18 
KANSAS. 
with flags flying, went to Bloomington, in wagons, and upon horse¬ 
back. Samuel J. Jones, of Westport, Claiborne F. Jackson, 
with his volunteers from the camp at Lawrence, and a Mr. Steely, 
of Independence, were the leaders of this motley gang. The day 
here was one continual scene of outrage and violence. Scarcely 
were the polls open, before Jones marched up to the window, at the 
head of the crowd, and demanded that they be allowed to vote 
without being sworn as to their residence. Little bands of fifteen 
or twenty men were formed by Jackson. He gave to them the 
guns from the wagons, which some of them loaded. Jackson had 
previously declared, amid repeated cheers, that “ they came there 
to vote; ” “ if they had been there only five minutes they had a 
right to vote; ” “ that they would not go home without voting.” 
Like the party at Lawrence they tied white ribbons in their button¬ 
holes. Upon the refusal of the judges to resign, the mob broke 
in the windows, glass, and sash, and, presenting pistols and guns, 
threatened to shoot them. A voice from the outside cried, “ Do 
not shoot them ; there are pro-slavery men in the house ! ” A pry 
was then put under the corner of the log cabin, letting it rise and 
fall; but the same fear of injury to pro-slavery men proved the 
security of the others. The two judges still remaining firm in 
their refusal to allow them to vote, Jones led on a party with 
bowie-knives drawn, and pistols cocked. With watch in hand, he 
declared to the judges, “ he w r ould give them five minutes in which 
to resign, or die.” The five minutes passed by. J ones said he 
“ would give another minute, but no more.” The pro-slavery 
judge snatched up the ballot-boxes, and, crying out “ Hurrah for 
Missouri! ” ran into the crowd. The other judges, persuaded by 
their friends, who thought them in imminent peril from the rough 
and reckless men, brandishing their deadly weapons at every mo¬ 
ment, while curses and oaths were a part of every sentence, passed 
out, one of them putting the poll-books in his pocket. Jones, see¬ 
ing the movement, snatched from him some papers, which were of 
immaterial value; but, not finding his mistake, he also ran out 
crying, “ Hurrah for Missouri!” They took Judge Wakefield, 
one of the citizens, a prisoner, and made him stand upon a wagon 
and make them a speech. After tying a white ribbon in his button¬ 
hole the} 7 let him go. 
