Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-10-29
RICHMOND SATURDAY MORNING, 29 1859

stated that he bad expect such assistance and
had been disappointed But this IL fully disercdite by
the following facts First that he had uudsputed po-se
sion of the town from about midnight on SUNDAY until
after midday Monday, when the people Of the
ing county. learning the state Of thng got together ia
armed bands and made descent upon the town. Sc
cond that during this period hey sezed and held Ia
ody besides the slaves Of Mr.. Washington and Mr. ALL
stadt, taken in the neighborhood Eve or six other
slaves belonging residents Harper sFerry and found
in the streets IL stated that they put spears or lsnces
ia the hands of three of these negroes and
PEELED them to stand in the character of seune a the
door oil the engne-house. occupied by the ncendarie
but at the first assault made by the citizens the slaves
threw their pixies aud escaped their homes for re-
fuge Third. They had in confinement In addition some
thirty or forty other persons who found Ia
the streets in early hours OF the morning no ahe
rent sympazer turned up amongst them In addition
to all this, after careful inquiry and on the
spot, could not learn that any Of any color save
one hereafter TO be notced suspected Of being
in any way accessory Pvy to the plot The exception
was OF man named Cook, who Harpers Ferry
year or two since in the character of school
married there and who. after the event. Il appeared WAS
emssary of Browns and had been associated with him
IN kansas Cook impaired the plans OF Brown none
Virginia, so far as Is known If he did. it is certain
that acted them lie accompanied the party to
Mr. Washingtons which seized him and his negroes aud
brought them of in the night but none Of the Latter
eVinced any purpose to follow his fortunes ON the con
trary those that he carried of night into Mary
land escaped from him there and returned.
think am warranted, the foregoing facts in the
belief that engagements promises aid from any
VI were gwen 10 brown Inviting his descent
TN the part OF the negroes Is certain that the only
emotion evinced by them of alarm and terror and
their only refuge sought at their masters homes.
or the conspiracy, outside Of his State enough has
trsnspired been obtained from papers taken with
Browns effects to show that he acted impressions
made upon him by abolition tracts neNspapers and ora
tors in the circles he frequenied in the
States Those Impressions that il required only 70
put arms within immediate reach bring about imnedi
date nsurrecton in the saveholdng STATES doctrine
openly incncard Is known by the abolition leaders
i'm ha IL. al.
prise with but nineteen men; hut he had arms and wea
pons secreted in the mountains and tlinly popula ed
country the Maryland side of the river and within
four or i've miles of the Virginia line Hapers Ferry
with abundant ammunition, have placed an effective
weapon in the hands of each of least fifteen hun
or two thousand ;en. The number of these arms
car never be asceriausd the, Carried 9 in great
numbers when first discovered brought In b the CHI
zens and companies Of volunteers who from dis
tanec, and before possession Of them taken by the
regular military authorities. Amongst them were oHe
hoHSdnd pEes or ites comPossd of steel blade shar-
pened at the point and at both edges or 6ight
inches long, and tApering from inch inch And halt
TO the point stronly and securely fixed uniform wooden
handles five or six feet in lengtha most effective
TOR hands ueskiled in military weapons-leaying no
doubt TOR shom ihey we're destined,
ihe whole E',ii.ary sGeiPGsgt hsSsessed W DrpWn,
and seized aiter his capture cod not have less than
ten thousand dollars. consisting amongst other thing
OF some two hundred Sharpe riiles nth Ike number
OF six-Shooier pistols eofGlEed i. hS aJI0f,ers
Oozes and not yet used proportonate supply OF fixed
ammunition Tor the rites with caps Ac in the original
boxes, hospital stores, pckaNes and shoves unsained
with use and large box containing kegs of
grave inquiry remains, which viii be diligently and
trust successfully prosecuted to ascertain whence the
funds were derived for this military expedition of outlaws
against State of the Union and who they that were
aiding with r7SHey ,s furnish arms to such leader for
such purpose
1t remains only to add that r can be discovered
not one Of the nineteen escaped. could not CORRECTLY
ascertain tho number klIrd-soWe or eleven il i
known were kile-sOme shat in attempting to es-
cape across the river and their bodies not recovered
i've only weFe captured alive amongst them their leader
bRoWN; two of the live negrocs; one a mnlato re-
ports that he from Ohio join this expedition; the
other black says that he from Harrisburg Pa
with the like purpose; both aege that they decev-
ed by Brown a TO the objects OF the expedition.
Not slave escaped attempted escape drrns tho
tnmult OF the few carried oil Cook the river
all escaped from him sna s4eiy Lask nat .ne who
it appear drowned whist crassng tins river home
ward bound Yer. respectfully, yours.
j. NJ. MASON.
Selma, near UTacLcsier, Ia, Oct. 81, 1859