Nebraska advertiser., 1859-10-27
Fsderiek, lId.. Ocl. l7.

per'S terrys Inc express tram running
east was fired into twice, and one Of the
railroad hands, a negro boy, was killed
trying to get the train through the town..
The mob arrested two men who came in
with a load of wheat, and took the wag-
On, loaded it with rides, and sent It into.
Maryland. They are led BY about $50.
whites, with a gang Of negroes, fighting
Baltimore, Oct. Is.
The following Interesting narrative
Of the recent event at Harper's Ferry il
CLEANED from the report Of the editor Of
the american, who accompanied the
troops from this cisy, and returned this
evening:
The principal originator Of this short
but bloody existence of this insurrection
was undoubtedly Capt. John Brown,
whose connection with scenes of violence
in the border warfare Of Kansas, then.
made his name Familiarity notorious with
the whole country.
Brown made BIS first appearance in the
vicinity Of Harper's Ferry more than a
year ago, accompanied by bis two sons,
the whole party assuming the name of
Smith, He inquired about land In the
vicinity, and made Investigations about
the probability Of finding ores, and for
some time boarded at Sandy Point, a mile
east Of the Ferry. After an absence Of
some months, he re-appeared in the vici-
nifty. and the elder Brown rented a farm
on the Maryland side about four miles
from the Ferry, They bought a large
number Of picks and spades, and this
confirmed the belief that they intended
to mine for ores. They were seen fire.
~quently in and about Harper's Ferry, bat
no suspicion seems to have existed that
Bill Smith was Capt. Brown, or that he
intended embarking into any movement
so desperate or extraordinary, yet the
development Of the plot leaves no doubt
that his visits to the Ferry and his lease
of the farm were all parts of his prepar-
alton for the insarrection, which he sup
posed would be successful in exterminat-
ing slavery in Maryland and Western
Virginia.
The first active movement IN the insur-
recti0n was made about half past 10
o'clock Sunday night. VIM. Williamson,
the Waterman on the Harper's Ferry
bridge, whilst walking across towards the
Maryland side, was seized by a number
of men, who said that he was their pri-
soner and must come with them. He re-
cognized Brown and Cook among the
men, and, knowing them, he treated the
matter as a Joke; but, enforcing silence,
they conducted him tn the Armory, which
he found already In their possession. He
was retained till after daylight and then
discharged. The Waterman who was to
relieve Williamson at midnight found the
bridge ightsa all out, and was Immediately
seized. Surprising 1t an attempt at rob-
berry, he broke away, and his pursuers
stumbling over, he escaped.
The next appearance of the insurgents
was at the house of Lewis Washington,
a large farmer and slave owner, living
about four miles from the Ferry. A par
ty headed by Cook proceeded there,
aroused Col W., and told him he was
their prisoner--they also seized all The
slaves near the house, and took carriage
and horses and a large wagon with two
horses. When Col Washington saw
Cook, be Immediately recognized him as
a man who had called upon him some
months previous, to whom he had exhi-
bited some valuable arms in his posses.
sion, including an antique sword present.
ed by Frederick the Great to George
Washington, n a pair Of pistols pre-
scented by Gen. Lafayette TO Washington
both being heir-looms in the family.
Before leaving, Cook invited Col. w.
to a trial Of skill at shooting, and exhib.
tied considerable certainty as a MARKS
man. When be made his visit On Sunday
night he alluded to his previous visit, and
the courtesy with which he had been
treated, and regretted the necessity which
made it his duty to arrest Col w. He
however took advantage of the knowledge
he obtained byhis former visit to carry
off all the valuable collection Of arms,
which Col. w. did not r~e-obtain till after
the final defeat Of the Instruction.
From Col WIS. the party proceeded
with him, as a prisoner, in bis own car
rage, and twelve Of bis negroes, In the
wagon, to the house Of Mr.. AlIstadt, an
other large farmer Oh the same road
Mr.. Allstadt and his sCu, a lad sixteen
years Of age, were taken prisoners, and
all the negroes within reach being forced
to join the movement, they returned to
the Armory at the Ferry.
All these movements seem 10 have been
made without exciting the slightest alarm
in the town. nor did the detention Of Capt
Phelps train at the upper end of town.
attract rttention. Il was not until the
town was fairly walked up, and they found
the bridge guarded'by armed men, ard .
guard stationed al all the avenues, thai
the people found that they were prisoners
A panic appears 10 have Immediately en-.
sued, and The number Of the in~surreCtion.
lists at once increased from fifty, which
was probably their greatest force, Includ.
ing the Slaves who were forced 10 join
from FIVE tol six hundred.
In the mean time, Il number Of work
men knowing nothing Of what had occur.
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