The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-11-27
COOKS CONFESSION.

COOKS CONFESSION.
Correspondence of the New York Tribunel
CHARLErowN, Nov. %, 1859.
The watchfuness with which the confession of Cook
guarded at the first has been relaxed with the pos
sible idea that such care longer needed
able TO send You an exact copy came from Cook him
As record Of this extraordinary transaction by OF
the parties directly and prominently concerned pos
sesses great interest but will be that the pretended
implication OF parties at the North is OF little importance
Of this informed you Immediately after the delivery of
the confession The only names mentioned cognzant of
Browns plan those OF Gerrt Smith Frederick Douglass
Dr. Howe, OF Boston, and Thaddeus Hyatt and Sanborn
of New York Even against these Cook does not make
very powerful case The spirit and the object Of the
fession plainly relieve the author from the resp0n
sibty Of his deeds and to cast the odum upon Brown
As every knows, this effort has been without
avail. Here is the conlession:-
THE CONFESSION.
became acquainted with Capt. John Brown in his
camp on Middle creek Kansas Territory, Just after the
battle OF Black jack and with him in camp until
i was broken up aud his company disbanded by Col
Sumner, ol the Frs Cavalry, United States Army.
next saw hun at the convention at Topeka which
the 4h of July, 1856. next met him days af
terward in Lawrence. Did not see him agaia until the
fall Of 1851 when met him at the house Of f B Whit
man, about four miles from Lawrence, X. T., which,
think, was about the 1sto November following.
told that lie intended to organize company for the pur
pose putting stop the aggressons Of the prosla
very men. agreed TO join him. and asked il knew
any other young men who were perfectly reliable
Realf, L. l. Parsons and r. j. Hinton received note
on the next sunday morning, while at breakfast in the
up that day and to bring Rea Parsons and Hinton
with me. Realf and Hinton not in town, and there
tore could not extend TO them the invitation Parsons
and myself went and had long talk with Capt Brown.
few days ate~ard received another from Capt.
Brown, which read as near as can recohect, as fol-
| lows
G e Sy M o ns an, next sr Come
ns S sS as e rsd in time
N'Np - s'-e' N'''' - ''"@'' '' JOHN BROWN
made all my arrangeme hts for starting at the time ap.
pointed Parsons, Reaf Hinton could not get ready
left them at Lawrence, and started in carriage for
Topeka Stopped at the hotel over night and left early
aay and Gr @ Ts 70 e
Kagi Left Topeka for Nebraska CITY, and camped at
first learned that were ITO leave flansas to attend
military school during the winter. 1t the
to get q draft of $50 cashed, and to get
got the draft cashed. Captain Brown had given
orders to take boat TO St Joseph, No. and stage from
there TO Tabor Iowa, where be would remain for few
days had to wait for Realf for three or four days;
Hinton could not leave nj that time. started with Reaf
and Parsons on stage for Leavenworh The boats had
stopped running account Of the ice Stad day
Ieavenworth and then left for Weston where took
stage for St. Joseph and from thence to Tabor found
sisted Of Captain John Brown Owen Brown A. d. Ste
phens, Charles Moett, G. I. Tdd Richard Robertson,
Colonel Richard Realf, /. F. Parsons, VIM. Leeman
/
preparations to start Here We found that Captain
Browns ultimate destination was the State Of Viz
| myself in regard to the Plan which l had supposed
was 10 be confined entirely TO Kansas and Missouri
! Reah and Parsons were OF the same opinion with me.
After good deal OF wranglng consented to go oH
as We had not the return, and the Of the
party were 50 anxious that should go with them
AT Tabor procured for the transportion about
200 Sharps rifles which had been taken on as far as
Tabor one year before at which place they had been left
awaiting the order Of Capt. Brown. There were also
of pEpfs cnth honte
munton and about two hundred reyolvers Of the Mas
sachusetts Arms patent, all Of which transported
across the State Of Iowa 10 Sprngdae and from there
Liberty, at which place they shipped Ashtabua
county, Ohio where they remained till brought Cham
bersburg, Pa, and from there transported to a
house in Washington county, Nd, which Capt Brown had
rented FOR six months and which situated about five
miles from Harper Ferry was the intention of Capt
Brown TO sell his teams in Springdae and with the pro-
ceeds to with the rest OF the company place
in Ash,abua county, Ohio where have a good
military instructor during the winter; but he dis
appointed in the sale As he could not get cash for the
teams it decided should remain in the neigh.
borhood Of sprngdae, aud that instructor, Col II.
Forbes, should be sent We stopped in pedee,
Iowa, over winter, at Mr.. Maxson's where we pur-
sued course Of military studies Colonel H. Forbes and
captain Brown had some words and he Colonel FL did
not come on; consequently A. D. Stephens drill
master The people OF the neighborhood did not know
die Of April when left tor Chatham, Canada, Chica-
go and Detroit. We stad about two weeks in Chatham
some Of the party said six weeks We left Chat
ham for Cleveland and remained there until late in June
In The meantime, Captain Brown went East business;
but previous bis departure he had learned that Colonel
Forbes had betrayed his plans to his some extent This
together with the scantness OF his funds induced him TO
delay the commencement Of his work and the means
for the time being Of dsbandiug the party He had also
received some information which called for his immediate
attention in Kansas wished TO go with him, but he said
that too well known there, and requested and
and some others to to Harpers Ferry Virginia to see
how things there, and to gain information While
we we're in Chatham he called a convention the purpose
OF which was to make complete and thorough organza
ton. He issued written circular, which he sent To
rous persons in the United States and Canada The cir
cular, az near as can recolcct, read as follows:
CHATHAM, May, 1853.
Mr. DEAR sIR-we have issued a call for a very
Quiet convention this place. which shall be happy 10
earnestly invited " give your s Join sowK
As the names were left blank do not know to whom
they were sent, though wrote several Of them.
learned, however that sent " Frederick Doug
lass, and think Gerrit smith also received Who
the others do not know Neither Douglass
Smith attended the convention / suppose some
twenty-five thirty Of these circulars were sent bu as
they we're directed by Captain Brown or J. H. KaH do
not know the names Of the parties whom they
addressed. DO know, however that thew were sent 10
none those whom Captain Brown knew TO be radical
abotoniss think 1t was about DAYS from the time
the circulars sent that the convention mo; Tho naea
of meeting was in OF the negro churches in Chatham
The convention think. was called 10 order by J. II Kap
It's object was then stated. which tho
rough and the formation Of constitution The
first business elect president and secretary Elder
Monroe colored minister, elected President and j
II. Kagi Secretary The next business was to form
stituton Captain Brown had already arawn M one,
which, on notion read by the secretary On motion
it ordered that each article OF the constitution be
taken up and separately amended and passed. which was
done On motion the constitution was then adopted as
whole The next business was 20 nominate Cofthfuder
in Chief Secretary Of War and Secretary Of State.
Captain John Brown was unanimously elected Com.
nander IN Chief J. II Kagi, Secretary oil war, ana
act az President until another chosen. d 81 Chap
uan, lhs, Was 70 act 1s Vice Pfeslaelt Doctor d. *,