COMMITTEE OF INVESTIGATION, ETC. 
197 
their accommodation were put in order by our people, before the 
proprietor of the hotel could get his furniture up from Kansas 
city. The commissioners went to Lecompton, and spent two or 
three days in copying the records of the elections from official 
books kept there. 
On the 19th, Sheriff Jones, who has from the first seemed to 
be the apple of discord among us, his presence at once making 
tumult of quiet, again appeared in our midst, and attempted to 
arrest S. N. Wood, just returned from Ohio, after a winter’s 
sojourn. He said to Wood, “You are my prisoner.” 
“ By what authority? ” was the very natural reply. 
“ As Sheriff of Douglas County.” 
“ I do not recognize such authority,” said Wood, adding, how» 
ever, that he would go with him if he would allow him to go to 
his house, only a few steps distant, first. 
This the sheriff refused, and Wood declared, “ Then I ’ll not go 
with you at all! ” and very coolly walked away. 
Jones walked away also, minus a pistol, which had passed from 
his pocket. The whole affair only lasted two or three minutes. 
The next day Jones came in town again to disturb the Sabbath’s 
quiet, and arrest somebody. He was accompanied by four men 
from Lecompton, and he called upon a number of our citizens 
standing by to act as a posse, in assisting in the arrest of Wood. 
These citizens were looking on, simply, and it was an established 
fact, whenever Jones was seen in the streets of Lawrence, that 
something rich would happen, and, involuntarily, almost, they 
gathered around to see. 
Jones looked for Wood in his house; but he was not there. 
Seeing T., another of the Branson rescuers‘standing by, and who 
had made the attempt to carry his own case to the Supreme Court, 
but had never been able to get a hearing at Lecompton, Jones 
pounced upon him. He took hold of him so fiercely, T. thought 
it was his intention to knock him down; so, forgetting his non- 
resistance, he struck Jones, whereupon the bold sheriff, with his 
comrades, left for Lecompton, muttering, however, “ he would 
bring in the troops, and the arrests should be made. He had now 
17 * 
