Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-12-09


HENRY A. WISE.
CharleStOwn Intelligence.
| Correspondence of the Baltimore Americana
| CHARLEsTowN, Va, Dec. /.
| THE INTERVIEW.
learn from Capt. Avis, the jailor. that
the interview between the prisoner and lis
wife was characteristic of the man, and the
directions given for the management and
distribution of his property embraced all
| the minor details of last will and Sesta-
ment. General Taliaferro was also pres
ent, and Capt. Brown urged tlat his wife
be allowed to remain with hin all night
To this the General refused to assent, al
lowing them but four hours. On first meet
ing they kissed and aRectionately embraced,
and Mrs. Brown sled few tears, but i'm
mediately checked her feelings. They stood
embraced ard she sobbing for nearly five
minutes, Cad he was apparently unable to
speak The prisoner only gave way for a
moment and was soop calm and collected,
and remained firm throughout the interview
At the close they shook hands but did not
embrace, and as they parted he said, "God
bless you and the children" Mrs. Brown
replied, "God have mercy on you," and
continued calm until she left the room, when
she remained in tears few moments, and
then prepared to depart. The interview
took place in the parlor Of Captain Avis,
and the prisoner was free from manacles of
any kind.
They then sat side by side on the sofa,
and, after discussing family matters, pro-
ceeded to business. He stated that he de-
sired his property to pass entirely into her
possession, and appeared toplace full conf
dence in her ability to manage it properly
for the benefit of his younger children
He requested her to remain at North Elba,
New York, on the farm where she now re-
sides, which belongs to her. He was desi-
rous that his younger children should be ed
ucated, and if she could not obtain facilities
for their education at home, to have them
sent to boarding schools. He then gave
directions, and dictated to Sheriff Campbell
his will, which directed that all his property
should 60 to his wife, with the exception Of
few presents and requests which he made
10 one of his sons he gave double spy
| glass; to another one watch; to another
he gave directions that he should take a
tomb or monument that marks the grave of
his father, at North Elba, and have en-
graved on it his name, age, and the manner
of his death-together with the cause for
which be suffered death which he directs
shall remain at North Elba as long as his
family resides there to each of his children
ne bequeathed the sum of $50, and to each
OF his daughters bible, to cost SIS each, to
be purchased out of money coming from her
fathers estate ; also, bible, to cost So, to
be presented to each of his grandchildren );
and that $50 each be paid to three individ-
uals whom he named, if they can be found,
and IT not, to their legal representatives,
directing the best manner by which their
present localities can be ascertained
During the course of the conversation,
Mrs. Brown asked him if he had heard that
Gerritt Smith had become insane, and had
been sent to the Asylum, at Utica. He re-
piled that he had read Of it in the papers,
and was sorry to hear it, but Immediately
changed the subject.
The subject Of the death of his two sons
was spoken Of. and Mrs. Brown remarked
that she had made some effort, whilst at Har-
per's Ferry, for the recovery of their bod
les, to which object she said Col Barbour
had kindly consented to give bis assistance.
Capt. Brown remarked that he would also
like the remains of the two Thompsons re-
moved, if they could be found, but suggest
ed that it would be best to take his body,
with the bodies of his four sons, and get a
pile of pine logs and burn them all together;
that it would be much better and less cx-
penslve thus to gather up all their ashes to-
gether, and take them to their final resting
place. Sheriff Campbell told him that this
would not be permitted within the State, and
Mrs. Brown objected to the proposition al
together.
The prisoner said that he contemplated
his death with composure and calmness.-
1t would undoubtedly be pleasant to live
longer, but as it was the will of God he
| should close his career, he was content It
was doubtless best that he should thus be
legally murdered for the good of the cause,
and he was prepared to submit to His will
without murmur. Mrs. Brown becoming
depressed at these remarks, he bid her cheer
up, and told her that his body would soon
be with her, and that they would be united
again in Heaven
With regard to his ex ecution, he said he
desired not religious ceremonies, either in
the Jail or on the scaffold, from ministers
who consent or approve of the enslavement
of their fellow creatures-that he would pre-
fer to be accompanied on the scafold by a
dozen slave children and good old slave
mother, with their appeal to God for bless
ings on his soul, than all the eloquence of
the whole clergy of the Commonwealth COM
bined.
During the past week several letters, con-
tanning checks and drafts, had been forwar-
ded to him by his friends in different Sec
tons of the country These he all endor-
sed, and ordered payable to his wife, Mary
A. Brown, one Of them for 800, and an
other for $50, and handed them to her.
EXECUTION OF JOHN BROWN.
CHARLEsTowN, Dec. 2, p M.-The dis
patch sent at noon to-day has already put
the public in possession of the main fea-
lures of the execution of Capt John Brown
for his reasonable and insure ctionarv do
ings at Harper's Ferry. The following en-
braces all the particulars of the me morable
event that seem worthy of recording.