Writ of Arrest for Andrew Reeder and Charles Robinson (1856)

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United States of America
Territory of Kansas sct.

To the Marshal of the United
States for said Territory, Greeting.

You are hereby
commanded to arrest Andrew H. Reeder, Charles
Robinson, James H, Lane, George W. Brown, Samual W.
Wood, George W. Daitzler, George W. Smith and Gais
Jenkins, if they shall be found within the District of
said Territory of Kansas & have them before the 1st
District Court first Judicial District of the Territory
aforesaid now sitting at Lecompton for the County
of Douglas if the said court shall be then in Session,
and if not then, before the said Court at said Lecompton
sitting as aforesaid on the 2nd Monday of September
next ensuing the date hereof, to answer an indictment
by the Grand Jury of the said Territory for the
body of Douglas County aforesaid, for high treason
in levying war against the United States, contrary to
the form of the Statute in such case made & provi-
Act in such case & also against the peace and dignity
of the said United States of America.

Hereof fail not at your peril and have you then & there
this warrant with the manner of its execution.
Witness the honorable Samuel D. Lecompte Judge of our
said Court this the 14th day of April. Anno Domoni Eighteen
Hundred and Fifty Six.

Issued this 20th day of May A. D. 1856.

D. Scott Boyle
Clerk

Served the written warrant on George W. Brown & have
him now in my custody. May 20th, 1856. I. B. Donalson. U. S.
Filed May 31, May 1856.

I hereby certify that I have served the written writ on
Charles Robinson, by reading the same to him now

in my custody in the city of Leavenworth and Territory
of Kansas, May 25th, A. D., 1856. I. B. Donaldson
by H. D. McMakin
Depty U. S. M.

Served the written warrant by Deputy on George W.
Smith & Gais Jenkins, & have them now in my
custody guarded by U. S. Troops.

May 21st, 1856
I. B. Donaldson
U. S. Marshal

The Grand Jury sitting for the “adjourned” Term of
the 1st District Court in and for the County of Douglas
in the Territory of Kansas, beg leave to report to the Honorable
Court that from evidence laid before them showing that the
newspaper Known as the Herald of Freedom published
at the town of Lawrence has from time to time
issued publications of a most inflamatory & seditious
character denying the legality of the Territorial
authorities, and advising and “commanding” forcible
resistance to the same, demoralizing the popular
mind & rendering life & property unsafe even
to the extent of advising assasination as a last
resort. Also that the paper known as the “Kansas
Free State” had been similarly engaged & had
recently reported the resolutions of a public meeting
in Johnson County in this Territory in which
resistance to the Territorial law even to blood
had been agreed upon & respectively recommend
their abatement as nuisances also that we are
satisfied that the building known as the “Free State
Hotel” in Lawrence had been constructed with the
view to military occupation and defense, regularly
parrapeted & port holed for the use of cannon &
small arms & could only been assigned as a
strong hold for the uses of cannons & small arms,
and could only have been assigned as a strong hold
of resistance to law thusly endangering the pub-
lic safety & encouraging rebellion & sedition in
this County & respectfully recommend that steps be
taken whereby said nuisance may be removed.

Owen C. Stewart
Foreman

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