The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-12-14
VOL al--.No HOLE No. l5s }e.. .....'

e utes. Brown then touched upon other busi-
/ ness affairs ,antil an order uas received from
) the Conms nder-i in- Chief, ing that the in
r tersieS must terminate. Brown then said:-
Mary, rope you will always live in Essex
' County. | hope you will be able to get all
our children together, and impress the incuI-
J cartons of the right principles to each sue
t eeeding generation. ] give you all the letters
], and papers which have been sent me siHce my
arrest. I wish you aIsoto rake aifmy clothes
thar are here. and carry them home Good
By. good by. God bless yoa 49,, 5.5s, ~. ~ /.
The bitterness of parting was brief Mrs.
Brown was led asay. With the. utmost eonsid-
leraiion. By Capt. Avis. and. soon after eight
IocIoek, was oa her way again to Harpers
Ferry During the passage, Capt Moore,
shO sat beside her, did not fail to present to
her arguments in favor of the blessings of
Slasers-pointing out. by way of example,
troop Of negroes disporting by the roadside.
i After his wifes departure, Brown wrote up.
/ I'll midnight.w when be retired. At dayhTeak7
be resumed bis labor with undiminished ener-
gy. At l0a o'clock he was. called upon to,
prepare for his death. He took leave of bi.
fellow prisoners. s.afectiouarely bidding farewell
TO all, excepting Cook. toward whose want Of
good faith be was not disposed to be indul.
gent. and Hazliit, with whom he wonld ac-
knowledge no acquaintance. At Ii o'clock
he was brought from the Jail and surrounded
by guard Of cavalry. conducted to the ecaf-
fold. He mounted the wagon in which be was
conveyed with the same calmness he has shown
dnriPg all the days of his captivity He sat,
With Crp:. Avis. upon the pine boz which
contained bis coffin. Upon reaching The gal. {
lows he alked, never faliering in bis step, to
the platform. and waited in silence for the
completion of the necessary arransements-
When the cap was about 10 be put over his 2
head, he bade farewell to tho.e who stood by
bin with evident deep feeling. Infhe adjust
ment of the rope Capt. Avis was as speedy as
was possible, Brown remaining all The. while
motor less. ! know that every one within /,
view was greatly impressed with The dignity
of bis bearing. / have since heard men Of ;
the Sonth say that his courageous fortitude
and inse visibility to fear filed them With amaze
cent
in few moments Capt. Avis led Brown, .
upon the trap. and announced that all was
ready. Then instead of permitting the exe- ;
cuiion to be at once consummated, the pro-.
Ger dings we're checked, and the hideous mock
s3eerylofEa vast military display began. For ten
minutes at the least, under fhe orders of the ,
commanding officer. the troops ,trod heavily.
over the ground, hitheI and tbi,her, now adj
yanciIg toward he eallows.now turning about
m sham d. fiance of an imaginary enemy. All
this while Brown stood motioniess, answering
only TO Capt Avis that be was not tired but
Wished to be kept no longer han they found
necessary At leneihafhe vaior of Virginia
was satisfied. The folders re esnned their posi-
lions, and the last command was given. With
a Ratchet the Sheriff cut the rope which sus-
tained the trap. and without one struggle.
without one movement except The heavy fall.
without one sound or sign of suffering, John
Brown passed from this life.
Some say he died game And 30 he did
His game of life was the resolute and un-
yielding pursuit of purpose which to him
was holy and noble. The convictions of his
soul taught him how 10 try and win it. No z
perils, no terrors could turn him aside. cFhe
game he played was not for his own gain, but
yet bis own life was his stake. Losing, he
bowed before bis destiny, though never des-
pairing even in the midst of hopes overthrowu,
and miseries such as few men are called to en-. T
dure that the side he had played on must
some time triumph. He died game, aud bis
death honored The instrument of shame upon
which he met it. ~ <4.i1
BROWNS INTERVIEW WITH HIS
FELLOW-PRISONERS. 90
Sheriff Campbell bid the prisoner farewell
in bis ceit the latter returning thanks for the
Sh.riff 5 kindness, and speaking of Capt Pate.
as brave man
Ffhe prisoner was then taken to the cell of ;
Copeland and Green; he told them to stand
up like men, and not betray their friends; he
then handed them a quarter each, saving he
had no more use for money. and bade them
adien. He then visited Cook and Goppic.9r
who were chained together, and remarked to
Cook: 50 on have made false statements -
Cook asked: What do you meanr Brown
. Why. by stating that j sent you