Report of the special committee appointed to investigate the troubles in Kansas,: with the views of the minority of said committee.

KANSAS AFFAIRS.
mittee to investigate the burning of White's house, and asked him if
I had not told him that I wished to live neighbors with him, and that,
if he was not concerned in the burning of White's house, my door was
always open, and he would be a welcome guest. He said I should
stop cutting timber there. I asked him how he would stop me? He
said he would stop me in a way I would not like, and that if I was
not careful he would break my hide. Mr. Moody asked Mr. Dow if
he would let us have that kiln of lime we were at work upon? Dow
said he would see about it, and then he left. No one was with Dow
at that time, and he had no arms with him. Mr. Branson and Dow
came up towards us in an hour or so afterwards, with what I supposed
were Sharpe's rifles, and I left before they got up. Out of this difficulty about the claim resulted the first difficulty, which resulted in
Dow's death.
There was no excitement in the neighborhood at that time, and no
hard feelings between persons there in relation to political matters, so
far as I knew. There were no hard feelings between me and Dow as
regarded politics-so far as I was concerned, at all events. I myself
was indifferent in regard to whether Kansas was made a slave State
or a free State. I was willing for the bona ficide settlers of the Territory to settle that matter for themselves, and was willing to abide by
the decision they made.
The reason I left the kiln when I saw Branson and Dow coming up,
was that I knew Branson was an avowed enemy of mine, and had
heard he had made a great many threats against me. Dow lived with
Branson at that time.
For the alleged charge of killing Dow I came to the Shawnee Mission and surrendered myself into the custody of sheriff Jones, of the
county in which I resided, the governor directing that I should be
taken before a magistrate of my county. I was carried by the sheriff
to Bull creek, and there met an express warning me of the danger of
going back into the neighborhood to appear before the justice, there
being a large armed force there greatly excited. I returned back to
the governor, and he then ordered the sheriff to take me to Lecompton, before Judge Lecompte. The sheriff took me to Lecomlpton, and
I was there in the custody of the sheriff some eight days. Judge Lecompte did not arrive there. My witnesses did not appear on account
of the excitement existing in the country, and I requested to be let
go to the Wakarusa camp, where Squire Saunders and some of my
witnesses were. Being unable to get witnesses to app)ear, to fully investigate the matter, I gave my recognizance before Squire Saunders to
appear before the circuit court of Douglas county, and so far as I
know that recognizance is in force against me yet, and I stand ready
to answer the charge. I attended at Lecompton at the last circuit of
the Douglas county court, and saw Governor Shannon and Ju(dge Lecompte, and told them I wanted the matter investigated. The time
appointed I-or the investigation was about the time Governor Reeder
resisted the officers. The court had been in session there more than a
week. I told them I wished to have the matter investigated, and was
not safe in travelling through the Territory. My reasons for telling
them so, was that I had been shot at several times, and just before
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