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

KANSAS AFFAIRS.
"drink" on the way. As they approached the bridge there were 13
in the party, several having stopped. Jones rode up to the prisoner,
and among other things told him that he " had heard there were
100 men at your house to-day," and "that he regretted they were
not there, and that they were cheated out of their sport."(6) In the
mean time the alarm had been given in the neighborhood of Branson's
arrest, and several of the settlers, among whom were some who had
attended the meeting at Hickory Point that day, gathered together.
They were greatly excited. The alleged injustice of such an arrest
of a quiet settler, under a peace warrant, by "sheriff Jones," aided
by two men believed to be accessory to a murder, and who were
allowed to be at large, exasperated them, and they proceeded as
rapidly as possible by a nearer route than that taken by Jones, and
stopped at the house of J. S. Abbott, one of them. They were on
foot. As Jones's party approached on a canter, the rescuers suddenly
farmed across the road in front of Jones and his party. Jones halted
and asked: "What's up?" The reply was: "That's what we want
to know; what's up?" Branson said: "They have got me a prisoner." Some one in the rescuing party told him to come over to their
side. He did so, and dismounted, and the mule he rode was driven
over to Jones's party. Jones then left.(7) Of the persons engaged
in this rescue, three were from Lawrence, and had attended the meeting. Your committee have deemed it proper to detail the particulars
of this rescue, as it was made the ground-work of what is known as
the "Wakarusa war." On the same night of the rescue the cabins
of Coleman and Buckley were burned, but by whom is left in doubt
by the testimony.
On the morning after the rescue of Branson, Jones was at the village of Franklin, near Lawrence. The rescue was spoken of in the
presence of Jones, and some conversation passed between two others
in his presence, as to whether it was most proper to send for assistance
to Col. Boone, in Missouri, or to Gen. Shannon. Jones wrote a despatch and hIanded it to a messenger. As soon as he started, Jones
said: "That man is taking my despatch to Missouri, and, by God, I
will have revenge before I see Missouri." A person present, who was
examined as a witness,(8) complained publicly that the despatch was
not sent to the governor, and within half an hour one was sent to the
governor by Jones through Horgous.
Within a few days large numbers of men from the State of Missouri
gathered and encamped on the Wakarusa. They brought with them
all the equipments of war. To obtain them, a party of men, under
the direction of Judge J. T. V. Thompson, broke into the United States
arsenal and armory at Liberty, Missouri, and after a forcible detention of Captain Leonard, then in charge,(9) they took the cannon,
muskets, rifles, powder, hammers, and, indeed, all the materials and
munitions of war they desired, some of which have never been returned or accounted for.
(6) Jacob Bransoiin.
(7) Jacob Branson.
(8) L. A. Prather.
(9) Luther Leon.xd.
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