The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-04-03

On the night before the election (Sun-
day, January 3D., number of persons
. were at the room of John Calhoun, No.
| q, Planters, House, in Leavenworth City,
and arranged to send John d. Henderson
/ that night to Shawnee precinct and to
Delaware Agency "to attend the election
and stir up the voters.n The persons
present were j. Calhoun, President of the
Convention; FL. Marshall, candidate for
Governor; J. F. Carr, candidate for Con-
gress; B. j. Franklin, candidate for State
Senate; Robert Miller, Indian Agent;
Col. Clarkson, Postmaster of Leayen-
worth; j. D. Henderson, Special Mail
i Agent: A. j. Isaaes, l.. S. Boiling, Oliver
Diefendorf, Mr.. Calhoun's brother-in-law,
and commissioner of the election for
Leavenworth county,, and Mr.. Martin,
| of Washington, D.C.f
4 Mr.. Calhoun had been at Leavenworth
/ City since before the election of the 21st
of December.S These persons were IN
the habit of meeting frequently in his
room, No. q, and discussing political
matters. BF. J. Marshall had returned
from Jefferson City, where he had been
assured by several of the sheriffs there,
from counties bordering on Kansas, in
presence of Gov. Stewart, and with his.
u appreciation, that they would see that
enough of their boysn would go over
and vote for him to insure his election.
On that evening, at Mr.. Calhoun's room,
letter was written to send by Hender-
son, signed by Calhoun and several others
present, addressed to J. 81. Danforth and
others at Shawnee, urging them to get
! out as large Democratic vote as possible
at Delaware Agency. There were other
matters in the letter, but witnesses could
not recollect them.T The importance of
getting large Democratic majority there
was discussed, and it was admitted that
4 Leayenworth county would be close 1t
was stated (and, as witness thought, in
i presence of Calhoun, that Danforth
could probably bring over from johnson
county one hundred men to vote for Off
GERS at Delaware Crossing, in Leavenworth
county.
Henderson started Sunday night, and
reached Shawnee at O'Clock AN He
remained there during the day* 1t does
not appear whether he saw Danforth or
not Danforth was there, and carried the
Shawnee returns to Westport, where they
were forged as has been above stated.
, Henderson, while there, inquired for a
man to carry letter to Oxford; and next
day Danforth was expecting the Oxford
poll book at Wesport.t
The Board are of the opinion, from the
evidence, that an understanding was had
between Danforth and Henderson, by
which Danforth should see that the Oxford
, and Shawnee returns were taken to West
port, and enough names forged on them TO
carry the Territory for the Democratic
ticket for State officers; while Henderson
should secure the Delaware Agency re-
turns, and have enough names forged on
them to elect the eleven members of the
Legislature from Leavenworth County,
and thus secure majority for the Le-
compton party in that body.
Henderson reached Delaware Agency
, about sunset, and offered to carry the re-
turns to Leavenworth. THE judges con-
sented to entrust them to him. SHe waited
, there until the moon rose, about midnight,
and then received them put up in the box
as above stated, and took them to Cal
, houR's room, at the Planters House in
Leavenworth City. HMr. Diefendorf saw
, him lying down in No. q next morning
"wednesday, Jan. 6th,) after breakfast
lie said he had returned during the night
At 10 or II O'Clock In the morning, Boil
ing met Henderson on the street, and
asked the news. Henderson replied: ats
, all right and asked him not 10 mention
, his having been down there"
On Wednesday evening, Calhoun left
+ for Fort Leayenworth or Weston, and
went thence to Lecompton about Satur-
!. day, the 9th january On Wednesday,
the 18th, he opens the returns of the 21st
, December, on the Constitution, and those
of 5th of January, for officers under it, at
Lecompton, in presence of Governor Dem
yer, Mr. Deitzler, aud others. Hender-
son was then under arrest at Lawrence,
charged with forging returns from Della
f ware Crossing. He sent word to Calhoun
, by Mr. Noteware that morning, snot to
count the votes of that precinct until he
, henderson, could see Calhoun Gov
ernor Denver states that, after Calhoun
: had opened the returns, some one made
enquiry for the returns from Delaware
, Crossing. Calhoun said that all the re-
, turns received by him from Leayenworth
county were counted, but that those from
| Delaware Crossing were not there. He
: did rot state whether he had or had not
/ i seen them.'' DeitZler states that Calhoun
was asked what the vote of Delaware
/; Agency was, and replied, they are not
. here.''
{ The Board are satisfied from the testi-
/ mony that Calhoun had, before leaving
! Il
f the returns, at his room, No. 27, to which
: Henderson took them.
= Henderson states that he saw Diefendorf
! Tuesday, about noon of the fifth; about
: an hour after reached here, l told him
: there was box with the returns in room
: No. q, at the Planters House, aud he
!, could get them there" And that six
: days afterwards he asked him If he had
6 sent them to Calhoun, and Diefendorf
, told him that he had. That he (Hender-
> SOM has not seen the returns, nor any
thing purporting to be the returns from
= Delaware Crossing, since he saw the judges
:. of election have them at that precinct.
Diefendorf testi6eS that he saw Hen
5 derson lying down in Calhoun's room,
= after breakfast, Tuesday morning; and
that Henderson said he had got back dur
!. ing the night, but did not tell him he had
brought the returns That on Monday
. following, at about 8 PM, Henderson
! sent Mr. Calhoun, nephew Of John Cal
! houp, to ask him to 90 tn the Planters
) House; that he went and met Henderson
: there, who gave him roll of papers, and
4 told him they were the returns from Del
= aware Agency, and that he would find the
!, box containing the ballots in room No
!. q. That he (DiefendorD did not unroll
. the papers or see any wiring on them;
:. but next morning sealed them up and di.
aI reeted them TO Calhoun; that ne had nc
e other conversation with Henderson about
; them; did not learn the vote, and did no
=! tell Henderson next morning that he had