citizens-Mr. Stearns, Mr. Bond, and Mr. Willis. (24) They threatened to shoot Mr. Bond, and a crowd rushed after him, threatening him; and, as he ran from them, some shots were fired at him as he jumped off the bank of the river and made his escape. (25) The citizens of the town went over in a body late in the afternoon, when the polls had become comparatively clear, and voted. (26)

Before the voting had commenced, the Missourians said if the judges appointed by the governor did not receive their votes they would choose other judges.(27) Some of them voted several times, changing their hats or coats and coming up to the window again. (28) They said they intended to vote first, and after they had got through the others could vote. (29) Some of them claimed a right to vote under the organic act, from the fact that their mere presence in the Territory constituted them residents, though they were from Missouri, and had homes in Missouri. (30) Others said they had a right to vote because Kansas belonged to Missouri, and people from the East had no right to settle in the Territory and vote there. (31)

They said they came to the Territory to elect a legislature to suit themselves, as the people of the Territory and persons from the East and the North wanted to elect a legislature that would not suit them.(32) They said they had a right to make Kansas a slave State, because the people of the North had sent persons out to make it a free State. (33) Some claimed that they had heard that the Emigrant Aid Society had sent men out to be at the election, and they came to offset their votes; but the most of them made no such claim. Col. Young said he wanted the citizens to vote, in order to give the election some show of fairness. (34)

The Missourians said there would be no difficulty if the citizens did not interfere with their voting; but they were determined to vote peaceably, if they could, but vote any how. (35) They said each one. of them was prepared for eight rounds without loading, and would go to the ninth round with the butcher-knife. (36) Some of them said that by voting in the Territory they would deprive themselves of the right to vote in Missouri for twelve months afterwards. (37)

The Missourians began to leave the afternoon of the day of election, though some did not go home until the next morning. (38) In many

(24) E. D. Ladd, C. W. Babcock, Lyman Allen, S. N. Wood, N. B. Blanton, John Doy, J. Davidson, Charles Robinson.

(25) E. D. Ladd, C. W. Babcock, Lyman Allen, S. N. Wood, N. B. Blanton, J. Davidson, Dr. John Doy.

(26) E. D. Ladd, C. Robinson, A. B. Wade, J. Whitlock, J. M. Banks, H. W. Buckley. (27) G. W. Deitzler.

(35) Norman Allen, Lyman Allen, C. W. Babcock, S. N. Wood, E. Chapman, Thomas Hopkins.

(36) Jourdan Davidson.

(37) J. B. Abbot.

(38) E. D. Ladd, Norman Allen, William Yates, W. B. Hornsby, G. W. Deitzler, C. W. Babcock, C. Robinson, E. Chapman, Lyman Allen, Jourdan Davidson.

cases, when a wagon-load voted they immediately started for home. (39) On their way home they said that if Governor Reeder did not sanction the election they would hang him. (40)

The citizens of the town of Lawrence, as a general thing, were not armed on the day of election, though some had revolvers, but not exposed as were the arms of the Missourians. (41) They kept a guard about the town the night after the election, in consequence of the threats of the Missourians, in order to protect it. (42)

The pro-slavery men of the district attended the nominating con ventions of the free-State men, and voted for, and secured the nominations of, the men they considered the most obnoxious to the free-State party, in order to cause dissension in that party. (43)

Quite a number of settlers came into the district before the day of election, and after the census was taken. (44) According to the cenOf sus returns, there were then in the district 369 legal voters. those whose names are on the census returns, 177 are to be found on the poll-books of the 30th of March, 1855. Messrs. Ladd, Babcock, and Pratt testify to fifty-five names on the poll-books of persons they knew to have settled in the district after the census was taken, and before the election. A number of persons came into the Territory in March before the election, from the northern and eastern States, intending to settle, who were in Lawrence on the day of election. At that time many of them had selected no claims, and had no fixed place of residence. Such were not entitled to vote. Many of them became dissatisfied with the country. Others were disappointed at its political condition, and in the price and demand for labor, and returned. Whether any such voted at the election, is not clearly shown; but from the proof, it is probable that in the latter part of the day, after the great body of Missourians had voted, some did go to the polls. The number was not over fifty. These voted the free-State ticket. The whole number of names appearing upon the poll-lists is 1,034. After full examination, we are satisfied that not over 232 of these were legal voters, and 802 were non-residents and illegal voters. This district is strongly in favor of making Kansas a free State, and there is no doubt that the free-State candidates for the legislature would have been elected by large majorities if none but the actual settlers had voted. At the preceding election, in November, 1854, where none but legal votes were polled, General Whitfield, who received the full strength of the pro-slavery party, (45) got but fortysix votes.

SECOND DISTRICT.-Bloomington.

On the morning of election the judges appointed by the governoi appeared and opened the polls. Their names were Harrison Burson,

(39) S. N. Wood.

(40) Ganis Jenkins. (41) E. D. Ladd.

(42) E. D. Ladd.

(43) A. B. Wade.

(44) E. D. Ladd, Norman Allen, C. W. Babcock, Charles Robinson, Lyman Allen, J.

M. Brooks.

(45) James Whitlock.

Nathaniel Ramsay, and Mr. Ellison. The Missourians began to come in carly in the morning, some 500 or 600 of them in wagons and carriages, and on horseback, under the lead of Samuel J. Jones, then postmaster of Westport, Missouri; Claiborne F. Jackson and Mr. Steeley, of Independence, Missouri. They were armed with doublebarreled guns, rifles, bowie-knives, and pistols, and had flags hoisted. (1) They held a sort of an informal election off at one side, at first for governor of Kansas Territory, and shortly afterwards announced Thomas Johnson, of Shawnee Mission, elected governor.(2) The polls had been opened but a short time, when Mr. Jones marched with the crowd up to the window and demanded that they should be allowed to vote, without swearing as to their residence.(3) After some noisy and threatening talk, Claiborne F. Jackson addressed the crowd, saying they had come there to vote; that they had a right to vote if they had been there but five minutes, and he was not willing to go home without voting; which was received with cheers. (4) Jackson then called upon them to form into little bands of 15 or 20, which they did,(5) and went to an ox wagon filled with guns, which were distributed among them (6) and proceeded to load some of them on the ground. (7)

In pursuance of Jackson's request, they tied white tape or ribbons in their button-holes, so as to distinguish them from the "abolitionists."(8) They again demanded that the judges should resign; and upon their refusing to do so, smashed in the window, sash and all, and presented their pistols and guns to them, threatening to shoot them. (9) Some one on the outside cried out to them not to shoot, as there were pro-slavery men in the house with the judges. (10) They then put a pry under the corner of the house, which was a log-house, and lifted it up a few inches and let it fall again,(11) but desisted upon being told there were pro-slavery men in the house. During this time the crowd repeatedly demanded to be allowed to vote without being sworn, and Mr. Ellison, one of the judges, expressed himself willing, but the other two judges refused;(12) thereupon a body of men, headed by sheriff Jones, rushed into the judge's room with cocked pistols and drawn bowie-knives in their hands, and approached Burson and Ramsay. (13) Jones pulled out his watch and said he would give them five minntes to resign in, or die. (14) When the five minutes had expired and the judges did not resign, Jones said he

(1) II. Burson, N. Ramsay, James M. Dunn, Andrew White, Dr. E. G. Macey, H. Muzzy, Wm. Jessee, John A. Wakefield.

(2) E. G. Macey.

(3) H. Burson, N. Ramsay, J. M. Dunn, A. White, E. G. Macey, H. Muzzy, Wm. Jessee, John A. Wakefield.

(4) J. M. Dunn, A. White, E. G. Macey, J. A. Wakefi eld.

(5) E. G. Macey, J. A. Wakefield.

(6) J. M. Dunn, J. C. Dunn, A. White.

7) E. G. Macey.

(8) J. M. Dunn, J. N. Mace, A. White, E. G. Macey, J. A. Wakefield

(9) H. Burson, N. Ramsay.

(10) J. C. Dunn.

(11) H. Burson, N. Ramsay, J. N. Mace, J. C. Dunn, A. White, E. G. Macey, H. Muzzy, S. Jones, J. A. Wakefield.

(12) J. C. Dunn.

(13) Harrison Burson, N. Ramsay.

(14) H. Burson, N. Ramsay, J. C. Dunn, H. Muzzy, Wm. Jessee.

party.(23)

up

would give them another minute and no more. (15) Ellison told his associates that if they did not resign there would be one hundred shots. fired in the room in less than fifteen minutes, (16) and then snatching up the ballot-box ran out into the crowd, holding up the ballot-box and hurrahing for Missouri. (17) About that time Burson and Ramsay As were called out by their friends, and not suffered to return. (18) Mr. Burson went out he put the ballot poll-books in his pocket and took them with him, (19) and as he was going out Jones snatched some papers away from him, (20) and shortly afterwards came out himself, holding them up, crying, "Hurrah for Missouri!" (21) After he discovered they were not the poll-books, he took a party of men with him and started off to take the poll-pooks from Burson. (22) When Mr. Burson saw them coming, he gave the books to Mr. Umberger and told him to start off in another direction, so as to mislead Jones and his party. (23) Jones and his party caught Mr. Umberger, took the poll-books away from him, and Jones took him behind him on a horse and carried him back a prisoner. (24) After Jones and his party had taken Umberger back, they went to the house of Mr. Ramsay and took Judge John A. Wakefield prisoner, and carried him to the place of election, (25) and made him get up on a wagon and there make a speech; after which they put a white ribbon in his button-hole and let him go.(26) They then chose two new judges and proceeded with the election. (27) They also threatened to kill the judges if they did not receive their votes without swearing them, or else resign. (28) They said no man should vote who would submit to be sworn; that they would kill any man who would offer to do so. "Shoot him;" "Cut his guts out," &c.(29) They said no man should vote this day unless he voted an open ticket, and was all right on the goose; (30) and that if they could not vote by fair means, they would by foul means. (31) They said they had as much right to vote if they had been in the Territory two minutes as if they had been there two years, and they would vote. (32) Some of the citizens who were about the window, but had not voted when the crowd of Missourians marched up there, upon attempting to vote were driven back

(15) H. Burson, N. Ramsay, H. Muzzy.

(16) H. Burson, N. Ramsay, J. W. Mace, H. Muzzy, W. Jessee, S. Jones, J. A. Wake field.

(17) H. Burson, J. C. Dunn.

(18) H. Burson, N. Ramsay, J. C. Dunn, A. White, H. Muzzy, Wm. Jessec.

(19) H. Burson, J. C. Dunn.

(20) H. Burson.

(21) H. Burson, J. M. Dunn, E. G. Macey, Wm. Jessee.

(22) H. Burson, N. Ramsay.

(23) II. Burson, A. White, G. W. Umberger, Wm. Jessee.

(24) H. Burson, N. Ramsay, A. White, E. G. Macey, G. W. Umberger, Win. Jessee, J. A. Wakefield.

(25) N. Ramsay, J. M. Dunn, A. White, E. G. Macey, G. W. Umberger, Wm. Jessee, J. A. Wakefield.

(26) E. G. Macey, G. W. Umberger, J. A. Wakefield.

(27) T. Lahy.

(28) J. C. Dunn, Wm. Jessec, S. Jones.

(29) H. Burson, N. Ramsay, J. M. Dunn, J N. Mace, A. White, E. G. Macey, W. Jesses. (30) N. Ramsay.

by the mob, or driven off. (33) One of them, Mr. I. M. Mace, was asked if he would take the oath; and upon his replying that he would if the judges required it, he was dragged through the crowd away from the polls, amid cries of "kill the damned nigger-thief," "cut his throat," "tear his heart out," &c. After they got him to the outside of the crowd, they stood around him with cocked revolvers and drawn bowie-knives; one man putting a knife to his breast so that it touched him; another holding a cocked pistol to his ear, while another struck at him with a club. (34)

The Missourians said they had a right to vote, if they had been in the Territory but five minutes. (35) Some said they had been hired to come there and vote, and got a dollar a day, and by God they would vote or die there. (36.)

They said the 30th day of March was an important day, as Kansas would be made a slave State on that day. (37) They began to leave in the direction of Missouri in the afternoon, after they had voted,(38) leaving some thirty or forty around the house where the election was held, to guard the polls till after the election was over. (39) The citizens of the Territory were not armed, except those who took part in the mob, (40) and a large portion of them did not vote. (41) Three hundred and forty-one votes were polled there that day, of which but some thirty were citizens. (42) A protest against the election was got up and sent to the governor. (43) The returns of the election made to the governor were lost by the committee of elections of the legislature at Pawnee. (44)

The duplicate returns left in the ballot-box were taken by F. E. Lahy, one of the judges elected by the Missourians, and were either lost or destroyed in his house, (45) so that your committee have been unable to institute a comparison between the poll-lists and census returns of this district. The testimony is uniform, that not over thirty of those who voted there that day were entitled to vote, leaving 311 illegal votes. We are satisfied, from the testimony, that had the actual settlers alone voted, the free-State candidates would have been elected by a handsome majority.

THIRD DISTRICT.-Tecumseh.

On the 28th of March, persons from Clay, Jackson and Howard counties, Missouri, began to come into Tecumseh in wagons, carriages, and on horseback, armed with guns, bowie-knives and revolvers, and with tents, and camped close by the town, and continued coming in

(33) H. Burson, N. Ramsay, Wm. Jessee, I. N. Mace.

(34) I. N. Mace, H. Muzzy.

(35) J. M. Dunn, A. White, E. G. Macey, J. A. Wakefield.

(36) J. M. Dunn, J. C. Dunn, A. White.

(37) N. Ramsay.

(38) J. C. Dunn, A. White.

(39) A. White.

(40) H. Burson.

(41) H. Burson, I. N. Mace, H. Muzzy, Wm. Jessee, J. A. Wakefield.

(42) H. Burson.

(43) S. Jones, J. A. Wakefield.

(44) Daniel Woodson.

(45) F. E. Lahy.