The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1859-10-20
From the Baltimore Patriot.
Incidents of the Insurrect.on at
Harper,s Ferry. ss,ss

7asssaee Harper's Ferry. assss,ss'
We give below some further details more
deliberately furnished than the accounts
heretofore given, but nothing really new
We make up the Review from various quar-
ters. 1t appears that John Brown of Kan
sas n0toriety turns out to be the ring leader,
and the only object was the rescuing and
carrying of Of slaves of whom there are
several thousands in the adjacent counties
to Harper's Ferry. The whole plan of
Brown and his asso ciates was laid in the
most maddened zeal How any sensible men
could make themselves believe they could
escape capture and punishment by adopting
tie course pursued BY them lie unaccounta-
Bile. 1t was stated yesterday that this man
Brown WAS mertally wounded, but later ac-
counts say be is not. When he was brought
out Of the engine house wounded, there was
some demonstration made to lynch him, but
Major Russell instruct, d the Marines to pro-
tect the insurgents. The following colloquy
occurred between Brown and one Of the Re
porters, after his arrest
What is your name, whore ware .ou born
and how old aFe yeuf
"My name is John Brswn. am we'll
known. have been known as Old Brown
of Kansas. In from Litch6e.d county,
Connecticut, and have lived in divers places.
Two of my sons were killed here to-day.
and I'm dying too. came here to liberate
slaves; and was to receive no reward. have
acted from sens Of duty aad am conrent
I'd await my fate, but 1 think the crowd have
treated me badly. l am an. cid man, and
yesterday l could kill whom chose, but
bad no desire to kill any person, and would
not have killed man had they not tried to
kill me and M me-. I could have sacked
and burnt the town but did not. l have
treated the persons whom took as hostages
kindly, and appeal to them for the truth
OF what say. am sixty-three years Of
age"
Reporter-"W hen did .ou st conceive
this move p
Biown-"W lille in Kansas, after my prop
erty was destroyed, one of my sons killed,
and my happiness destroyed by the slave
ed. also was moved in this matter by a
hope to benefit the negroes"
RePorter--ssWhere did you get your rifles
and the pixies which are here? Who furnish
ed you with them :"
Brown-"My own money. did not re.
ceive aid from any man. Cock is not son
OF mine. II could have succeed ed in run
ming OFT slaves this time could have raised
twenty times as many men as have now,
for a similar expedition. But have failed.
did not intend to stay here SO long, but
compromises which they had no intention Of
carrying out. am not in any mans em-
ploy."
brown complained that the crowd who
we're elamorous for his blood were treating
him ankindly and unfairly, after the kind
ness and lenency he bad shown the citizens
and the town. He also said that he was full
ly:convinced that.he was dying in righteous
case. 1t isnot. however, probable that be
will die until he has be- q tried By jury, US
the only wound be sustained is cut across
the head With sabre. The sum of $40 was
found en- his person, which was placed with
the Paymaster for safe keeping.
When fret broughs out, he was supposed
to be mortal!y wounded, and he himself said
be was dying An examination of bis
wounds proved them to be not necessarily
fatal, and he afterwards expre ssed desire to
live and to be tired by bis country. In
his pockets a considerable number of
papers were found, among which were the
articles OF agreement under which the insur-
rectionists acted. and what purportsd to be
q schedule for the establishment. of q "provis-
ional government The most important
papers found in his possession were taken in
charge OF by Col. Lee, on behalf of the Gey-
eminent. The following note, characteristic
of the pursuits Of the man, fell into our pos-
session:
"Captrin Browa:
"DEAR SIR-t have been disappointed in
not seeing you here ere this to take charge
OF your freight. They have been here now
two weeks, and as have had to sup erintend
the providing for them, it has imposed upon
discontented, and If not soon taken on, some
of them will 60 back to Missouri. wish to
know definitely what you propose doing.
"They cannot be kept here much longer,
without risk to Themselves, and if any of
them conclude to go back to the State 1t will
be bad termination to your enterprise
No signature
TIE PRISONERS.
Besides Captain Brown, toe prisoners ia
ken are his son, who is seriously wounded in
the abdomen and not likely todiye; Edwin
Coppuck, who belongs to Iowa, and negro
named Shields Green, who came from Pitts.
burg to join Brown. The stories of all
these men are precise the same; they agree
as to the object they p, opposed TO accom- plish
and the number of parties in the movement.
Young Brown in answer to question said
that there were parties in the North connec-
ted with the mcvement-thus differing With
bis father on the poist. Coppuck, the other
white prisoner, is quite young and seems
less shrewd than the others. He said he did
not wish to join the expedition, and when
asked gave reply which showed the intl-
ence Brown had over him. He said :-"Ah!
you gentlemen don't know Captain Brown,
when he calls for US we never .hink of refu-
sing to come"
Several slaves were found in the room With
the insurrectonists, but it is not believed
that they were there willingly. Indeed
Browns expectations as to the slaves run
ming to him was ntiiely disappointed. None
seem to have come to him willingly, aud in
most cases they were forced to desert their
masters. But one iustaace in which slave
made public appearance with arms in his
hands is related. negro who had been
sharply used by one of the town people, when
he found he had 8 pike in his hand, used his
"brief authority to arrest the citizen and
have him taken to the Armory.
TREATMENT OF TIE paIsoSGas.
The citizens imprisoned by the insurrec-
tionists all testify to their Ienient treatment.