Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-08-28

the undersigned deems it a duty no less to
the House, than to the country and to the
cause of truth, to give some facts on the
other side favorable to the other party in
Kansas, so that presenting both sides, the
world may have a fair chance to get at the
truth, and arrive at conclusion. The mi
nority of your committee (the majority
having before alluded, in their report, to
events as to which they refused to take
testimony has fortunately been furnished
with sworn testimony to which he desires
to refer, and which he considers important
10 lay before the House and the public
First in order Of time are the murders COM
mitted on the night of the Gath OF May,
1856, on Pottawotomie Creek In this
massacre, it is known that five persons were
killed in one night, viz: Allen Wilkinson,
William Sherman, William P. DOYLE, faith
or. and William and Drury Doyle, sons
The undersigned begs leave to refer to va
rious afidavits which he appends and makes
part of his report.
Allen Wilkinson was a member of the
Kansas legislature quiet, inoffensive
man. His widow, Louisa Jane Wilkinson,
testifes, that on the night Of the cath of
May last, between the hours Of midnigh;
and dav-break, she thinks, party of men
came TO the house where they were resi-
ding and forcibly carried her husband
away; that they took him in the name of
the northern army" and that next morn
ing he was found about $50 yards from the
house, dead. Here follows an extract from
her affidavit: Il begged them to let Mr.
Wilkinson stay with me. saying that | was
sick and helpless and could not stay by my
self My husband also asked them to lei
him stay with me until he could get some
one to wait on me; he told them that he
would not run off. but would be there next
day, or whenever called for, the old man
who seemed to be in command looked al
me and then around to the children, and
replied, "you have neighbors" l said.
80 have, but they are not here, and |
cannot go for them" The old man replied
lit matters not" and told him TO get ready
Ny 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 a
way. + Afer they
were gone l thought heard my husbands
voice in complaint
Next morning Mr.. Wilkinson's body was
found about 80 Yards from the house, in
some dead brush. \ lady, who saw my
husbands body. said that there was cash
In his head and his side. Others said that
lie was cut in the throat twice" Mr. vii
kinson was poor man, and Of course his
widow was left destitute; but, regardless
of this fact, they took away some property,
including the only horse they had. Mrs.
Wilkinson was presented at Westport, Mis-
souri,, with the necessary means to 90 to
her fathers in Tennessee She has two
small children. Mrs. Wilkinson's descrip-
ton of the leader of the men who murdered
her husband suits Captain John Brown, a
well known character in the abolition par
ty. She says that her husband was quiet
man, and was not engaged in arresting any
body. tie took no active part in the pro-
slavery cause, so as to aggrava.e the abol-
tionists; but he was pro slavery man.
The circumstances attending William
Sherman's assassination are testified TO by
Mr.. James Harris, of Franklin county. Kan
sas. Mr.. Sherman was staying over night
ut the house of Mr. Harris when on the
night of the 24th of May, about two O'Clock
Captain John Brown and a party came
there, and after taking some property and
gu :stioning Harris and others, Sherman
was asked to walk out Mr.. Harris in his
affidavit, says: "Old man Brown asked
Mr.. Sherman to 90 out with him, and Sher-
man then went out with Brown l heard
nothing more for fifteen minutes Two of
the Northern Army as they STYLED
themselves, stayed with us until we heard
a cap burst, and then these two men left
Next morning, about ten o'clock. | found
William Sherman dead in the creek near
my house. was looking for him; as he
had not come back, and l thought he had
been murdered. took William Sherman
fbody out Of the creek and examined it.
Mrs. Whiteman was with me. Sherman's
skull was split open in two places. and
some of his brains were washed out bv the
water, a large hole was cut in his breast
and his left hand was cut off, except lit
tie piece Of skin on one side"
In relation to the assassination of James
j. Doyle and sons, the affidavit Of Mrs. Ma
hala DOYLE, the widowed mother, was pro-
cured. William Doyle, one of the muir
dered men, was twenty two years Of age.
Drury Doyle, the other, was twenty years
Of age. Mrs. Doyle was left very poor.
viii. four children--one of them now only
eight years old--to support. Mrs. Doyle
testities: "that party ofarmed men came
to her house about | / O'Clock, she thinks.
on the night of the Gath Of May; they first
inquired where Mr. Wilkinson lived. and
then made Mr.. Doyle open his door, and
went into the house saying that they were
from the Army of the North" and ask
ing them to surrender" Says Mrs DOYLE
They first took my husband ont of the
house, then they took two of my sons
the two eldest, William and Drury-out
and then took my husband and the two
boys away. My son John, (sixteen years
old, J was spared, because | asked them, i'm