The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-09

TO Hickory Point to the residence Of aargis and de-
mandeo Of these friends Of Coleman what their testimony
stances they intended to relate them To this these
free state men, ~hO all armed with Sharpes rifles,
replied Cat The same time sSGssg their guns and point.
you is false the circumstances not We give
you until Monday to make = correct statement of the
facts. If you do not do II win kill you" This was
Saturday. Before the time given had expired, the
free State men burned down the houses of Buckley
and Coleman In SO doing they the y
their wardrobe furniture but the clothes in which
they fed.
slavery families residing Hickory Point fed With their
women and children into Missouri where their accounts
of the treatment which their friends had been sub
eced excited the most intense indignation among the
shareholders of that state From these stories, exag
geraed they spread and it may be too highly coored
by their original the impression became cur
throughout Missouri that the free State party OF
Kansas, armed with Sharpes rifles and revovers, in
II is alleged that such threats made by inai
viduals Of the free State party; but as they
persons il would be Unfair to infer that this is the
avowed purpose CT their party In the meantime buck
ley Hsigis and Coleman who had fled so 5000 as they
could escape the band Who threatening their
execution) made their way 70 the executive Office at
shawnee Mission, X T., to have an interview with my
self. absent at the time. When returned Cole
he'd surrendered himself to the Sheriff of Douglas
county (Jones.) who happened TO be at the Mission
aDs hs man nsnsd Banson of the e
Sta party and of the residents at Hickory Point
with whom Dow the person ked) hal resiced, was the
leader Of the band who had threatened and endeavorsd
extor false evidence from them Upon these represen
tations advised Buckley TO 60 before magistrate, or
any ical officer Of the Territory make affidavit to the
facts as regarded the arrest Banson obtain peace
against him, and thus have HIM bound over 10
keen the p.ace As sheriff Jones was about starting
with Coleman in custody, and Buckley and Hargis IN
company their way 20 obtain peace warrant agailst
Banson express arrived from Hickory Point which
had ridden al ngh advising Coleman and his two friends
that settlement they would certainly
be killed by the free state party Sheriff Jones with
length IN peTsuading them 10 accompany him
10 Lecompton the county seat Of Douglas county, IN
which all these difficulties had occurred, and from
whence ii of necessary that the peace war
should be issued. On his arrival there, Buckley IN
pursuance with ny advice went before Justice OF the
pesce--Mr. Cameron--made affidavit sganst branson,
and obtained peace warrant which the Juti;e placed
in the hands of Sheriff Jones for execution who muei
sey summoned OF ten men, (citilens OF Douglas
county, 20 serve the writ
/ copy from my note book account Of Bransons
rescue from the Sheriff as related to me by G. Leak,
Esq ofKentucky who formed of Sheriff Jones, posse
st the tine Gov. shannon, TO whom have read 1t, be
heves Leaks statement TO be substantially correct Mr.
l. il prosavery man, and intimate friend OF Cole
mans. dir posed, from his dspassonate manner OF
relating the circumstances, to credit the narration
Mr.. Leak described Coleman as being rather hand
some man, OF very ''genteel appearance" With DARK
hair and beard be stands about feet ii inches In height
and weighs 1855 bounds-s amabe IN his dsposinon aud
has and two children at present residing some four
miles from West Port Mo-, the Santa Fe TRAIL whittier
they had fed for tear he free State party a. Hickory
Grove GOV. Shannon informs that had commissioned
Coleman Justice Of the Peace just previous to the
killing of Dow his commission, however, although made
cut and signed had not yet been forwarded when the
rencontre occurred Coleman has declined to receive
this commission in accorcanse with the suggestion OF
Governor shannon. until his conduct in killing Dow has
been jndically investigated and decided upon.
The Governor contnued-This rescue took place on
Tuesday yrDDg, the 18th OF November, at A.
they had a meetpg, at O'Clock A. NJ. on the day.
Brans5n the prisoner presided dressed 1t is said in
a military unicrm, while s. NJ. Wood, the leader and
spokesman OF the Iescuing party made speeches OF an
ncendsry character glopg in the triumph OF the Tree
Stale men ever the Laws of the Territory.
# should oe stated also that from this day forth the
free State party in Lawrence openly commenced their
military organization. by drilling, sencDg out their
runpers-as proved from the fact that they collected
from points far distant eighty miles-and
otheraise putting their town in position 50 resist by
force OF the legally constituted authorities OF Kan
Territory.
Upon the night, about eight O'Clock received
despatch by express from the sheriff of Douglas county,
(Jones,) informing that his prisoner Branson had
b.en rescued BY an armed mob. This despatch
brought by ar: Hnrgis who stated verbally at the
threatened TO take Coleman. {then in the custody OF
Sheriff Jones) from the Sheriff, hang him and also kill
troops protect him in the execution of the law it was
evidently written under state OF considerable excite
nent and apprehension
AS these facts had reached in official manner,
of undoubed reliability and were,
corroboraed by much verbal testimony as well as
written eyoence and these latter of outrage Cup
on toe part Of party of IAwrence seemed
the carrying out Of their previously declared inten-
lions expressed in the ncendary resolutions passed
been held ID different parts Of this Territory and of which
the following may De qcoted as specimen
Resolved, Thai we owe no allegiance or obedience to the
yranrca enactments Of hs spurious egislaure that their
M and no or US bsry coa
siseny with al his obligations citizen and man. to defy
and resist them Il he chooses so to DO
Resolved That and submit these laws
least Of evils and viii resist them bloody issue
ascertain that peaceaole remedies shall fail and forcible
resistance SHAH furnish reasonable prospect OF success
be Terror the organization and discipline Of vo
.nteer companies and the procurement and preparation Of
arms.
These resolutions are literal copies of the origna as
hey appeared in the Herald Of Freedom for September
10, 1855 This paper is published in Lawrence KIT,
and of the avowed organs of the free State party ia
Kansas The resolutions quoted passed at the Free
state Delegate Convention holden at Big Springs H. t.
the 5h of September 1885, which convention also no
and upon different day for the election from that
prescribed by law. This nomination Governor Reeder
accepted
therefore deemed il incumbent upon me- as the chief
executive Of Kansas Territory, enforce the laws and
protect the Sheriff. and HIS prisoner Coleman from the vi
and which had been threatened and in part
carried out by this mob for firmly believed oeng pos
session OF iacts) that the overt acts just committed
by the fee state party but the commencement OF
settled plan and Differentiation TO resist and bid defiance
The Territorial laws accordance with the resolutions
already quoted.
Under all these circumstances felt that mus. either
furnish Sheriff Jones wi h sufficient posse 10 carry out
his in trucons or be forced into the dsgracefu alter
the hands Of an armed and lawless mob.
And it may mere be stated that the militia of Kansas
we're at this time land s:i totally unorgsnized The
Legislature had it is true elected two Maoc Generals in
the Southern and in the Northern division, well
Brgaciers but far the rank and file con-
cerned, the organization not even commenced.
With the view OF furnishing the Sheriff with sufficient
his wrts well TO protect himself and
his prisoner Coleman ainst the threatened violence of
the tree mob in Lawrence issued orders to Maj
General wliamlp. richardson then residing ia Doni
phaD county, H. to collect as large force as he could
in nd rep
speed Iecopp'on where he desired to place his
command under the OF Sheriff Jones.
This order resulted in the collection Of from to
hundred men, Within six days from the date of order
these men were Lecompton where General Richardson
placed himself and his under the orders OF the
Sheriff To the best Of my belief these ali ct
Of Kansas The Southern division Of the militia be-
ing wholly unorganized, / simply requested BrigAdier
General Suickler residing at Tecumseh only
twelve miles Lecompton, 10 gather Is many men as
possible and report himself and command in the same
manner as General Richardson.
The dale General kich-