The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-30 00:00:00

TOTTENHAM.

At the meeting on Wednesday 34 gentlemen
came forward as volunteers, and the subscriptions
amounted to nearly £BO.

TEE MILITARY RIOT AT ALDF-RSHOTT

Yesterday morning the inquest into the circum-
stances connected with the death of,James King, a
private in the Ist Regiment of the King's qwn, or
Tower Hamlets' Militia, who was killed by a gun-
shot wound during the riot at Aldershott ea Christ-
mas night, was held at the Tilbury Hotel, in the
town of Aldershott, before Mr. S. Chalmers, the
deputy-coroner for Hants.
The first witness examined was Major Charles
Adams, in temporary command of the Ist Tower
Hamlets' Militia on the 25th inst., who said---:-Three
companies of my regiment were quartered on that
night on the north side of the west block in the
permanent barracks. As is customary with most
regiments the Christmas dinner of the men was
provided by the officers on Sunday last. My
men dined as usual at one o'clock, and I
was present throughout the greater part of
their dinner to see that they had everything com-
fortable, but I did not again see them till I was
called out that evening, from my dinner at about 8
o'clock. A non-commissioned officer called me out
of the room I was dining in and told me that a row
was going on in the barracks. Up to that time I
had heard of no disturbance whatever. While the
non-commissioned officer was still speaking to me a
second came up and said that the riot was becoming
more serious. I gave the usual necessary orders
and Arent at once towards the barracks. As I did
so I heard and saw the first shots fired from the
quarters of the 24th, which was immediately fol-
lowed by one or two others. When I got there the
barracks were in a great state of confusion and up-
roar. The night was one of the darkest I recollect.
The few usual lights in the barracks had been put
out by some persons, and all the building was almost
in the most perfect darkness. It was so dark that
it was impossible to see anything. The stairs lead-
ing to the quarters of my men were crowded with
men of the 24th. It was too dark to see whether
these latter had anything in their hands. I had
ordered the "assembly" to sound, for the firing was
still continued: The firing was then all from the
24th's side, but the noise of the reverberation was
so great that it was at first hard to say that it was not
coming from both sides. Indeed. my first impression
for the moment was that the fire of the men of the
24th was being returned. The soldiers of the 24th com-
pletely blocked up the stairs leading to the quarters
of my men so that they could not come down. I
saw no shots fired from the quarters occupied by
my men, but it was difficult to distinguish what was
going cn at all. I placed myself in communication
with the commanding officers of the 2d battalions
of the 24th and 21st Regiments, and in about ten
minutes or a quarter of an hour, the firing ceased.
There was great uproar and confusion on both sides
of the barracks, and I heard windows being smashed
amid loud shouts. It was impossible to distinguish
the names that were called on both sides ; it was a
perfect melee. When I gained the third platform
or gallery occupied by my men it was entirely
covered with coal and broken glass. Dr. Holloway,
of the 24th, came up with me, as it was reported
that a man was shot. I went with the doctor at
once to the room No. 52, where it was said the
wounded man lay. The deceased, King, was there
on his bed, lying on his stomach, and apparently
insensible. When my men saw me enter with the
doctor they called me to see the deceased, and raised
his shirt and showed me the bullet wound, which
had entered his back and come out on the right side
of the abdomen, where the intestines were protrud-
ing. Dr. Holloway at once said the case was a
hopeless one, and the man might not live half an
hour. A stretcher was at once procured, and the
deceased was removed to the hospital, where he died
next morning. I remained on duty at the barracks
the rest of the night, but no further disturbance
took place.
George Sawyer, private in the Ist Tower Ham-
lets' Militia, said—l was in the room when
the deceased was killed on Christmas night last.
Deceased, with others, had been singing" Auld Lang
sync," during which we heard a great many
of the windows outside smashed, but I advised
them to take no notice of it and not to go out. In
a minute or so afterwards I heard the firing begin,
and saw the flashes through the window and heard
the balls. Deceased was pointing out where he had
put some beer for the morning, when ho suddenly
called out " I am shot," and fell on his side and
rolled over. I felt for the wound, but could not find
it, and told deceased he was only " larking ;" but a
comrade pulled up his shirt, which was bloody, and
then we saw the wound—a little hole, bleeding

At this stage of the proceeding the inquiry was
adjourned for 10 minutes, after which the evidence
was resumed as follows:

Sergeant John Banks, of the 2d Battalion of the
24th Regiment, said—A few minutes past 8 o'clock
on Christmas night, while on my way to visit my
company, I overtook some men who appeared to be
quarrelling. They were coming from the canteen
to their own quarters, but it was so dark I could
not see whether they were my own men or not.
They all went up to the landing occupied by the
King's Own Militia, still quarrelling all the way,
hough I could not distinguish what about, nor see
whether or not they bad anything in their hands.
Soon after they had passed I heard the crash of
glass, and went out from my company's room to
see what it was about. The windows of the militia
quarters were then being broken. I was in the
middle gallery, opposite the militia. Several men
of the 24th were in the gallery above mine, shout-
ing. In reply to this attack a shower of coals and
other missiles were thrown across at our men,
which were again returned by the men of the 24th.
The bugle for the non-commissioned officers to fall
in was then sounded, and while I went down to
attend it the firing commenced, though I could not
say on which side it commenced first. Afterwards
there were several shots fired from both sides. I

am positive I saw the flashes of the rifles from both

sides, though I could not see who fired them. I
could distinguish the figures of the men firing
rifles, but not their features. I don't think there
were more than four or five men who fired from

our side that I saw. I am certain there was more
than one shot fired from the militia side, as I saw
two of their men fire at the same time. The whole
firing continued between five and ten minutes.
When it began I went to my own company and
took a rifle from a man in a room near the centre
of the block. The name of that man was William
Lord. I took the rifle from him and found that it
had been recently discharged, as the barrel was
warm at the time, and the rifle had been again re-
loaded. That was the only rifle which was fired
in my company, as I examined the rest of the rifles
and the state of the men's ammunition. The other
rifles were clean and the packets of ammunition
perfect, except the packet belonging to Lord. I
found seven rounds of ball cartridge were missing
from him, and one in his rifle, making in all eight
rounds. Each man of the line fit for duty has 20
rounds of ball cartridge always with him. I saw
no flash at all from the centre gallery on our side.

It being now nearly 5 o'clock, the inquiry was
adjourned.
The 24th Regiment are under orders to leave the
Camp immediately for Cork, and will commence
their journey this day.

TILE WIFE OF JOHN BROWN AND
HER FAMILY.
(From the Anti-Slavery Standard.)
PHILADELPHIA, Nov: 28.
While much has been said—though none too
much—of the heroism arid nobility of soul of Capt.
John Brown, it is not known, as it ought to be,
that his wife and children have been distinguished
in a large measure by the same characteristics. It
has been my privilege, for most of the past week, to
be an inmate of the same house with Mrs. Brown ;
and I must say, not only for myself, but for those
who have shared with me in the privilege, that the
more we have seen of her, and the more we have
learned through her, of the rest tf the family, the
more we have been impressed in favour of them all.
As for Mrs. Brown herself, she is just the woman
to be the wife of the hero oHarper's Ferry. Stalwart
of frame and "strong in native intellect;slie is imbued
with the same religious faith, and her heart over-
flows with the same sympathies. Her bearing in
her present distress is admirable. -She is brave
without insensibility, tender without weakness;
and though overwhelmed by the deepest sorrow
her sorrow is not as of one hiving no
hope; and her hope is not that her husband
will be reprieved, or have his sentence commuted,
but that all he has done and is now doing will not
only accrue to the benefit but precipitate the triumph
of the cause they have all had so much at heart.
Absorbed by the great events that are passing
i be-
fore her, and apparently unconscious that she san
object of observation, her demeanour is marked by
unaffected propriety and natural dignity.
Mrs. Brown reads everything that is published'
concerning the great topic, and listens to everything
that is•said with. the keenest avidity. The daily
papers are brought out in the evening and read
aloud ; her ears are open to every word, and her
comments add much to their interest. Through the
day she reads them all over and over again, and
waits with impatience for the next that are to come.
It was a great disappointment to her to be prevented
from joining her husband in his prison, there to wait
till the execution ; but she is fully convinced by what
he has written, as well as by her own reflections, that
it would not be best for her to do so. For the pre-
sent, therefore, she is 'content to remain as near
to him as possible, relying on post and telegraph
to bring her word, without delay, of every-
thing that may concern her. She is in the re-
ceipt of letters from him which afford her great com-
fort. In the last received he says, " My mind is very
tranquil, I may say joyous." I wish your readers
could have the pleasure, with us, of perusing these
letters; some of them are even more beautiful and
touching than any that have yet been printed.
Doubtless they will all,' ere a great while, be given
to the public.
When tlie letter of Mr. Brown to the Rev.
Mr. Vaill, of Lichfield, was read to her, which it
was immedietely after the paper came to hand con-
taining it, she sat with form erect, and listened
with deep but composed attention ; but
when the reader came to the passage where he says,
" I have lost my two noble boys," she dropped her
head suddenly, as if pierced with an arrow, and for
a while was 'overcome with emotion. She soon re-
covered herself, however, and, wiping her eyes, and
resuming her erect position, indicated that she was
ready to hear the rest.
She reads everything on the subject that comes
within her reach, except the extracts from the New
York Observer. "That paper," she said the other
evening, with more excitement of manner than is
usual with her, "I cannot abide. I can read all
that the Southern papers say, and all that is said
in the New York Herald, but I cannot bear to read
anything from the New York Observer." Her
husband's comments on Beecher's sermon afforded
her much gratification. She laughed and cried over
them alternately. They were "so characteristic,"
she said.
From facts stated and remarks incidentally made
by Mrs. Brown in conversation, it is evident that
entire harmony has prevailed in their large and
diversified family circle. Mr. Brown's ascendancy
over them all is very great, and in him they are
bound together as an unit. They cherish his reli-
gious faith, and accord fully in his views of duty.
The children all, from the eldest son down to the

daughter of 16, have been ready to take their lives
in hand, and brave any peril, if by so doing they
could rescue the slave from his oppressor. Six of
the family—the father and three sons, and two
others connected with them by marriage—were
among the party who led the forlorn hope at Har-
per's Ferry; and some who remained behind found
it cost more self-denial to do so than was called for
by those who went.
Captain Brown, though born to command and
bound to be obeyed, was a tender husband and a
kind and gentle father, " When I have been ill,"
said Mrs. Brown, " he has always been nurse ; un-
less," she added, "he was compelled to be absent.
For two weeks together he has sat up, night after
night, just to keep alive the fire, fearing, if he were
to lie down and go soundly to sleep, it would go
out, and I should thereby take cold. Many and
many a time has he bid me good-bye, hardly able to
speak for his tears, saying that he might never see
me again."

Such.hasbeen the character of Captain Brown,
as seen in his domestic relations. His children, it
appears, were, in this respect, essentially like him.
".The last time Watson went away," said Mrs. Brown
" after he came out from taking leave of his wife,
he sobbed so loud he could be heard in every part of
the house. Their infant was only two weeks old,
and you may suppose it was very hsrd for them to
part under such circumstances." "And it was the

same way," she added, " with Oliver and his wife,
only that Oliver's grief was more quiet than Wat-
son's."

Mrs. Drown representi her son Oliver as being a
youth of more than common promise. "He was in
advance of his years—a deep thinker—much like
his father." When near Harper's Ferry, last sutu-

In the window of the room No. 14, occupied by
my company, there is a round hole made by a
bullet. I have examined the fracture of the
glass of that window, and I am sure the bullet
was not fired out of the room, but into it, from
the militia side. That is the only mark of a
bullet I have seen on our side. I have been told
there is another, but I have not been to see it.
There is no mark of a bullet in the interior of No.
14 room, which there certainly ought to be if the
bullet through the window came from the other
side. I cannot say whether the marks on the mi-
litia side were caused by bullets or not. The man
Lord was sober when I took the rifle from him,
though under the influence of liquor. It is quite
possible that other men of my company could have
got ammunition from Lord's pouch, but none of
their rifles had been recently discharged, and I
examined them almost directly the row was over.
I do not, however, think that Lord could have had
time to fire the seven rounds missing from his pouch
during the tine I was away. There was firing
going on from our side among the troops in the
gallery over my head.
Colour-Sergeant Joseph Rowbotham, of the 2d
Battalion of the 24th Regiment, said—On Christ-
mas night last, soon after eight o'clock, I heard the
windows of the Tower Hamlets' Militia being
broken. I was going up to the gallery opposite
that of the Tower Hamlets, on my way to the
rooms of my company, when lumps of coal began
to come across from the militia quarters. I col-
lected my company, and found two men absent,
named Williams and Hatton. Afterwards one
of them came in with a shako belonging to the
Tower Hamlets' Militia on his head. I got all
but two of my men together when I heard the
firing begin, and at that time I think the officers
of my company were in the room It was im-
possible to say on which side the firing began. I
saw a shot fired from our side, about two rooms
from were I stood. Afterwards Lieutenant Dunne
gave me a rifle, which I found belonged to Private
Charles Williams. Ithad been recently discharged,
and was then loaded. He was one of the two men
missing when I mustered my company. On search-
ing his ammunition pouch I found one package con-
taining 10 rounds of ball cartridge missing. Half
the label belonging to the missing 10. round pack-
age was in his pouch. The other part of the paper
Covering was down by his bed. I examined after-
wards the ammunition and rifles of the rest of my
company. The rest of the ammunition corresponded
with the rest of the rifles. One rifle, however, was
found loaded, and the other private, named Hatton,
missing from my company, had ten of his rounds
of ammunition loose in his pocket. The loaded rifle
belonged to a corporal of my company, but
it was found loaded down by the side of Hatton's
bed. Both Hatton and Williams were ordered into
custody at once. Another rifle belonging to my
company was taken by a man of another company,
'and found on him, loaded, by the Adjutant. I did
not at any time see any firing whatever from the
Tower Hamlets' side of the barracks.
Corporal Robert Ellison, of the 2d Battalion of
the 24th, said he knew the men Hatton, Williams,
and Lord, but was net able to recollect whether or
not they were with the others at the canteen that
night. He heard no unusual noise after the two
parties" left the canteen, though the barrack square
to which they went, as they said, to fight, was
quite in'front of the canteen. He most distinctly
saw one man of the Tower Hathlets Militia fire
across the square from the top gallery at the west
end, though who that man was he could not say
at all.