One day an altercation took place between Dow and the above-named pro-slavery men at a blacksmith shop, and Coleman followed Dow and shot him.

Dow was unarmed, and held up his hands and cried, "Don't shoot," but Coleman lodged a load of buckshot in his breast, and he fell dead, and his body lay in the road till sundown.

Then Branson came and took up the body and buried it.

This murder created a prodigious sensation; and a public meeting was called, at which there was violent and threatening talk by the free State men.

The three above-named pro-slavery men were all present when the murder was committed.