Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-06-06
Aansas Affairs.
Testimony before the Investigating
Committee.
FOURTEENTH DAY.

Territory August 1854 from Indiana.
settled on Ottawa Greek. (Fourth
District;) was at the election OF 29lh
November. 1854: were not more q an
twenty-five or thirty actual resident
voters In the district; there were n
great man strangers there: was told
they came from Missouri; they were
encsmped near DR.. Chapman's house;
they were armed with guns. rifles. re-
volyers and bowie knives; heard them
say they had as good right to vote rs
any man there; they went off in wag-
ous. buggies. and on horseback: they
made a great deal Of noise. and many
Of them appeared intoxicated; / saw
many Of them vote.
To NJ. Oliver-Kncw some OF them;
knew some OF them TO be from Mis-
souri,; heard them say 80: saw them
vote.
To Mr.. Reeder-Was at the cleo.
ton Of 30th March: had become better
aequaintel with the people Of the dis
trict; my son was appointed one Of the
judges. went early with him 10 the
polls; the election was appointed to
DR.. Chapman's: on arriving there
found the election had been moved to
a house half mil, from there; went
about half way there; saw a great ma.
ny men. horses and buggies; with few
exceptions the men were entirely
strangers; don't think more than a
dozen were residents Of district; the
election was appointed for 0 o'clock.
aud at that time nearly all Of them
had voted; some Of them were sitting
on the ground playing cards and drink
ing liquor. and II was said that they
were nearly out Of liquor and they
had sent a party for more: knew many
Of them. from Missouri; they had
another election going on. rs they said
TO be for another Governor: sl.ey
wanted two-sided Governor and not
q one-sided one.
To Mr.. Oliver--There were about
one hundred there; the men who voted
for Governor voted for Thomas John.
son.
To Mr.. Reeder--My neighbors did
not vote. and I did not: we concluded
TO draw up protest against il.
DR.. b. O. Westfall, sworn-Camo
into the Territory January. 1886. from
Missouri. near the line OF the Terrific
ry. within ten feet Of IL; a few days
prior to March 80. somo Of my neigh
bors persuaded me 10 come over with
them 10 the BulI.treek precinct. 9Th
district; went out on March 90; when
We got there found a great many peo.
pie; there ssere two encampments
there; one OF the persons from Jackson
County; the other from Cass County,
know many OF these men personally;
On that evening the judges. two Of
them--Paike from Kentucky. Paine
from Tennessee--appointed by Gov.
Reedsg. came TO me. and told me that
tho other judge appointed would not
serve. asked me 10, consented; about
I At night. when most Of us had re-
tired. Judge Hamilton. Of oasa ooun-
~. came in. hopping and hallooing
from the Pottawatomie precinct. sta
ting that they did not haveme enough
there. and wanted more: sixly Of our
men went with him; the next day when
tho polls were opened our men came
forward without taking the oath and
voted; there were about three hundred
there: nine-ienths were from Missouri:
tho Judges were not aworn; after the
election. the jadges' iu making up the
returns. certified 10 the Governor that
the judges were sworn: one man named
Wade came up and announced bis
name; his vote was received: he soon
came up again and called the name OF
bis son. Samuel Wade. boy Of ten
years Of age. and his vote was received; /;
they leit In the evening and some OF
them In the morning: several Of the
men for whom they voted were resi-.
dents OF Missouri: one of the candi.
dates--Mr. Yolnger-whom they
elected resides in Missouri. and is one
Of the wealth est men in jackson
County. owning large plantation and
many negroes; they said il they were
prevented from voting they would as.
sert their rights any how.
To Mr.. Sherman-No one comman-
ded our company; they generally went
in companies OF from twenty 10 thirty;
think there were five hundred AZ Bull
Greek and Po,tawnttomie. all of whom
were from Missouri.
To Mr.. Reeder-Saw great many
coming out to the election OF 29lh
November. 1854. from Missouri; many
from our neighborhood came out;
said they were going to vote. and
elect suitable officers; after their ie-
turn. they told where thev had been
and what they had done; some OF them
told Of their being at the Potlawatto.
ME Precinct. how tree had fallen aud
they had dance around it, and how
near they came to mobbing Free
Soiler. who afterwards run on the Pro-
Slavery ticket; saw great many per-
sons whom ! knew 70 be residents OF
Missouri coming Out 10 be election OF
Oct, I, 1855; saw them when they
came back; they shove ! me the certi-
ticates OF the payment OF the dollar by
them before voting: they came out in
companies OF from twenty-five to thir-
ty: | resided. at that time. twenty-five
miles from Bull Greek Precinct; they
Dragged good deal Of intimidating
the id Yankees, and said that they
bad carried the day; Christopher
Mann. Of Jackson County. had onr OF
the receipts Of payment Of poll tax;
think / saw Eve hundred men coming
out at that time; they told mo on their
return. no other candidate was voted
for on that day but Whitfield; some Of
them told me that they went 10 Le-
compton, others to Shawnee Mission.
others 10 Bull Greek. and others 10
Potiawattomio Precinct; heard them
say good many Indians voted. and
heard that white men paid their poll