, 1859-12-23
The Escape Of Broyvn+ Merriam, Cop
pic aud I1d0.
tE-em Ne phtt,hsInhta Ibrrsa1

The fncts in relation to the escape Of Merriam
Brown. Coppic and Tidd, are we'll known to the
public here. Ncrl iam is young Bostouian, of
scarcely a3 years Of age. lie passed through
part ofthe Kansas war, aud was teurIess und uo-
firing in his Efforts against the Missourians
who were at war with tile free Suite men, Sub
sequentty he went 10 Hayti and spent winter
there. lie does not seem TO hare been immedi-
ately connected with John Brown in hts Har-
per's Ferry insurrection until about the first Of
October. He ecume 10 this place about that time,
on his way to llatper's Ferry, and called on
one of our attorneys and had his will drawn,
properly executed, aud matled TO his executor
ia Boston. lie represented hinse1fas tourist
on bis way South. aud fearing accidents, wished
his will prepareE He is young man OF tine
address, and eTidently more than ordinary cu1-
ture. He Was not in The fight at Harper's Fer
r.. but stationed at an outpost for SOME pur-
pose-perhsps to receive and lead expected re.
and Brown, he came 10 Chambersburgh the
light TINT Cook waa put in jail and tue whole
four remained in this vicinity for several days.
They were seen freqnectly by screru persons,
and suspected to be the fugttives; but nothing
was known Of them with uny degree Of posi-
tiveness, except by q few who we're profesiou-
ally or otherwise con6dentially adyised Of their
names and purpose. They sleptln barn near,
Two nights, and were seen there, aud they
called 1t several houses in town, alter dark, 10
yet food. 1t is generally understood that they
desired and contemplated tho rescue Of Cook
from prison, but they we're prevailed upon not
to a.temptit. They bud each four rerolyers in
addition to their bowie-knives and rifles.
It is heliercd that but one white person COM
munic ted with them during their stay here, and
that person was a woman, though it is more
than probable that the5 we're advised Indirectly
by several Of our citizens. Although it was
we'll known ther were here, no one attempted
to hunt or arrsst them, In fact, the 'iFginians
believed that Tidd, Anderson and Brown were
dead, aud they did not know that there had
been two Coppics in the insurreetion. Gov.
Wise was informed that four fugitiyes were in
the neightorhood. and he 1t once offered 4 re-
ward Of $500 head for them. But it did not
tempt any one totry tue arrest; indeed, it vas
we'll known that they could not be taken alire.
They might have been overwhelmed BY num-
bers, and taken dead or crippled; but with each
one PR pared to fire twenty balls, with fear-
ful precision, in as many seconds, the attempt
would have been most costly Que:
After Cook had been remsnded TO Virginia,
Merriam disguised himself and went TO Boston
phia and New York. In Phi!adel phia he stop
ped at the Merchants Hotel, aud, believe, reg
istered his name correctly. lie Was known to
but very few persons out Of Boston, and when
he passed through Philadelphia The general be-
lief was that he had died Of wounds Feceiveda at
Harper Ferry, and been buried Ay his compan-
ions in the mountains Obituary notices OF him
had been published in several of the New York
mud Boston papers He reached Boston, and
from thence he went to C2nada where he still
remains.
Tidd, Coppic, and Brown. beng better kuown,
started for the North On foot through the noun
tains. Brown vas wounded, and had often 70
be assisted By his companions, and at times ther
carried him, TO facilitate their progress They
reached the North Mountain near Strasbu.g, ia
this county, and from theoce passed on to Shif-
leysburE, in Huntington County, They we're
ten days reach'ng Shirleys ysburg, some forty
miles distant. From that p1aee they went onto
The Juniata, At Bells Mills, where theJ separ;
was 1ome days behind him brown has never
gone to CanadA. lie is still in the Northern
states and will probably remain there.