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AFFAIRS IN KANSAS.
Affairs in Kansas look threatening. Governor Geary is hated by the Border Ruffians, who seem disposed to renew the bloody scenes of the past. The bogus Legislature, it will be observed, has passed the act, preparatory to forming a State Constitution, authorizing those only to vote who are in the Territory in April, thus anticipating the arrival of the spring immigration. The fixed purpose is to make Kansas a slave State.
Correspondence of the New York Evening Post.
A messenger, six days from Kansas, reports as follows of an altercation between Governor Geary and a Mr. Sherrod: Sherrod, who was a candidate for sheriff of Douglas county, in Kansas, and who failed to receive the appointment, induced the bogus Assembly of the Territory to pass a resolution instructing Governor Geary to appoint him. Through the activity of Governor Geary’s private secretary, the passage of the resolution was prevented by one majority in the Senate. This enraged Sherrod, who sought the private secretary, and knocked him down. The secretary, being physically weak and ill, could make no resentment. A few days afterwards, Sherrod met Governor Geary in the Senate Chamber, and called him a d—d scoundrel. The latter made no reply, and Sherrod spit in his face, which indignity Geary did not resent, inasmuch as such action on his part would have cost him his life on the spot. Anticipating the insult, he met it as become his station. The result is, that an indignation meeting of the settlers has been called to take measures to arrest and punish Sherrod, who will undoubtedly be sustained by the bogus Legislature against the Governor. It is feared by leading Kansas men, now in Washington, that this affair will revive the hostile feelings between the Free-State and Pro-Slavery men of the Territory. T.
LECOMPTON, K. T.., Feb. 19, 1857.
An affray took place here last night, in which Sheriff Sherrod was killed, and three other men wounded. A meeting of Geary’s friends was held at the Capitol, to sustain his course and express disapprobation of the recent outrage to him. Sherrod and his friends came armed to break it up. When the resolutions were read, Sherrod declared that any one voting for them was a liar and a coward. The excitement grew intense. Sherrod drew his pistol and fired, wounding a man named Shepherd. Miscellaneous shooting then began, and was continued for some time. Mr. Sherrod was shot through the head by a young man named Jones, who came from Pennsylvania with the Governor. Shepherd has two bullets in his thigh, and a wound on his head. Two others are slightly wounded. The Sherrod men, seeing they would be overpowered, offered no violence after Sherrod fell. Young Jones was arrested by a bogus Sheriff, and after the meeting was thus broken up, Governor Geary called out the troops to prevent his being lynched. The Governor also organized a company to defend himself, but disbanded it at dusk last night.
The Legislature has passed a Territorial election law, based on the census which provided for the Constitutional Convention. Only those who may be in the Territory in April, and whose names shall be registered, are to vote at the next October election.
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 27, 1857.
A letter to the Democrat, dated Lecompton, the 17th instant, says that General Richardson, Major General of the Kansas militia, and member of the Territorial Legislature, died at Lecompton on the 14th.
The United States deputy marshal had arrested Captain Walker. He was examined before Judge Cato, and held to bail in the sum of $13,000.
A bill had passed the Legislature, giving the county judges jurisdiction in criminal cases, and allowing persons to be tried before these petty courts without a jury and without being indicted.
Advices from Kansas state that Mr. Shepherd, who was shot, by Mr. Shepherd, who was shot by Sherrod, is not dead, though he has three bullet wounds in his body.
