The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-07-19


to have shadow OF authority for their truth except
vague rumor and for which ia fact there il yet
shown and the testimony in regard 10 at least Of
which events they had exPunged from the recordto wit
the tarring and cottonng Of Pardee Butler. The
designed Of the opinion that IL the majority Of your
committee justified in reporting and dwelling upon
occurrences for the truth OF which they offer proe be
is equally, If not much strongly justified 10 report
ing and dwelling upon occurrences for the proof OF
which he has sworn testimony. The majority Of your
committee having presented in their report scarcely any
thing but what is favorable to the abolition party In
Kansas and preudicia TO tho aw-andorder party, the
undersigned deems il duty, no less TO the House
than TO the country and the OF truth to give some
facts the other side favorable TO the other party in Kan
sss that in presenting both sides the world may have
fair chance get at the TRUTH and arrive AT just conclu
sion. The minority OF your committee THE majority haV
ing alluded in their report 10 events as to which they
fused take testimony has fortunately been furnished
with testimony to which he desires 10 refer, and
which he considers important to lay before the House and
the public First in order OF time the murders COM
mted the night OF the Gath Of May, 1856, Potta-
watomie creek In this massacre II is known thahve per-
killed in one night, via Allen Wilkinson, Wm
Sherman William Z. Doyle, father and William and Drnry
Doyle The undersigned begs leave to refer To various
adays which he appends to and makes part OF his re-
port ~-
Allen Wilkinson was member of the Kansas legisla-
ture-a quiet inoffensiye His widow, Louisa Jane
Wilkinson tees that the night OF the gath or May
last between the hours of midnight and day-break she
thinks party of the house where they were
residing and orciby carried her husband away they
took him in the of the northern army and that
next morning he found about 100 yards from the
house dead Mrs. Wilkinson very i'll at the time with
measles Here follows an extract from her affidavit Il
begged them let Mr.. Wilkinson stay with me, saying
that sick and helpless and could not stay by myself
My husband also asked them to lei him stay with me un
he could get TO wait me- told them that he
would not run of, but would be there the next day,
whenever called for the old man who seemed to be In
command looked at me- and then around at the children
and replied You have neighbors said SO have, but
they here and cannot go for them, The old man
replied 1T matters not and told him to get ready My
husband wanted to put on his boots and get ready SO as
to be protected from the damp and night air. but they
would not let him. They then took my husband away
. After they were gone thought heard my
husbands voice in complaint. Next morning Mt
Wikinsons body was found about $50 yards from the
house, in some dead brush. \ lady, who saw my nus
bands body said that there cash in his head and his
side Others said that he was cut in the throat twice
Mr. Wilkinson poor man. and OF course his widow
left destitute but regardless OF this fact they took
away property including the only horse they had
Mira Wilkinson was presented at Westpor Missouri with
necessary to her fathers in Tennessee She
has two small children Mrs. Wilknsons description OF
the leader of the who murdered her husband suits
Capt John Brown well known character in the abolition
party She says that her husband was Quiet man, and
engaged in arresting disturbing anybody He
took active part in the pro-slavey cause so as to
gr waite the aboliionists but he pro-savery man.
The circumstances attending William Shermans assas-
snation testified by r James Harris of Franklin
county Kansas Mr. Sherman staying over night at
the house of Harris when, the night Of the Gath Of
May ABOUT tve peiack, Captain John Brown ard party
ing harss and Others Sherman YVES asked 10 walk out
Mr. Harris in his affidavit says "old man Brown asked
Mr. Sherman to go out with him and Sherman then went
out with Brown ! heard nothing more for ABOUT ffeea
minutes Two Of the Northern Army, as they styled
..selves stayed with US until we heard cap burst and
then these two men aft Next morning about ten o'clock
found William Sherman dead in the creea near my house
was looking for him be bad not come back thought
he had been murdered ! took Mr.. Nilam sherman
(oodyl out of the creek and examined 1t Mrs Whiteman
was with me Sherman's skull was split open in two
and of his
large hole was cut in bis breast and his left hand
was cut off except Little piece of skn on one side,
In relation the assassination OF James 7. Doyle and
sons the affidavit of Mrs, Mahala Doyle the widowed
mother procured WIN. Doyle oco q the murdered.
was twenty years Of Drury Doyle the other was
twenty years Of age Mrs. Doyle was lett very poor with
four childrn- ofthem only eight years oldto sup
port Mrs Doyle testi6es That party OF armed men
came her house about II o'clock, she thinks on the
Wilkinson lived, aud then made Mr. Doyle open his door,
and wen, INTO the house, saying they were from the
Army Of the North and asking them 70 surreHaer Says
Doyle They ass took my husband o., o. the house
and Drry-out and then took my husband aud the two
BOYS away Ny John (sixteen years od) spared
time afterwards heard the report OF pstols-wo reports
after which heard moaning, as If person was dying
then heard a wild whoop. i went out next
morning In search 81 them and found my husband and
William my son, lying dead IN the road near together
about two hundred yards from the house They were
buried the next day. On the day Of the burying saw
the dead body Of my son Drury Fear for myself and the
remaining children induced ne to leave the home which
we had been living AZ apd went TO the State of Mis-
souri,
The testimony Of John Doyle goes 10 corroborA,e tua g
bis mother Here follows extract &" found my father
aud brother lWiam lying dead In the road about
two hundred yards from the house my other broth
err lying dead the ground about hundred and fifty
yards from the house in the grss near rarine His
fingers were cut of his head cut open there
hole in bis breast Williams bead cut open and a
hole was in his jaw though II made by knife and
hole was also In his side. Ny father shot in the
with northern and eastern in the Territory and
these men talked exactly like and northern
men tak-that Is their language and pronunciation were
similar those OF eastern and northern with whom
had talked An old commanded the party; he was Of
dark complexion and bis face slim My father and
brothers prosayery men, and belonged TO the lar
and order party"
There seems TO be little or doubt that certain notor
leader Of the eeate party las they call themselves
in Kansas whose IL not here deemed proper 10
give the head OF the party engaged in this 6endsh
massacre Mr Harris esthes that John Brown, Of
leaders Of the feeSaie party, engaged 10 the
killing OF Sherman, and IL will hardly be doubted that they
who murdered Sherman also killed the rest-sll being
murdered on the night and In the neghbor-
hood. Those who killed, IL Is testified were pro
slavery people and the undersigned has hesitation in
saying that these Inflated deprived Of their lives
and their wives and children made widows and orphans in
and set by the reckless leaders Of tho Topeka
vention. '#
Next in order are the outrages committed on the prop
erty OF Morton Bourn and that OF j. NJ Bernard The a
davt Of Mr. Bourn shows that the night Of Wednesday
the 2Sh day OF May 1885, party OF abolitonss entered
his house forcbly threatened TO take his life II be did
leave the Territory immediately took all the money he
had which they said they wanted to carry the
They also took guns saddles and horses aud then robbed
his store OF various articles. Mr. Bourn, oath, says
& 7 ka.an -