Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-10-19
BALTIMORE. Oct. IS.

The following interesting narrative is CLEANED
from the report OF the editor OF the American, who
accompanied the troops from this city aud return
ed this evenings
The principal originator OF the short but bloody
existence of this insurrectiOn was undoubtedly
Capt. john Brown, whose connection with scenes
Of violence in the border warfare OF Kansas, lheu
made his name iamiliaTly notorious TO the whole
country. Brown made his first appearance in the
vicinity OF Harper's Ferry more ihau year ago,
accompanied by his two sOna-lhe whole party as
sumiug the name OF Smith. He enquired about
land in the vicinity and made investigations about
the probability NJ finding ores aud for some time
boarded at Sandy POint, mile east OF the Ferry.
After an absence Of some months he rcappearod In
the vicinity, and lenied or leased farm ON the
Maryland side,
T6ey bought large number Of picks and spades
and this confirmed the belief that they intended 10
mine for o'es. They were seen frequently in and
about HaTpers Ferry but no suspicion seems to
have existed that Bill Smith was Capt. Brown, or
that ho Intended embarklng In any movement 80
desperate or eXtraol dinary, yet the development
of the plot leaves no doubt that his visits to tn,
Ferry and his lease OF the fam were all parts O
his preparation for the iusurreclion, which he sup
posed would be successful In eXteImnating slavery
| in Maryaad Western Virginia,
Browns chief aid was John Il. Cook, eompar
atiyely young man, who has resided In and neal
| the Ferry for some years. lie was first employed
ia tending lock on the canal, aud Afterwards
taught school on the Maryland side Of the river
aud after brief residence In Kansas, where il Ii
supposed be becams acquainted with Brown, re-
turned to the Ferry aud married.
There he was regarded az man OF some intelli-
genCe, known TO be anti-slayery, but not so noted
in the expression Of his opinions as to excite sns
picOn.
These two men, with Browns two sons, were the
only white men connected with the insurreotOn
that had been previously about tho FerrYj all
were brought by Brown from a distance, and
M ary all had been with him Kansas.
The first active movement in the insureeton
was made about half past ten o'clock on Sunday
night.
VIM. Williamson, tho Natchman on the
Harper's Ferry bridge, was, whilst walking
across towards the Maryland side, seized by a
number OF men, who ssId that he was their
prisoner and must come with them He recOg-
nized Brown and Cook among the men, aud
knowing them he treated tho matter as joke,
but enforcing silence, they conducted him Ia
the armory, which no found already in their
possession. lie VAS retained till after day.
light, and then discharged
The watohman who was TO relieve William
son at midnight found the bridge lights oil out
and was Immediately seized. Supposing il was
an attempt at robbery, he broke awuy, aud his
pursuers stumbling ho escaped.
The next appearance of the insunectioniata
wos at the house of Col. Lewis Washington
A largo farmer and slave owner living about
four miles from umpers Ferry, and party
headed by Cook, proceeded there, reused Col
W. and told him he was their prisoner. They
also Sc zed all tho slaves near the house, and
took the carriage aud horse and a large wagon
with two horses. When Col Washington sAw
Cook he Immediately recognized him as a man
who had called upon him some months pre-
vious 10 whom ho bad exhibited some valuable
arms in his possession, including an antique
sword presented by Frederick the Great to Geo.
Washington, and pnir of pistols presented by
Gen. Lafayette TO Washington, both being
heirlooms in the family.
Before leaving Cook ! invited Col W. to q
trial Of skill at shooting and exhibited consid
erable certainty as q marksman when be made
his visit on Sunday night. lie alluded TO his
previous visit, aud the courtesy with which he
had been treated, and regretted that necessity
which made it his duty TO arrest Col W. He
however, took advantage of the knowledge h'
obtained by his former visit 10 carry of all the
valuable collection of arms which Col W. did
not rcObiain I'LL after the final defeat Of insur
rectiou from Col Washington's The party
proceeded with him as a prisoner in his owl
carriage and twelve Of his nol Toes in th'
wagon TO the house OF Mr. Allstadt, anothe
large farmer on the same road. Mr. Allstad
aud his son, lad Of 10 years Of age, wer
taken prisoners and all the negroes within
reach being forced to Join the movement (
They returned TO the ArmoIy at the Ferry. al
these movements seem 10 have been mad