Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-11-08
STRONG KANSAS TESTIMONY AGAINST
BROWN

AN ABOIJTIoNIsT PAPER SHOWS HIN UP AS A COLD-
BtoopED ASSASSIN N-crRInrs FACTS ABOUT A LEA
LrE OF BLOOD AND ABOUT THE uARrER's FERRY
CONSPIRACY.
from the Lawrence tKnnsas) Herald Of Freedom,
The first thing the people of Kansas heard Of
Old John Brnwn was in the SIMMER Of 1855. A
meeting of ultra abolitionis's held Mt Cnzeno-
vim, N. Y. if recollect rightly. While in ses
slon Brown, who is a nntive Of Essex county, N.
u, appeared in that convention, aud made very
fiery speech during which he said he had four
sons in Kansas and no Ind three others who
were desirous of going there to MD in fighting
the battles of freedom. lie could not consent to
20 unless he could 60 armed and he would like to
all his sons, but WIS unable to do al. Funds
we're contributed on the spot, principally by Ger
rit Smith
The four sons had located on Puttawatomie
creek, in Lykins county, and in the fall u! 1855
were joined hy the father and other brothers. -
When the Wakarusa war was pcndingthe old man
and four sons arrived in Lawrence the balance
he reported sick. As they drove up IN front of the
Free State Hotel. they were all ttnudin. in
small lumber wagon. To each of their person was
strapped n short heavy brondsworl. Each was
supplied with n goodlv number of firearms and
navy reyolvers and poles standing endwise
around tho wagon box with fixed bayohets point
ing upwards. They looked really formidable and
were received with great ecldi. a small military
company organized at once, and the command
was given to Old Brown. From that moment he
commenced fImenting difficulties in camp disre
gnriing tho commands of superior officers and try
ing TO induce the men 10 go down to Franklin and
make IN attack upon the pro-savery fprces en-
camped there. The Conmiitoe of Public Safety
were called upon several times to head If his wild
adventure, rs the people of Lawrence hnd planted
themselves on the law, claiming that they had not
been guilty of its inracton. and that armed bo-
dy Of men should enter the town for any purpose
whatever, and that they would not 60 out of town
to attack any such boly. Pea.e was established &
old Brown retired in disgust.
hen the news OF the threatened siege Of Law
renee reached John Brown, Jr., who wins n men,
ber Of the Topeka Legislature, he organized COM
pany of about sixty men and marched towards
Lawrence. Arriving at Palmvrn, he learned Of
the sacking Of the town and the position Of the
people. lie rcconnotercd for u tms in the vcin.
ity, but finally marched back towards Ossawato,
mie. The night befure reaching that place, when
only few miles away, they camped for the night
Old John Brown. wbo we believe, was with the
party. singled out with himself seven men,
These he marched to a point eight miles above
Pottowatome creek, and called from their beds
their several residences at the hour of midnight
on the Oath of May 1856, Allen Wilkinson. VIM.
Sherman VIM. p. Doyle, Wm Doyle and Drury
Doyle. All were found the next morning by the
roadside or in the highway, some with CASH in
their hecds and sides and their throats cut others
with their skulls split open in two places, with
hocsin their breass ard hands cut off, and others
had hnles through their breasts, with their fingers
cut off, No man in Kansas has pretended to de-
nv that old John Brown led that murderous TO-
ray, which mnssacred those men. Up to that pc
j. riod not hair of old John Browns head, or that
of any of his sons, had been injured by the pro-
slavery party.
1t was not until the 30th of August, three months
after the Pottawatomie massacre, that the at
tack was made on Ossawattamie BY the pro-slave-
fare onH Erc1orick Rrovn aou of old .Tahu
was killed.
The truth Of history requires this statement. II
Brown was a monomAnac, it dates back anterior
to his first visit to Kansas