No one can question the fact that Mr. Lane’s career in Kansas exerted a great influence in shaping the affairs and controlling the destiny of the young State.  During his life I was alternately swayed by feelings of admiration and distrust.  I recognized fully the marvelous energy and equally marvelous influence of the man, but I distrusted his sincerity and lacked confidence in his integrity.  When I met him, or listened to one of his impassioned speeches, ne swept me away with the contagion of his seeming enthusiasm, but when I went out from the influence of his personal magnetism I felt that something was lacking in the man to justify a well-grounded confidence.

This man that had in him such a commingling of good and evil was now the leading spirit in the defense of Lawrence. [2]

CHAPTER XI

When Sheriff Jones saw that the control of this business was being taken out of the hands of himself and his fellow-conspirators he wrote the following letter to Gov.  Shannon: 

CAMP AT WAKARUSA, Dec. 6, 1855. 
To His EXCELLENCY, GOV.  SHANNON: 

Sir:  In reply to yours of yesterday I have to inform you that the volunteer forces now at this place and Lecompton are getting weary of inaction.  They will not, I presume, remain but a short time longer, unless a demand for the prisoner is made.  I think I shall have sufficient force to protect me by to-morrow morning.  The force at Lawrence is not half so strong as reported.  If I am to wait for Government troops, more than two-thirds of the men that are here will go away very much dissatisfied. They are leaving hourly as it is.

It is reported that the people of Lawrence have run off those offenders from town, and, indeed, it is said they are now all out of the way.  I have writs for sixteen persons who were with the party that rescued my prisoner.  S. N. Wood, P. R. Brooks and Samuel Tappan are of Lawrence, the balance from the country around.  Warrants will be put into my hands to-day for the arrest of G. W. Brown, and probably others in Lecompton.  They say that they are willing to obey the laws, but no confidence can be placed in any statements they may make.  Most respectfully yours,

SAMUEL J. JONES,
Sheriff of Douglas County.

From the above, three facts are apparent: 

1.  Sheriff Jones is not willing that the militia shall go home, and Col.  Sumner and the United States troops take their places.

2.  He has writs against the sixteen rescuers of Branson.  But of these he has ascertained that thirteen live in the country, and he does not need to go to Lawrence to find them.  The three that belong in Lawrence are gone to parts unknown, and he does not need to go to Lawrence to find them. At this writing Sheriff Jones has not a single writ against any person in Lawrence.

3.  If he has such a warrant the Lawrence people profess themselves willing that he should serve it, but he does not believe them.  “No confidence can be placed in any statements that they may make.”