Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-08-14

the c1Dllb Oh OOieAnoh eiiO ONShASJ HS-S -
I'd, but by whom is left in doubt BY the ses'i-
mony
On the morning of the rescue Of Branson,
Jones was al the village of Franklin, near Law
renee. The rescue was spoken OF in the pres
ence of Jones, and more conversation passed De-
tween two Others in his presence, as to whether
it was most proper to send for assistance te COL
Boone in Missouri, or to Gov Shannon. Jones
As soon as he started Jones said Z" That man
is taking my despatch to Missouri, and by God,
l will have my revenge before SEQ Missouri
A person present, who was examined as u wit
ness, complained publicly that the dispatch was
not sent to the Governor; and within hall an
hour one was sent to the Governor by jones'
through Hargoss. Within few days, large
numbers of men from the State OF Missouri
gathered and encamped on the Wakerusa
They brought with them all the equipments OF
war. To obtain them, party OF men ander
the direction of Judge Z. V, Thompson, broke
into the United States Arsenal and Armory at
Liberty, Missouri, and after forolole deteh-
ton of Captain Leonard, (then in eharge,) they
took the cannon, muskets, rifles, powder, mar
ness, and indeed all the materials and NUM-
tions of war they desired some OF which have
never bOsu E6buruSu OF dCtOuhVOu IVA
Tho chief hostility of this military foray was
against the town of Lawrence, and this was es-
pecially the case with the officers Of the law,
Your Committee can see in the testimony no
reason, excuse, or palliation for this feeling
Up to this tins no warrant or proclamation Of
eny kind had besn in The hands Of any officer
against any citizen Of Laurence. No arrest
had been attempted, and no writ resisted in that
of a
murder committed thirteen miles from Law
renee in detached settlement aud neither the
town nor its cirizens extended any protection to
Branson's rescuers On the contrary, 5. N.
Wood, whe claimed publicly to be one OF the
reseuing party, two or three days alter the res =
cue wished to be arrested for the purpose OF
testing the Territorial laws, and walked up to
Sheriff Jones and shook hands with him, and
exchanged other courtesies He could have
been arrested without any difficulty, and it was
bis design. when he went to Mr.. Jones, to be
arrosted' hut no ATTEMPT was made to do SO.
Ii is obvious that the only cause Of this hos
tility is the known desire of the citizens OF Law
renee 10 make Kansas Free State, and their
repugnance to laws imposed upon them oy noh-
residents.
Your Committee do not propose TO detail the
incidents connected with this toray. fortu-
nately for the peace of the country, direct
conflict between the opposing forces was aVoldea
by an amlcable arrangement. Inc losses sus
tanned by the settlers in property taken ana
time and money expended in their own defence
added much to the trials incident to new SET
Element. Many persons were taken and ohia"-
fully detained-in some cases, under clrcnn-
stances of gross cruelty. This was especially
50 in the arrest and tresement Of DR.. u. "A.
Gutter and G. +. Warren. They were taken,
without cause OF warrant, sixty miles from
Lawrence, and when DR.. Cutter was quite sick.
They were compelled to go to the camp OF Law
renee. were put in the custody of "Sheriil
Jones'" vhs had No process to arrest them
.thss .8sra taksa late % ssaall rosm kept as q
liquor shop, which was open and very cold
That night Jones came in with others, and
went " to playing poker at twenty-five cents
ante" The prisoners were obliged to sit up al
night as there was no room to lie dowT
when the men were playing. Jones insultee
them frequently, and told one Of them he mus
either "tell or swing" The guard then OBJ
tected to this treatment of prisoners, and Jone
dasisted. G. F. Warren thus describes thei
subsequent conduct
They then carried US down to their camp
Kelly of The Spuatter Sovereign, who lives i
Atehison, came round and said he thirsted to
blood, and said he should like to hang us o
the first tree. Cutter was very weak, and tina
excited him 80 that he became deirious. The
sent for three doctors, who came. DIR. String
fellow was one Of them They remained thel
with Cutler until after midnight, and the
took him up to the Office, as it was very cold
camp.
During the foray, either George w. Clar
or Mr.. Burns, murdered Thomas Barber, Will
tho latter was on the highway on his road fro
Lawrence to his claim. Both fred at him, al
it ia impossible from the proof to tell who
shot was fatal. The details Of this homici
are stated by eye witnesses.
Among the many acts of lawless violen
which II mas been the duty of your Commit
to investigate, this invasion of Lawrence is t
most defenceless. A comparison of the ia
proven, with the official statements OF the o
GERS Of the Government, will show how grour
less were the pretexts which gave rise to it.
community in which no crime had been co
mtted by any OF its members, against none
whom had warrant beer issued or a complai
ma G, who had resisted no process in the han
Of a real or pretended officer, was threaten
with destruction ia the name Of "law and (
der,,' and that, too, by men who marched irt
neighboring State with arms obtained by fort
aad who, in every stage of their progress, VI
lated many laws, among others, the Constit
ton Of the United States.
The chief guilt of it must rest on Samuel
Jones' His character is illustrated by his la
guage at Lccompton, where peace was mad
The said Major CLARK ano Burns both claim
the credit of killing that id Abolitionist, "a
he didn't know which onght to have it.
Shannon hadn't been id old fool, that pes
would never have been declared He wo,
have wiped Lawrence out. He had men a
neans enough to do it,
onorty alter the retreat OF the forces IT.
before Lawrence, the election upon the adopt
of the State Constitution was held at Leav
worth City, on the 18th of December, 1855
While it was proceeding quietly, about no
Charles Dunn, with party OF others, smasl
in the window of the building in which
election was being held, and then jumped i
the room whore the judges of election were
ting, and drove them of. One of the Gle
of election snatched up the ballot-box and
lowed the judges, throwing the box behind
counter of ain adjoining room through which
passed on his way out. As he got to the str
door, Duan caught him by the throat and pn
ed him up against the outside of the buildi
and demanded the ballot-box.
Then Dunn and another person struck
in the face, and he fell lite the mnd, the cro
rushed 90 him and kicked him on his head I
in his sides. In This manner the election
broken up, Dom and his party obtaining
carrying of the ballot-box.
To avoid similar outrage at the election
State officers &c IL. the election for LeayenWO
District was appointed to be held at Easton,
the time postponed until the l7th . Of Janua
were stepped by party Of men at groce
.and their arms taken from them. During
Afternoon, parties came up to the place OF e
ton, and threatened to destroy the ballot b
and were guilty Of other insolent and abu,
conduct. After the polls were closed, many