attack that might be made on the town of Lawrence that night, and the manner in which it was obtained.

To Mr. Sherman :

Up to the time of the rescue of Branson I knew of no process in the hands of sheriff Jones against any citizen of Lawrence. The process against Branson, according to my information, was the first one that sheriff Jones had undertaken to serve in Douglas county, unless it may have been some civil process. Branson was not a citizen of Lawrence, but resided some ten or fifteen miles south, at a place called Hickory Point.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 9, 1856.

WILSON SHANNON.

To Mr. Reeder:

Dr. G. A. CUTLER recalled.

I had been lying sick at Topeka for some time with the typhoid fever, and when I had got well enough to sit in the carriage I started home. This was about two weeks previous to the war or invasion. I got as far as Leavenworth city, and was taken again. I remained there sick about a week, and then hired Mr. Warren to take me home, and also hired a horse and buggy. He took me to Doniphan, and on his way back was captured at Atchison. They immediately sent up a body of men for me, with a writ for high treason, issued by a justice of the peace by the name of Heedly, I think. They took me down to Atchison and sent an express up to Weston for assistance to prevent a rescue. I was very sick, indeed, when they took me, and could not stand on my feet over five minutes at a time. Some 30 or 40 men came from Weston that night, and tried to break into the hotel, where I was, but could not succeed. Previous to that I had sent for this justice of the peace, and he would not come. I again sent him word in the morning that I was in extreme danger, and that he knew he had no right to detain me there, and begged him to come and release me. I sent for him two or three times, and, during the intermediate time, there were threats of shooting, hanging, killing, &c., and several demonstrations made. Finally the justice came, and Ï told him he must be very ignorant of the law if he thought he had any jurisdiction over a case of that kind. I argued some time, and finally he took me aside and told me he would acquit me. As soon as I got free from there I thought of going home, but they had the horse and buggy captured, and I waited to get that. They kept putting me off. I told them my life was in danger there, and I wanted to get home. Seeing I could not get the horse and buggy, I set about trying to get off some other way, as I could not walk, when a fellow by the name of Thomason, a two-hundred-pounder, stepped up to me, tapped me on the shoulder, and told me I was his prisoner. I asked him what he arrested me for, and he said because he could. I told him that was not good enough authority; that I had been sick a long time, and wanted to get home. He said that

I

did not make a damned bit of difference; that he had arrested me, and was going to send me out to Lecompton under a guard of thirty men. I told him I would not go, as such a trip would kill me then. After arguing, he told me I could take my choice, either to be hung or go to Lecompton. I told him I preferred the hanging, as I thought the trip would kill me anyhow, and the other would be the shorter way of doing it. I appealed to P. T. Abell, a lawyer from Weston, Missouri, who was standing by, and told him he knew such a course was unlawful, and he could get me out of it. Finally, after some consultation, they concluded not to hang me, but to send me to Lecompton. They forced me into a buggy and started off, with a guard of some thirty men, though but eight or ten, who were on horseback, kept up with us; the rest were in wagons. When I arrived at Lecompton, I sent for General Richardson, who was in command of a large number of troops there. He came, and I told him how I had been used, and a number of my friends, pro-slavery men, did the same. He told me he would release me, which he did. Mr. Jones soon after stepped up and arrested me again; this was sheriff Jones. I asked him what for, and he said he guessed it was to be a witness against somebody; or if Lawrence was taken, to be against Lawrence, or something of that kind, hesitating very much as he said so. showed me no warrant, but took me down to the camp. I was exposed to the most inclement weather, insulted some ten or fifteen times grossly, and came very near losing my life by being taken worse with the disease I was suffering from, and was delirious for some time. I was salivated so that all my teeth became loose. I was then taken to Benicia, and lay sick at Dr. Brooks', and when peace was declared was discharged from custody. I had no trial. I had a kind of trial at Atchison; the justice said he acquitted me, but I had no trial after I was brought down to Lecompton. I gave no bail, nor was I taken before a magistrate. No explanation was given me before I was discharged, of the reasons for my arrests; and though I asked several times, no one could tell me about it. While I was lying in the camp at Lecompton, R. S. Kelly, a partner of Dr. Stringfellow in the Squatter Sovereign "" paper, rode up before the tent I was lying in and said, "I want blood; I am blood-thirsty; I want to take this God damned abolitionist out and hang him." I was insulted a number of times, but do not now recollect all the specific cases.

To Mr. Rees :

He

I know only from hearsay what were the grounds of Warren's arrest. I saw no papers found upon Warren, no documents or printed books, and know nothing about them, only that I heard something had been found on him. I do not know of the existence of any secret organization for the purpose of resisting the laws of the Territory. I have never seen any printed pamphlet, purporting to be an expose of such a society. I have seen an article in a newspaper to that effect. I have not seen a printed pamphlet purporting to be a ritual of such an order. I do not know anything of the existence of such an order from any one purporting to be connected with the society. GEO. A. CUTLER.

TECUMSEH, K. T., May 6, 1856.

WILLIAM PHILLIPS called and sworn.

I came into the Territory about the middle of last October. I went up to Topeka first, and got to Lawrence the day before the rescue of Branson. I attended the meeting called in regard to the rescue, and heard the resolutions passed, and the position taken by the people of Lawrence. I went down to the Wakarusa camp several times. The first time I found a company of some seventy or eighty men at Franklin, shooting at a mark. I spoke to one or two, and asked them where they came from. Two said they came from Missouri, and accused the people of Lawrence as abolitionists, and of burning the houses of pro-slavery men. I heard several that day make threats of coming up to destroy the town of Lawrence. This was the first or second day of December. The day afterwards I went down again, and went beyond the Wakarusa. They were camping on the bottom accross the creek from Blue Jacket's. I crossed the creek, and met a good many parties of men coming up, and stopped and spoke with many of them. I spoke to some men in two ox-teams, and they told me they came from beyond Lexington, Missouri, and that they were going up to the camp, and they intended to take Lawrence. of them said they were going to burn it, and drive out the abolitionists. I was on horseback, and one advanced to me and asked me if I was a Yankee. I told him I was an Illinoisan. Another said he thought I was all right. One of them told me most of their neighbors were coming up, and that two thousand men were coming up from that part of Missouri. I spoke to another party who were in two-horse wagons and on horseback, and they told me they were from Clay county, Missouri. They tried to stop me, and asked me where I was going. One of them said he thought I was a spy. I asked them for authority for asking where I was from, and where I was going. They said they had been at the Shawnee Mission as they came up, and Governor Shannon had enrolled them. As I returned, I saw one party drive in camp with a large flag with a dark-colored star on it, which flag they hoisted in camp while I was there. The men I saw in camp were engaged mostly in drinking and shooting. I saw but one piece of artillery in camp-I think a brass 6-pounder.

One

On Monday, the 3d of December, I went down and passed the lines at Franklin; overtook marshal Jones about a mile from the camp, and rode with him. He told me he was going into camp, and that I could not go; that they would not allow me to cross at the ford, but would take me. In argument with him he said he was with this party, and that they wanted and meant to fight. I urged that a war might involve the whole Union. He said, "Damn the Union." I went with him to the camp, and was going to pass with him into the camp, and he told me I could not go in, and asked where I was going. I told him I was going down below. He said, after a little hesitation, that he would see me through the guards. I went to the ford at Wakarusa, and found several armed men guarding the crossing, who had stopped a wagon in the bed of the creek. It was loaded with boxes like dry-goods boxes, and the guard was breaking them up.

I asked Jones if they did that, and he said "Oh, yes!" We rode up into the narrow crossing of the ford by them. He said to the guard: "This gentleman is going down on business, and you will please pass him." The captain of the guards told him he had strict orders from General Strickler to let nobody pass without examination. He asked me if I had any arms. I told him I had no more than I considered necessary for my personal protection. He said I must give them

up.

I told him I was afraid to lose them, and did not care to give them up. Two of the guard came forward as if to seize me. I gave my horse a kick as they approached, and rode on to go through. Four of the guard had rifles, and the others had revolvers. All levelled their pieces at me. I did not think they would shoot, but Jones cried, "for God's sake stop; don't make the men do anything rash. I had ridden about eight paces and stopped, and asked them by what authority they stopped me. They told me they had been enrolled as a military force by Governor Shannon. They insisted upon taking my arms. I took one small pistol that I had and gave it to Jones, and told the captain of the guard I did not know him, and could not give it to him, and told Jones I would hold him responsible for it. Jones said if I would go back to the camp he would try to get authority to see me through. I went back to the camp, and they kept me there about an hour and a half. An officer came whom I did not know, and have never seen since. He and Jones talked together for a while, and then they took me to the ford and let me pass. I demanded my pistol of Jones, and he gave it to me.

I rode that day down to the Shawnee Mission, intending to complain to the governor. The road was full of armed men coming up. I met them all the way. Many of the companies tried to stop me and question me, but I got down without any molestation. The governor was in Westport, as I was told, getting despatches from the government. I then rode into Westport after night. All round Westport there were camps of armed men. The governor had gone back to the Mission before I got back to Westport-so I was told. I then started down to Kansas City very late at night, and was stopped about a mile from Kansas City by a party of men who told me they came from Westport. They told me I was their prisoner. I asked them if they had a warrant, and they said "No." I told them if they had a warrant I would go with them; but if they had not, I would not go. I asked their authority, and they told me the governor. I asked which governor, and they told me Governor Shannon. I told them we were in Missouri. One of them swore pretty hard, and said it made no difference; Governor Shannon had given them orders to let no suspicious persons pass out of the Territory. They told me I had come from the Territory, and they asked me if I had not? I said I had. They asked me if I knew General Pomeroy? I told them I did by reputation, but I had never seen him. They told me they thought I was carrying despatches to him, and they would take me back to Westport. When they told me they would take me, I told them Very well." I asked their names, and only one would tell me, and he said his name was Jones, but no connexion of sheriff Jones. He was captain of the party. He told me that he

"

KANSAS AFFAIRS.

wanted no blood shed and no trouble, and asked me to go with him to a house about a quarter of a mile ahead, and said, if I went there, they would not molest me until I got to Kansas City, where he said they were going; and if I was all right, then they would let me go. I went to the house of Mr. Milton McGee, I think. When there I thought, from appearances, they were going to seize me, and I appealed to Mr. McGee as a brother Odd Fellow, as I saw he was one, and he interested himself in my behalf. He and Jones were out conversing a long time. Mr. McGee came in and told me these men were going to seize me and search me, and the only way to save me was for me to submit to a private search from his hands. I at first refused, but, as the men were getting very drunk, I consented, and he took me with him to a room up stairs, with another man he called "Doctor," and there the two searched me. McGee declared I was all right, and told me I was under his roof, and he would protect me, if necessary; but told me, when I was very indignant at the search, that he could not have prevented it. They kept me till the next morning-till nine o'clock. McGee apologized the next morning for the treatment I had received, and said that he had done all he could, but that he was a member of another secret organization, and acting under their orders. Said he: "I am a border ruffian, and I am not ashamed of it." I reasoned with him. He said that by the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska bill, there was a fair trade that the South would get Kansas, and the North, Nebraska; and the damned Emigrant Aid Society meant to swindle them out of it. He said that the men of Missouri would wade knee-deep in blood before Kansas should be a free State. I heard the party talk of going up the next day to the siege at Lawrence. They said the battle was to be the day after the next, and they wanted to be up in time. Some of them said they could not leave their business, and would rather pay. I also heard them plot to lynch General Pomeroy, who, they said, was at the American hotel, in Kansas City. The only point of difficulty was, whether they would have time to do that and go up to Lawrence. WILLIAM PHILLIPS.

LAWRENCE, K. T., May 9, 1856.

A. ALLEN called and sworn.

Examined by the committee:

I came into the Territory, from Missouri, in November, 1854. I left Topeka early in the morning of the 30th of March, 1855; came down to Tecumseh, and stopped there a part of the day, and then came down to Lawrence, arriving here in the afternoon, about three o'clock. I had lived in Missouri nearly two years before I came into the Territory, and was acquainted with a number of persons I saw that day in Tecumseh, who were Missourians, and still live in Missouri. I saw them vote there. I saw a man by the name of Holloway, from Jackson county, Missouri, and others; they said they came there to vote.