The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-05-23
The Kansas Investigation.

The summary of news from Kansas, pub
lishcd in our paper last week, shows that
the Administration and the slavery propa-
gandists are resolved to stiac, il possible,
the Investigation of the Congressional Com.
mittce, into the doings of border rufdanism
in Kansas. 1t is for this purpose that Judge
Lecompton directed the grand jury to indict
Gov. Reeder for treason, and to indict other
prominent FREQ State men. Nor is this all,
Threats of assassination are thrown out to
deter men from tcstifying before the Com
mittec, and already do we hear of border
ruflan force being on the way to attack the
Committee, and destroy the record Of its
proceedings. ..
Tho Developments, thus Far, not only con-
firm everything that has been charged against
the Missourians. but go further, and show
that their rascally proceedings were even
worse than they were represented to be.
Some accounts of the testimony taken be-
fore the Committee, have been furnished to
the New York Times for publication. We
give a summary of the testimony given by
several of the witnesses, which serve as a
specimen Of the general character of the
evidence.
Mr.. Jordan Davidson, the first witness
who was examined before this Committee,
testified that he was q member OF Secret
Society formed in Missouri, the express OBJ
ject of which was to make Kansas Slave
State and that he had reason to believe
that it existed also in other Southern States,
in Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Ar
kansas. lie came from Missouri to Kansas
10 pOic was sworn in on the spot as one of
the officers of election and knew of many
Others who came from Missouri and voted.
Augustus Wattles, living in the Second Dis
trict, testified, after an examination OF the
census returns, that there were but twenty
five legal voters in that District and yet
several hundred votes were cast. At that
poll Mr.. Hammond Muzzy testified that just
US he got there Mr.. Mace offered to vote
and that
When the pro-slavery party saw that
his v to was free State vote, they said he
should not rote IL; several men took hold Of
him by the collar and pulled him away; he
took hold of me and we were both pulled
away together from the poll; they cried
out, Gu his throat tear The I'D heart
our Of him: saw one man draw knife up
on him, without doing any injury saw
man with u lever, trying to pry upa cor
ncr Of the cabin; Others cried out, Don't
do ii until you have orders saw ELLISON
come out of the cabin with ballot-box in
his hand, and cry out, Hurrah for Missou-
ri ELLISON was one of the Judges heard
Jones (now Shcriff,) say he ,rould gire the
Judge fire minutes 10 resign, or die; JONES
gave one more minute, and they then left
these Judges were RAMSAY and BuRsos, both
Free State men; was there when the other
Judges were appointed the crowd then
commenced voting: saw no Free State man
vote"
Here the Missouri mob obtained entire
control of the pol, and, with Sheriff zones
at their head, compelled two of the Judges,
under threats Of death, to resign, and then
put two Others in their places. In the Sew
enth District, Marcus II. Rose, testifes that
there could not have been more than 90 le-
gal voters in the District,-and that 234
votes were cast. j. b. Titus testi6es that
over 200 Missourians encamped near his
place, and told him they had come there ex-
pressly to vote. William Jessie swears that
he was at the polls in the Second District,
and that
"That went on until about % votes were
taken. when one man came forward, whose
vote was objected to; the Judge would not
receive it until he swore no was resident of
the Territory the crowd cried out, he should
rote irthom SWEARING: while this was going
on, dozen came to vote and were pulled
away; pistols ,ccre presented 10 The Judges,
and they ,rere told their brains should be blo,c-
ed out. IL they did not roceire che roies Of
those persons ,rho refused 10 take the oath !:
they declared they came there to vote, and
they would vote" 4 r...r, ,.ii.l .g's
The mob finally demanded Of Burson and
Ramsay, the Free State Judges, that they
should resign, and threatened to blow out
their drains if they Refused. Jessie further
ays:--- "a. loialu .e.!E e .l.ss
III hunted for Mesu. Bunon and RAM