Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-12-07

Letter from Miss Fouke, of Harpsrs Ferry.
We received by mail yesterday, the follow
ing letter from Miss Fouke, OF Harper's
Ferry, lady whose name has been widely
published in connection with Il thrilling incl
dent in the llarpers Ferry trageiy.-H
Lonis Repubiic"n.
H,RpER's FERRY. Nov %, 1889
Mr.. EDITOR i anticipate your surprise
when your eye shall rest on the signature
attached Ia this sheet; but that surprise shall
vanish when YOU learn the why and where
fore have taken the liberty OF writing You
IA few lines. have learned from the DAILY
Missouri Republican,, that you were under
the impression that | had saved the lille "i
Thompson, the nsurgent, when he was Ia
ken captive. lie WAS brought INTO the pub
he parior Of the hotel sometime before /
knew that he and Stevens had been captured.
When first saw Thompson he was seated
in an arm char with his hands tied behind
his back, guarded by some Of the citizehs.-
Several questions were put Ia ham IN regard
10 his motives and expectations when he IN.
rolled under the "Pruylsi"nal Government
His answers were invariably the same
That he had been taught to believe the ne
grues were cruelty treated and would gladly
avail themselves of the first Opportunity 10
obtain their freedom, and that all they had
to do was to come t" llarper's Ferry, take
possession Of the armory aud arsenal, which
would be an easy matter, and the c"lored
people would come in mass, backed 10y the
| Observation-Disclosures Of the Valley of Virginia.
Some one remarked. Il imagine that you
regret you did not succeed IN running Oh the
durklrs." lie replied that he had regretted
having engaged III the attempt, and If 1t were
IL 10 over again he would decline.
| Very soon after, Mr.. Beckham, one OF our
most esteemed citizens. was shot down, un-
armed as he was went into the parlor
and heard one of the guard ask 1. il he we're
/ n married man his answer was that he had
! been married six months only.
! walked up to where the prisoner sat,
and SAID Ia him: "Mr. Thompson, You had
much better have staid AT home nnd taken
care of your wife and pursued some honest
calling. instead of coming here to murder
our citizens and steal our property; that their
first net was to kill free colored man be-
cause he would not join them in their wicked
scheme" He said spoke truly; but he had
been basely deceived.
Whilst | was talking to Thompson. seve-
raj of the friends of Mr. Berkham " no were
Justly enraged at his cold-blooded murder,
came in, with the ayowed determination to
kill Thompson on the spot. As they ap-
peared with leveled rifles, stood before /.
and protected him. tor three powerful rea,
sons: first, my sisterin-aw was lying in the
adjoining room very i'll, under the influence
of a nervous chill, from sheer fright. ard il
they had carried out their design, it would
have proved fatal to her, without doubt. In
the second place, ! considered it IA great out,
rage to kill the man in the house. however
much he deserved to die. Thirdly, | am
emphatically law and order woman, and
wanted the self-condemncd man To live. that
he might be disposed of by the law. | sim
ply shielded the terribly frightened man,
without touching him. until Col. Moor |
think it was) came in and assured me, on
his honor, that he should not be shot III the
house That was all | desired The result
everybody knows.
One other error wish 10 correct. Philip
B. fouke, of Belleville ILL.,, is my cousin
only. am happy to assure you that have
birth-right in the odd Dominion
Respectfully yours,
n ~ E,rrp