THE DANITES OF KANSAS.
Correspondence of The Missouri Republican.
WESTPORT, Jan. 2, 1858.
There exists in Kansas Territory a branch of Mor-mon Danites. They are principally Mormons and Freelovers; being compactly organized, and having influential members, they rule the destinies and fix the policy of the Free-State party of Kansas. They are making use of the inbred prejudices of people from the Free States to propagate their nefarious doctrines and accomplish their treasonable and immoral de-signs.
That such an organization exists there can be but little doubt, and that they are playing the desperate game for which they are banded together, facts go to show.
A few days ago a fine hotel, which cost $4,000, was burned at Lexington, Johnson County. The town is Pro-Slavery, and the house was owned by a Pro-Slavery man—Col. S. L. McKinny of this place.
About the same time a number of cabins, belonging to members of the Democratic party, were burned.
Last week an Indian by the name of Tully was shot. A body of Danites, who had been stealing his timber, and otherwise trespassing on his land, gave him notice to leave, as they did Henry Koohtze and Gary, Dutch Henry and others, whom they murdered. Not long after notice to leave his own land had been served on this Shawnee, he was shot in an altercation with the trespassers.
Last night the Lipscomb House, at New Santa Fe, in Missouri, adjoining Oxford, in Kansas, was burned down.
To-day a gentleman named Stofer was shot on the highway. It is said that he was traveling in a coach, not far from Wyandot, when he was overtaken or met by some Danites; they asked his name, and on learning it one of them shot Stofer in the mouth, cut-ting away part of the jaw and half the tongue. Sto-fer is a Democratic member elect from Leavenworth County. Jim Lane, as chief of the Danites, has or-dered every Democratic member elected to be hung, shot or maimed.
Gen. Calhoun, whose life has been threatened, was to be accompanied from some point in the Territory to-day, to Kansas City, by an armed escort. He is expected here to-morrow.
