
ont with party Of thirty who went from his neigh
borbood. jackson County; saw other camps their
route from Cas- County; they came up to vote; he
personay knew great many of these; knew their
residences in Missouri arrived at the voting place
the evening of the Goth March, two of the Judges Of
election Amounted by Gov. Reeder came to their camp
and told witness that one of the Judges Of election
would not be there; Judge Hamilton of Cass County,
Mo- came into their camp at eleven O'Clock at night,
and told them there would not be sufhciency of men
at Pottawattomie to carry the day wanted sixty men;
mart of the camp went with him; those who remained
wert to the polls that day There wtre three hundred
men there, principally from Missouri, nnetenths at
least: had some discussion about the OATH Judges
were not swop and did not prescribe the oath; man.
who said be was Justice of the Peace, Testified that
he had sworn the judge in the returns to the Cover
nor; one of the party named Wade having voted him.
self called out the of his son, boy OF nine or
ten wears old; the vote was accepted; witness had
asked Wade why he had called out his sons name;
Wade replied that he had made claim for him, and
he would be old enough to vote some time; the men
were armed and threatened to use the arms any enc
should prevent them from voting
To Reeder-They left the voting place partly that
night and partly next morning, for Missouri; they
voted for the Pro-Slavey candidates, who constituted
the bogus legislature several Of the men they voted
for sded in Missouri of the men elected 10 the
Council Col. Yunger, is now and always has Deen q
resident of jackson County, Missouri he is one OF
the wealthiest men there has negroes prior to the
time that witness and his company arrived in camp,
another company Missouri, that had been there
had been dispatched to another precinct. Witness tes
titled also to the frauds at the election, Now, 1854;
he had not been up there; had store in Missouri,
near the Territorial frontiers large crowds going
from the State up into the Territory TO vote they
said they were going to elect men for the Territory
who would be suitable they told him they had been
about to mob man named Wilkinson for being Free
Soiler; this man efterward ran on the Pro'Slavery
ticket Witness also testified to similar frauds at the
election held last October ls55, when Whitfield was
voted for had seen at least five hundred mon return
ing from that election, in the part of the Territory next
which he was. Witness conversed with them; they
told him that they had been up eectng Whitfield that
there had been opposition, and would nave oeen
all the same they boosted of having deferred the
"Abolitionists" and Yankees from voting. This wit
ness is connected with some Of the most respectable
slaveowners in jackson Co., Mo; ssti aPro.Slavery
man.
JAMES II. ARTHUR sworn-Came to the territory
August, 1854, from Indiana; settled in With District
was at the election 3oth Of March, 1855; appointed
one Of the Judges; about the time the polls were
opened large quantity Of strange men came up and
demanded to vote; witness rendered them the oath
and they refused; was told by a Mr. Brown, another
Judge told him he must take these votes or re-
sign witness asked the other Judge tucker what he
sad Tucker replied, that he considered these men
legal voters and they must be taken;" witness re-
signed they elected another in his place. there
some so 80 votes polled; there were only some
IS citizens present. and many of them voted these
strangers who voted were armed; witness conversed
with some of these men they told him where they
came from-mostly Jackson County, Mo one oil them,
Mr.. Yunger, said "that Missourians had as good
fright to vote as the Yankees and that If they were
" there on the day Of election they had right 10
"vote under the Douglas BILL" the settlers OIL the
District are nearly all Free-State men.
JOSEPH C. STEWART sworn-Came TO the Ierr-
tory. June, ls54 settled on Big Blue, in the Ientn
District; was Judge Of Election, March 80 leo'i
came from Pennsy vani1 to Iowa, from Iowa 10 'l'-
souri, thence TO Kansas; some nine or ten men,
from the Wyandot nation, under William "aAei'
came up to the precincts to vote; witness refused u
take their votes; the other Judges took walkers
vote Of the others answered the questions wiz
ness put; come were sworn all voted; they ran nus
SCI Garret, Wyandot, for the Assembly, the D''ric'
was then a very thiny settled one; Carer WIS
elected.
Here the Committee was interrupted by sne ar
rival If William Balm, Deputy Marshal, with an
attachment for the arrest of Gov. Reeder Tor con-
tempt of Court.
1t is hardly necessary to call attention 70 I'M )
importance Of this question. We have hearu OF
Congress q good deal, but for the hfst time J he
authority Of Congress was now brought III dp ect
conflict with the Territs,ial officers. The az nifty
of the Commission has not been sufficient to ihied
it from insult 1t remains 10 be seen whep Ter it
power or dignity Can save il frem violence
Gov. Reeder hiss been most iDdeiatigat le In
deed his knowle aga Of the affairs OF the erritory
and of the men in IT, has made him an almost in
ditpentable member Of the Commute e. He evi.
denty feels tina. not only his own interests al
stake, but that be owes great dut to the people
Of the Territory. The attempt F, take him away
from the Commission on q SUI ,pens was merely
the preliminary TO what has fob owed, and to "hA'
it was intended should follow. The attempt "
take him prisoner for cont -mpt, in snch c'Ae' =