The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-12-10
The Mass Acr, by John Brown, At Ossa-


wat0mic.
eFFiCIAL REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF coNGhEss'
The Aowue 4 an extract from the report Of the Spe-
eA Cmmistee On the troubles In Kansas Opp Aos-l0s
demonstrating tat John Brown did commit the massacre
d OssawssomIe Creek, though now denied bySsedpath
and ethers,-
"a ~ The 24h Of May, 1885, Pottawatomie creek.
n ths massacre is known that five persons killed
n one night VIZ; Allen Wilkinson, William sherman,
os The undersigned begs leave TO refer to various am
Sayts which he appends 70 and makes part OF his report
Alien wilkinson was member Of the Kansas Legsa-
sure-a quiet inonensive His widow, Louisa Jane
WiIinson estdes that the night Of the cath Of May
hast between the hours Of midnight and daybreak she
tbsks party of men came TO the house where they
we're residing and forciby carried her husband away;
and morning he found about $50 yards from
the house, dead Mrs. Wilkinson was very III al the time
with measles. Here follows extract from her afidavt
begged them 70 let Mr.. wilkinson stay with me, say
ing that sick and helpless and could not stay by
myself my husband also asked them TO let him stay with
me until he could get some one 10 wait told them
mat he would not off, but would be there the next
aay or whenever called for the old who seemed TO
be in command looked at me, and then around at the
have but they not here, and cannot 90 for them'
the old replied, matter not and told him get
ready my husband wanted to put on his boots and
ready SO protected from the damp and night air.
but they would not let him. they then took my husband
AVIAN voice ii COMPLAINT sest
ng Mr. Wkinsons body was found about $50 yards from
house, some dead brush; q lady who saw huS-
bands body said that there . cash In his head
and his side others said that he cut in the throat
twice" Mr.. wilkinson was poor man, and OF course
his widow was left destute but regardless OF this fact
they took away some property including the only horse
they had. Mrs. Wilkinson presented at Westport,
Missouri with the necessary 70 go to her ahers in
Tennessee. She has two small children. Mrs. Wikin.
sons description Of the leader OF the who murdered
her husband suits Captain John Brown, q we'll known
character in the abolition party She says that her hus
band quiet man, and was not engaged in arresng
or disturbing anybody he took active part in the
prosavery cause so as to aggravate the aboonsts but
The circumstances attending William Shermans assass-
testified to by Mr. JAS Harris of Franklincoun
ty Kansas. Mr.. Sherman staying night at the
Harris, when, the night of the oath of May
about O'Clock Capt John Brown and party there
and others Sharman was asked to walk out Mr.. Har.
ris, in his affidavit says-Od man Brown asked Mr.. Sher-
man to out with him, and Sherman then went out with
Brown. heard nothing for about :fteen minutes
Two Of the Northern army as they styled themselves
s,ad with until we heard cap burst. and then these
William Sherman dead In the creek near my house. /
looking for him. as he had not come back, thought
(body) Of the creek and examined it. Mrs. White
man with me. Shermans skull was split open in two
places, and Of his brains washed out by the
water large hole cut in his breast and his left hand
was cut of, except little piece of skin one side."
In relation to the assassination Of James r. Doyle and
sons the affidavit of Mrs. Mahala Doyle, the widowed
mother, was procured william Doyle, enc Of the muir.
dered, was twenty years Of age; Drury Doyle, the
sher was twenty years Of age Mrs Doyle le very
od-to support Mrs. Doyle testifes " That party Of
armed men came TO her house about II o'clock, she
thinks the night Of the oath Of May they first inquired
where Mr.. Wilkinson lived and then made Mr. Deyle
open his door went into the house saying they were
from the Army OF the North, and asking them 70
render.n Says Mrs Doyle They FIRST took my husband
out Of the house then they took two OF my sonsthe two
eldest, William and Drury-out and then took my hus
band and the two boys away. My son John sixteen
years od) spared because asked them in tears TO
spare him. In short time afterwards heard the report
Of pistos-two reports; after which heard moaning as
a WI her haa I'd wild vrbn
went out next morning in search Of
them, and found my husband and William my son. lying
dead in the together about two hundred yards
from the house. They buried the next day. On the
day Of the buryng saw the dead boiy Of my son Drury
Fear for myself and the remaining children induced me
70 leave the home which we had been living at and /
went 10 the State OF Missouri"
The testimony Of John Doyle goes corroborate that Of
his mother. Here follows extract found nv father
and one brother (Wiam lying dead in the road about
two hundred yards from the house. I saw my other
brother lying dead the ground one hundred and
Hfty yards from the house, in the grass near ravne
HIS fingers we're cut off, his head cut open there
hole in his breast. Williams head was cut open, and
hole was in his Jaw, though it was made by knife
and hole was also in his side. My father was shot in
the forehead and stabbed in the breast have talked
often with Northern men and Eastern In the Terri
tory and these men talked exactly like Eastern men and
Northern men tak-that s, their language and pronun-
citation similar 10 those Of Eastern and Northern men
with whom had talked. An old man commanded the
party be was Of dark complexion and his face slim
NY father and brothers were proslavery men, and be
ionged TO the law and order party
There be little doubt that certain notori-
Gus leader OF the free State party they call themseves
Kansas whose name not here deemed proper give
at the head Of the party engaged in this endsh
Mr.. Harris testies that John Brown, one of
the leaders Of the free State party, engaged the
killing of Sherman, and it will hardly doubted that
they who murdered Sherman also killed the rest-al
being murdered on the same night and in the same neigh
borbood Those who killed. it is testified, pro-
slavery people, and the undersigned has hesitation
saying that these i'll fated deprived Of their
lives and their wives and children made widows and
orphans, in consequence of the insurrectonary
ments nsgated and foot by the reckless leaders
the Topeka Convention
Next order are the outrages committed on the property
Of Morton Bourn and that of j. N. Bernard The affidavit
Of Mr. Bourn shows that the night Of Wednesday the
18th day OF May 1885, party Of aboonsts entered his
house orcbly, threatened to take his life il he did
leave the Territory immediately took all the money he
had, which they said they wanted TO carry the
They also took guns saddles horses and robbed
his store OF various articles. Mr. Bourn, oath, says
Town slaves, and have crop Of corn and wheat grow
slavery party only voted the ticket and was
must leave in a day or two or they would xiii me, OF
limited much-sad would not fare well, words tc
that effect left for fear of my life and the lives of my
family. They said that the war was commenced, that
they were going TO fight it out and drive the pro slavery
people Of the Territory, words to that The
men that robbed my house add drove away from my
property were abolitonsts or free sellers.
believe they hated me SO because am pro slavery
man. and in favor Of the Territorial laws and becaue
served on the last grand jury at Lecompton"
But the most fragrant case Of robbery that occurred
while your committee were in Kansas was the plunderne
OF Mr. Joab Bernards store and premises Mr. Bernard
quite young man. and Of highly respectable family
While prosecuting his business he warned that biz
life in danger and compelled TO leave his home
safety during absence his store was robbed
nearly four thousand dollars worth of goods and
and bis premises Of cattle and horses the value
least thousand The facts OF this
fed to by Messrs. John Miller and Thomas S. Hamilton
Mr. Bernard testifes himself his life being threat
ened and the amount of goods in his and other pro
perty on the premises. Messrs Miller and Hamilton
corroborae his testimony and the undersigned makes
their dispositions part of his report st. Bernard, j.
Bernards place. is situated in Douglas county the Cali
Yornia and Fort Scott road about thirty miles from
Lecompton The robbery took place the 9th day
May, 1866. In his affidavit, Mr. Miller says 81 was In
the store with Mr. Davis Whilst there party of thirteen
men came TO on horseback armed with 5harpes
rifles, revolvers and bowie knives. They inquired for
Mr.. Bernard told them he had gone to Westport One
Of them said to me, You telling God damned lie, ,
and drew up his gun at me. Some Of them came into the
store and the rest remained outside They called for such
goods as they wanted, and made Mr. Davis and myself
hand them out and said if didn't hurry they would
shoot US. They had their guns ready. After thew had
got the goodsthey wanted principally blankets and cloth
ingthey packed them upon their horses and went away