The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-08-01

FOURTEENTH Observation-Disclosures
1t was generally rumored in the dis
trict, for some days before the election,
that the Missourians were coming over to
vote. Previous to the election, men
from Missouri came into the district and
eleetioneered for the pro-sIayery candi-
dates, General David r. Atchison and a
party controlling the nominations IN each
of the primary elections.
Burr Oak Precinct.-Seyeral hundred
Missourians from Buchanan, Platte, and
Andrew counties, Missouri, including a
great many of the prominent citizens OF
st. Joseph, came into this precinct on the
day of election and ON the day before, in
wagons and On horses, and camped there.
They were armed with pistols, bowie
knives, guns and rifles. On the morning
of the election the Free State candidates
resigned in body, on account of the pres
ence of large numbers of armed Missouri
ans, at which the crowd cheered and hur-
rahed. General B. F. Stringfellow was
present, and was prominent in promoting
the election of the pro-slavery ticket, as
was also the Hon. Willard P. Hall and
others of the most prominent citizens of
st. Joseph, Missouri. But one of the
judges of election appointed by the Cover
nor served on that day, and the crowd
chose two Others to supply the vacancies.
The Missourians said they came there to
vote for and carry the election of Major
w. P. Richardson. Major Richardson,
elected to the council, had farm in Mis-
souri,, where his wife and daughter livad
with his son-in-law, Willard P. Hall, he
himself generally going home to Missouri
every Saturday night. The farm was
generally known as the Richardson farm.
He had claim in the Territory upon
which was saw mill, and where he gen
orally remained through the. week. Some
of the Missourians gave as their reason
for voting that they had heard that eastern
emigrants were to be at that election
| though no eastern emigrantS were there.
Others said they were going to vote fol
the purpose of making Kansas slave
State. Some claimed that they had 9
right to vote under the provisions of the
Kansas-Nebraska bill, from the fact tha,
they were on the ground ON the day Of
election. The Free State men generally
did not vote, and those who did vote, vot.
ed generally for John H. Whitehead, pro-
slavery, for Council, against Major w. p
Richardson, and did not vote at all fol
members of the border town. The par.
ties were pretty nearly equally divided il
the district, some being of the opinion that
the Free State party had small majority
and Others that the pro-slaveFy party had
small majority. After the election was
over and the polls were closed, the Mis-
sourians returned home. During the day
they had provisions and liquor served out
free of expense to all.
DOniphan PreciRct-The evening before
the election, some 200 or more Missouri
ans from Platte, Buchanan, Saline, ant
Clay counties, Missouri, came into thi
precinct, with tents, music, wagons, anC
provisions, and armed with guns, rifles
pistols, and bowie knives, and eampe,
about two miles from the place ofyoting
They said they came to vote, to maxi
Kansas slave State, and intended to re
turn to Missouri after they had voted
Onthe morning of the election, the Judge
appointed by the Governor would no
serve, and Others were chosen by tn
crowd
The Missourians were allowed to vot
) without being sworn, some of them yotin
as many as eight or nine different times
changing their hats and coats, and givin
, in different names each time. After the
J had voted, they returned to Missouri. Tn
; Free State men generally did not vot
T though constituting a majority in th
: precinct. Upon counting the ballots
the box, and the names on the poll list
; it was found that there were too many ba
5 lots, and one of the judges of electio
took out ballots enough to make the tn
5 numbers correspond.
j Wolf Riiuer Preciact.-But few Nilsson
rians Were present in this precinct, thoug
j some of them threatened one of the judg
because he refused to receive their vote
: and when he resigned, another was chose
i in his place, who consented to recei1
: their votes
7 Protests were drawn up against Il
/ elections in the various precincts in Il
: 14th district, but on account of threa
!, that greater numbers of Missourians wOu
: be present at new election, should 1t
i called, and of personal violence to tho
who should take part in the protest,
was not presented to the Governor; M
!, ior Richardson, the pro-slayery candida
|. for council, threatening DIR. Cutler, t
II Free State candidate, that if he contests
u the election he and his Office should
e put in the Missouri river. The numb
OF voters in this district by the census W
s 334; of these, 124 voted.
s. The testimony shows that quite nul
Is ber of persons whose legal residence W
e in the popular county of Buchanan, NJ
souri, on the opposite side of the riy
. had claims in the Territory. Some rang
{. cattle, and Others marked out their clai
81 and built cabin, and sold this incipie
=, title when they could. They were 1
le residents of the Territory in any just
3 legal sense. 4 number of settlers reno
re ed into the Territory in the month
lie March. Your committee are satisfied,
ir ter careful analysis of the records a
ir testimony. that the number of legal yo
ut cast did not exceed zoo out of 727.
10 FIFTEENTH DIsTRIcT-EicaatNo.-T
IA election in this district was held at
house of Mr.. Hayes. On the day of ell
or ion, a crowd offrom 100 to 500 men c
r iected around the polls, of which the gr
re body were citizens Of Missouri.
re One of the judges of election, in
ID testimony states that the strangers co
ae naenced crowding around the polls. a
that then the residents left Threats vi
he made before during the election day. q
en- there should be no Free State candidat
as although there were nearly or quite
Sc many Free State as pro-slavery men re
re dent in She district: most of the Gro
s. were drinking and earcusing, cursing
ey aboIitionists, and threatening the OF
" Free Stats Judge of election. A maj
d, ity of those who voted wore hemp
al their button holes, and their password V
NJ ssAlI right on the hemp" Many Of
ed Missourians were known. and are nan