The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-22
THE HARPERs FERRY OUTBREAK.
Here Views and Opinions or Old Brown The
Preliminary Legal Proceedings Hot Pur.
suit Of Bin Geek Return Of Gov. Wisc 70
Richmond Old Browns History Of Him.
self, &e., &e.
SPECIAL DESPATCH TO THE HERALD.
CnARlnnows, Jefferson County, Va,

SPECIAL DESPATCH TO THE HERALD.
CnAxnnowS, Jefferson County, Va, /
Oct q, 1869
The Circuit Court of Jefferson county-Ifon. Richard
Parker Circuit Judgewhich commenced It's session yes
terday occupied to-day with the trial OF the OF
State Dillard, for assault with intent TO kill The
examination trial Of tho nsurrecuonss Brown and his
associates before eight Justices Of the Peace, will
place Tuesday, in the court rooms, the Circuit Court
adjourning for that purpose Judge Parkers charge to
the Grand Jury able and appropriate effort,
ferrng mainly TO the late attempts to excite insurrecton
In their midst. He said
GxS1IRxSN JuRy-In the state Of excitement in
to which our whole community hiss osen thrown by the
recent IN this county feel that the charge
which usually deliver TO Grand Jury would be entirely
out Of place. Those cannot but force them
seues upon your attention They must necessarily occa
py considerable portion OF that time which you will de-
vote to your public duties as q Grand Jury. However
guilty the unfortunate men who in the hands OF
csd oy nn ), prove =, . ns oe es,sa sa they caanot
monweah for any Of the mutfarious crimes with which
they are charged until Grand Jury, after dgent in
quiry, shall decide that for these offences they be put
upon their trial. l will not permit myself TO give
expression to any Of those feelings which at
upon the Of the guilt in which those are uvoVed
who invade by force peaceful unsuspccng portion Of
our common country raise the standard Of insurrecon
citizens, defending Virginia soil against their invasion.
! must remember, gentlemen, that as q minis
laws faithfully, and in the very spirit Of Justice
herself, must as TO every accused Of crime,
mold. as the law holds, that he is innocent until
he shall be proved guilty by honest, independent
and an impartial jury Of his countymen; and
what is obligatory upon me is equally binding upon
every one who may be connected with the prose-
cution and tras Of these offenders In these cases. Is in
all Others you viii be controlled by that oath which each
Of you have ave taken, and in which you have solemny
ali Offences which may be brought to your
knowledge and that you viii present no one through III
sbos,, IN
through fear or favor but in all your presentments you
shall present the truth the whole truth, and no
YOU You viii have fulfilled your a duty. soD CO beyond
this and in place Of that dgent inquiry and calm nves
tgaton which you have swern to make, act upon pre-
done wrong to that law In whose service you are en-
gagged. As before said, these men are now In the
an impartial trial We owe to The cause Of justice as
well as to our own characters that such trial should be
afforded them Il guilty, they win be sure 70 pay the
isbment when thus inflicted by virtue Of
law will be, beyond all comparison, more eflcacious
which passion could subject them whether they
be in public or private position let each one Of
member that as the law has charge Of these alleged
Offenders the law alone through its recognized agents.
must deal with them TO the last It tolerate in
reference by others with duties il has assumed
wealth, through her courts Of justice, will be ready
punish the offence Of such interference she 70 pun
h these grave and serious oencers with which she s
about to DEAL in these offences be proved by
legal testimony to have been perpetrated Let US
ali gentlemen bear this in mind and in patience await the
result confident that that result will be whatever
and impartial justice ha determine to be necessary and
proper would seem, gentlemen, and yet speak from
me- that these who have lately thrown themselves
confidently expected to be Joined By slaves
and free negroes and unured the banner Of nsurrecton
and invited this class Of citizens to rally it, and
yet, as am told, they were unable to obtain single
recruit -
The following the commitment Of the insurrectoniss
and the the sheriff to summon eight justices
examine the facts with which they stand charged
State Of riyyinio, Jefferson county to ,ci,.-To the
sheriff Court and To the keeper of the Jail Of said county
These are to command you, in the name of the
into the esody Of the keeper 20 o sad
jail, and to receive and safely keep the bodies Of
John Brown, Aaron e Stephens, Edwin ooppie,
Shields Green and John Copland negro and charged be-
fore me, Roger Chew Justice Of the Peace for the said
county on the oaths Of henry A. wise Andrew Hunter
and John W. McGinns and upon the free admission and
confession Of said parties made D presence and hear
ing that they and each of them did floniousy conspre
with each other with other parties unknown to make
abolition insurrection and open against the
mopwealth Of Virginia, by making armed attack
and numbering her citizens at certain place called Har-
and 1sth days Of October. 1852. and did feloni-
ously and Of their malice kill and murder,
with firearms called sharp's rifles, and revovers
and pistols, divers citizens Of this commonwealth,
and Fountaine Beckham, George W. Turner
and Thomas Bcorlcy free white persons and Luke QUINN
soldier of the United States government and also Hay
wood Sheppard free negro, and did there and then,
fcloniously conspre with divers slaves belonging to
citizens of this commonwealth the county aforesaid TO
unknown, TO rebel and make nsurrecton against the
government and laws Of this commonwealth, that they
may examped for the said offence before the proper
examiug court and otherwise dealt with according to law
Given under my hand and seal this 10th day Of October
1852 Signed, ROGER CHEW.
To the Sheriff gf Jefferson county virgmia:-whereas
John Brown, Aaron G. Stephens and Edwin Coppe, white
persons and Shields John Copland color
have been committed by my warrant within and for
certain feons charged TO have been committed there
in stated by them and being Of opinion that there is eu
cicnt canse for charging snd parties with said offences,
command you, in the name Of the commonwealth TO
at least eight Of the justices of said county to
meet at the Court House Of said county the 25 day
Of this month, October 1852 to hold Court for the
charged and for such other purposes concerning the
premises required by law and have then there this
warrant and make return how you have effected the
same.
under my hand and seal this Goth day Of October,
1859 ROGER CHEW.
The Sheriff holds the same prisoners on a commitment
issued on the complaint and information Of Lewis W.
Washington, Esq. The Indictment will contain counts
charging the prisoners with ncng slaves to nsurrection
murder and rebellion against the government The final
trial will take place ut the present tem which viii com
mence in few days
The jail is well supplied with among them are two
boxes of sharpes rifles, taken by the Grays at Haypcrs
Ferry No apprehension s felt here for the safety Of the
prisoners either from Lynch law by the citizens or
cue by their friends, although there is foolish rumor
that ninety men are armed in Maryland ready
lease them from Jail at the first opportunity.
Through the poltcness Of the Sheriff. the writer visited
the prisoners in the JAIL Old Brown and Stephens were
lying on one bed in room, and Coppie and the
negro Shields were lying In one bed in another
room, manacled together by the wrists The negro
COPELAND was sitting in third room. The mil
has very large ana nicely kept rooms, and all
the prisoners stated that they we're treated very well by
'he aler Captain Harris who In cnn.e OF voun-
cer company that attacked them at Harpcrs Ferry The
aner recognized Stephens as having belonged to the
regiment IN Mexico at the time he was
"ar se'Sne as an onlcer In tho VIRGINIA regiment.
- -. I" .er that he had just written lay
Nr,e - wv Ole which he afterwards requested the
"''0' % copy for him. II was application TO some
Of his friends be provided with COUNSEL and In which
In