The infamous Sheriff Jones of “Bleeding Kansas” fame was appointed Douglas County sheriff in September of 1855, swearing to uphold the laws of the territory.

A decidedly pro-slavery Kansas territorial legislature adopted statutes that mirrored Missouri’s pro-slavery laws as Kansas Territorial law.

The unpopular new territorial government was quickly labeled the “bogus legislature” by the free state anti-slavery abolitionists. Sheriff Jones did not escape the controversy, becoming known to his opponents as a “bogus sheriff.”

The free state movement tripped the trigger of rebellion against the established legislature by creating their own legislature and authorizing the Topeka Constitution in November 1855. The territory erupted with the first death associated with the division south of Lawrence, Kan.

Franklin N. Coleman, a proponent of slavery and Charles Dow, a man with abolitionist leanings argued over property boundaries. Dow was closely associated with Jacob Branson, a wellknown leader in the free state movement. Their disagreement came to a head on Nov. 21, 1855, when Coleman killed Dow with a shotgun.

Coleman surrendered to Territorial Governor Wilson Shannon.

Shannon was described as “an extreme Southern man in politics, of the border ruffian type.”

Gov. Shannon turned Coleman over to Sheriff Jones who was expected to deliver Coleman to Lecompton, more for the prisoner’s protection than for his prosecution.

Learning that Jacob Branson had threatened Coleman’s life, Jones and his deputies detoured south, arresting Branson at his cabin.

But in the dark of night the free state men confronted Jones’ posse and forced Branson’s release.

While the rescuers took Branson to Lawrence, Sheriff ’ Jones and his posse rode to the pro-slavery town of Franklin, a few miles southeast of Lawrence. From there Jones began the organization of 3,000 Missouri men to quell the “rebellion” in Lawrence.

To quell the disturbance Gov. Shannon negotiated a peace and disbanded Sheriff Jones militia on Dec. 7, 1855.

The agreement did not deter Jones from carrying out his mission to arrest free state leadership.

In January, 1856, he again entered Lawrence, this time to arrest a man for which the citizens of Lawrence, “had no sympathy ... (were) very willing he should be arrested.”

As a crowd gathered to watch the sheriff make the arrest, “the slight form of a woman was seen approaching.” She was described by Col. J. S. Emery as “little in stature, but somewhat larger than some men in heart.”

The little woman produced a cocked pistol and announced, “Keep off, Mr. Jones; if you lay the weight of your hand on my husband I will send your spirit to the land of Benedict Arnold!”

Sheriff Jones boldly continued, but faltered when the barrel of the pistol was thrust against his chest. In resignation the sheriff turned away and “with a silly smile” he conceded that he would give up. “Yes, and by a woman,” came a voice from within the crowd.

If one had thought that Sheriff Jones was through, he would have been gravely mistaken. The Feb. 2, 1856, Kansas Herald of Freedom continued the story. Two or three days afterward he clandestinely returned, having learned that the little lady was “devotedly fond of music.” While Sheriff Jones remained out of sight his men persuaded her to “give them a favorable air.” While seated in a chair with her guitar she became, “lost in the beauty of the music”. Suddenly one of the men seized her, holding her fast to the chair!

The sheriff then opened the door and passed to the adjoining room to arrest her husband. All the while the wife screamed “until the scoundrel that took advantage of her confidence fled; but not before she had deliberately discharged three bullets from a Colt’s revolver after him.” All but one bullet went astray, with one grazing the assailant’s ear as he frantically raced away.

In a letter signed by “THE SECRET TWELVE,” Jones was warned that one more arrest would sign his “Death Warrant.”

Undeterred, Jones continued to harass the citizens of Lawrence. In April he made several attempts at arrests, finally bringing United States Dragoons with him to place several people under arrest on April 19. Following the arrests he entered “a drinking

Following the arrests he entered “a drinking house” where he offered the toast, “May the damned Abolitionists of Lawrence be made to get down on their knees and kiss the Territorial laws!”

That night while he and the soldiers were guarding the prisoners someone fired a shot into the tent. Sheriff Jones was shot in the back.

Such men are hard to kill. He survived and enacted his revenge by sacking Lawrence on May 21, 1856.

Sheriff Samuel Jefferson Jones was indeed a dangerous man who cut a wide swath across Territorial Kansas, but ne’er did an abolitionist think he was more than a bogus sheriff on The Way West.

“The Cowboy,” Jim Gray is author of the book Desperate Seed: Ellsworth Kansas on the Violent Frontier, Ellsworth, KS Contact Kansas Cowboy, 220 21st RD Geneseo, KS Phone 785-531-2058 or kansascowboy@kans.com.