Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-12-15

Assisteu INTO the wagon, ana look
seat on his coffin.
The train then proceeded to the
scene of execution. The military es-
cort was largo and imposing. There
was no music. and nothing was to be
heard save the slow measured tread OF
the military. and the rumbling Of the
wheels of the wagon which was con-
veying Brown to his death.
Following the military were about
two hundred citizens. The gate was
entered. and the command brought to
. halt. In . few minutes j. again
started. and proceeded to the gallows.
The wagon was stopped q few yards
from the steps which led to the plat
form. and Brown was assisted out. and
Immediately started for the scaffold.-
On one side was the Sheriff. and on
the other one OF his deputies.
Brown sscended the steps with .
cheerful look. q firm. unshaken step,
and an unblsnched eve. No, an exhi-
bition Of fear was given. There was
no evidence Of \ consciousness OF the
terrible tragic scene which Was about
to take place, and in which he wa, 10
be the actor. As soon as ne reached
the platform. the military which ac-
companied him filed to the right and
left, and took the positions which had
been previously assigned them Brown
looked at the crowd. then glanced at
the scsffold The Deputy Sheriff e1-
tended his hand and took that Of Brown
and shaking it. bsde him farewell.
No ministers were present, owing to
the fact that Brown had refused their
offices- The Sheriff approached him.
shook his hand. and bade him good
bye. Brown stepped forward, when
the Deputy Sheriff tied his legs, while
the Sheriff drew the white cap over his
head, and placed the fatal rope about
his neck. As soon as this was done,
Brown remarked to the Sheriff, you
will have TO guide me from this out.
The Sheriff asked. Capt. Brown. have
YOU anything to ssy?' To which he
replied. Nothing
SherifF-.Will you take hsndker-
chief, and use it as signal. letting it
fall when yon are ready!
Captain Brown-'No. sir, I am
ready. Do not keep me unnecessarily
long,
The Sheriff then stepped aside, while
the doomed man engaged in prayer
In a few minutes he stepped softly
from the scsffold. and, on leaving it,
the Deputy Sheriff sprung the trap,
and John Brown was suspended be-
tween the heavens and the earth.
Not sound was heard except the
creaking of the timbers of the scaffold
and the whipping sound of the wind.
as it played with the naked branches Of
the trees.
After he had hung for twenty min
utcs. Drs Girard. d. L. Mason, John
A. Strsith. John Starry and H. p.
Cooke. ascended the platform, and.
after feeling his pulse. holding their
ears to his chest, pronounced him dead.
Ten physicians. attached to the differ
ent military corps, then visited him,
each one of them felt his pulse. and
pronounced him dead. Thus ended
this tragic scene, which commenced in
violence and murder, and closed in
shame and death.
On the road to the scaffold, Brown
remarked to the undertaken. who was
in the wagon with him. on observing
military in the field: "They have ex-
cluded all citizens" "Yes," was the
reply. Capt. Brown said: Gentle
men. you are very calm and collected
much more so than | am; and yet
your condition is much moro critical.
| am COOL" said he; Il have suffered
much more from modesty in my life
time than have from fear. For 80
Years i have been educated to look on
fear as q myth. and now | do not
know what it is" After riding some
distance further. and being beyond the
limits of the town. he said, addressing
the same gentleman: What a besuti-
ful country you have; had no idea Of
its beauties and the excellence OF it's
soil. This is the first time have had
the pleasure of seeing it, No other
conversation toek place. and he quiet
ly proceeded TO his death
Just previous to starting for the ex-
ecution. Brown wrote the following
and handed it to Mr.. Hiram O'Ba n
non:
Il am now convinced that the great
iniquity which hangs over this coun-
try can not be purged without i'm
mensc bloodshsd. When | first came
to this State / thought differently. but
am now convinced that ! was mis-
taken.
He requested Mr.. O'Bannon not to
give publicity to the above.
After the body of Brown had hung
for thirty-eight minutes, il was cut
down and placed in the coffin. The
rope with which he WAS hung was ia
ken in charge by an officer. and after
wards cut up into pieces and distrib-
uted to those who were anxious to
have it. Parties cut the timbers Of
the gallows. and carried away the
pieces. while others secured . lock Of
his hair. When the body was placed
in the coffin it was conveyed to town
and placed in the Jail. Many persons
desired to visit the jail for the purpose
of seeing it, but their curiosity was not
gratifed. A special train of cars was
ordered from the Ferry. and at half
past six o'clock. under strong mill
tary escort. the coffin was removed
from the jail and taken to the cars,
where it was placed In q special one.