In November, in a quarrel over a land claim, a free-state settler by the name of Dow was killed.

The murderer escaped, but a friend of the victim was accused of uttering threats against a friend of the murderer.

For this offense a posse led by Sheriff Jones, a Missourian, seized him, and would have carried him away if fourteen freestate men had not "persuaded" the Sheriff to surrender his prisoner.

This interference was accepted by the Missourians as a signal for battle.

The rescuers must be arrested and punished.