Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-12-23

CHARLEsTowN. Va, December 10
Throughout yesterday and to-day there
was great influx of stranger and citi-
zpns of the county, to witness the last act
Of the uarper's Ferry tragedy. There
WIS very little difficulty in getting into
town, the vigilance not being 80 great as
on the occasion of Browns execution.
The prisoners were visited yesterday
by Rev. Mr.. Dutton, Rev. Mr.. Nassau
and Rev. Beonly Waugh, of the Meth
odist Episcopal church. The services
were OF an interesting and solemn char
acter, and were participated in by all
the condemned men, though it is now
evident that Cook and Coppie at least
were playing possum, as their minds
must haze been fixed on hopes Of life
and liberty, rather than death aud eter-
nifty. An gave unqualified assent to
convictions of religious truth, and each
expressed a hope Of salvation in the
world to come. They freely acknowl-
edged their guilt, and admitted that their
doom was a just one, and that in the
main, they had been treated with the
utmost kindness, though they thought
some the witnesses were rather harsh
in their testimony. Cook and Coppie
were equally earnest in their protesta-
tons Of religious conviction and hopes Of
/ forgiveness.
Mr.. Butler, a Quaker gentleman from
Ohio, and also an uncle of Copies iron
Ohio visited him yesterday, the interview
lasting over an hour. All was quie
until eight o'clock last evening, when tn,
town was thrown into commotion by tn,
report of rife under the Jail wall, fol
lowed by several other shots from til,
: vicinity of the guard house, in clos
proximity to the Jail. The miIitar
3 were called to arms, and the excitemen
was intense-beyond anything that ha
yet occurred. In a few minutes tn
streets were in possession of armed mel
ruuors of every description were afoa
ana it was dangerous for a citizen to Q
out to ascertain the cause Of the excite
ment. This morning the communit
was early astir, the anxiety to obtain
true version of the exciting events
i last nightcausing the streets to be thron:
ed at an early hour.
J., PARTICULARS OF THE ATTEMPTED
ESCAPE.
The sentinel stationed near the j.
reported that at a quarter past Gig
O'Clock he observed man on the j
wall. He challenged him, and receivil
no answer, fired at him. Another he;
was also seen above the wall but he T
treated as soon as the first one had be,
fired at. The man on the top of Il
wall seemed at first determined 10 Jun
. downs but the sentinel declared his
tention of impaling him on his bayon
and he then retreated into the Jail va
with Coppie, and both gave themselo
up without further resistance. Co
afterwards remarked that if he cot
have gos over and throttled the guard
would have made his escape. The SHE
andoah mountains are within ten m
:. utes' run of the Jail wall, and had
y reached them, with his thorough kno,
edge of the mountains, his arrest wor
.Iy have been difficult, especially as but f
- Of the military could have followed h
IN during the night.
They had succeeded, after two wee
On labor, whenever alone and at night, wi
the bed clothing muffl-d the sound Of
saw, which they had made out of an
Of Barlow knife, in cutting through til
be iron shackles so that they could pry til
The off at any moment they should have ii
other work completed. They also nj
tlv sort of chisel out of an old bed scr
50 with which they succeeded, as oppol
The nifty would offer, in removing the plas
use from the wall, and then brick after br
OF untila space sufficient for them to /
in through was opened to the removal OF
the outer brick, The part OF the cell
lrm which they slept, and the bed being pu
n il ed against the wall, completely hid ii
mid work from view. The bricks they I
cen out were concealed in tue drum ,
ihi, stove, and the dirt and plaster reno
wa, in the course Of their work was pls
wa, between the bed clothing. They
the knowledge that they had been at v
will for whole week in making the apert
~. in the wall.
He Their cell being on the first floor,
Dr. if aperture was not more than five
the above the pavement Of the yard,
when freed OF their shackIes their ac