Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-11-01

discontinue to "crush out" OF the two nc
gro prisoners, one of whom made Marshal
johnson his confessor, Gov Wise, in his
Richmonj speech, sAys:
"Of the two negroes, it was hard to say
which seemed the most cowardly and false -
The North Carolina negro offered to botray all
persons involved in The affair if spared, and the
Canada nepro--who was, believe, one of the
members of the Provisional Congress was a
crourhing craven, who lied, as Brown said, for
his liie" S
SO muchb by way of preface 70
coPELAND's CONFESSION.
Queslion-Aro you John Copeland of 0ber-
lin, and the same person that was indicted
last year at Cleveland for rescuing the slave
" John p
Answer-I am.
o. Do your parents reside in Oberlin?
A. They do.
O. Who induced you to enter into the Har-
pers Ferry movement
A. J. II. Kagi and John Brown, Jr. wrote
letters TO Leary at Oborlin, which / saw, and
was thus induced 10 60 into il.
q. Who furnished You the means to come
10 Virginia
A. Ralph and Samuel Plumb gave me the
money S15-to bear my expenses.
2. What other Oberlin persons were at
Harpers Ferry?
A. None but Lcary and myself
q. Where is Leary
A. lie was killed in the river near the
Rifle Works.
Q. Did you come through Cleveland2
A. Yes.
Q, On what day did you leave there2
A. The day of the October election.
O. Where did you stop at in Cleveland2
A. ] stopped at Isaac Sturtevant's, on Wal
nut street Was there from Monday noon
until Tuesday evening at O'clock
O. Did Mr. and Mrs Sturtevant know what
you were going to Virginia for2
A. Mrs Sturtevant did. She was the per
son who talked to me about it. l suppose Mr..
s. knew it.
Q. Where did Plumb give you the money,
and who was PRESENT.
A. Ralph Plumb gave il to me. Samuel
Plumb and Leary were present II was in
Plumb 5 office at 0berlin.
Q. Did the Plumbs know where you were
going2
A. Yes, and wished us good luck, and gave
me the money just before leaving Monday
morning.
Q. Did Charles II. Langston see you in
Cleveand2
A. lie did, and knew was coming on to
join Browns company.
Q. Who directed you to go TO Sturtevants
at Cleveland2
A. Leary He was directed by John Brown,
Jr, to 90 there.
Q. Did you hear Ralph Plumb, on the day
the slave "Johnp was rescued, urge persons
TO go TO Wellington, and if So where
A. did. He was on the pavement in front
Of Watson's grocery.
y. Have you any knowledge of an attempt
TO raise an insurreetion in any other State or
region OF our eountryP
A. | understood that there was an intention
TO attempt movement Of that kind in Ken
lucky about the same time.
O. Did you know from Brown or any other
person that help was expected from the slaves
in the ucighborhood
A. did from Brown, that help would come
from the slaves, but did not understand at
any time, until Monday morning after the
fight had commenced, that any thing else than
running off slaves was intended, being at
the Rifle Works, half mile from the Engine
House.
q. Did you learn from Brown or any of the
company that persons at Harpers Ferry sym
pathised with them, or were in any way con-
nected with the moyement2
A. From Brown l understood that there
were laboring men at Harpers Ferry who
wished TO get rid of the slaves and would aid
in running them off,
Recollect the circumstances under which it
is asserted the above replies were pumped out
The witness was in duress, and under the
threat Of death. Two U. s. Officials, Marshal
johnson of Ohio, and Marshal Martin of Vr-
gnia, told the "cowardly and false" negro
'there was no possible chance TO save his life"
Aud yet the adroit confessOr could only draw
from his negro peDitent that Kagi and John
Brown, Jr,, wrote letters to Leary at Oberlin,
which he saw, and was thus Induced to 90 into
it. Into WHAT Running off slaves;" for
Copeland in his confession as published by Mar
shal Johnson, declared that he "did not under
stand at any time, unta Monday morning after
The fight had commenced that anyfAiRg else than
running of sieses toas intended" This shows
conclusivelY that Marshal Johnson has made
"great cry and little wool" go far as he has
attempted through an extOrted confession from
negro to imPlicate respectable citizens Of
Ober,in in the Harper's Ferry foray.
But the following notes from the Messrs.
Plumb prove that Marshal Johnson's negro is
Just what Gov. Wiso described him to be, or
else that the confession has been concocted OK
prcssly to make a case of suspicion as is usual
with government rpies and infomers. Marshal
johnson can take either horn of the dilemma.
CARDS FROM NEssRs PLUMB.
FbFTsF OBERLIN, Oct. 81, 1859.
EO. MoRMSo LEADER - have just been
shown the National Democrat of this morning,
containing statement Purporting to come from
John Copeland, which, if true, would implieaie
me in the insuTrcetiOu at Harper's Ferry.
Ihaslen to say that the charges therein con
tanned are untrue. never had a word of CON
versation with Copeland upon the Harper's
Ferry insuHcclion or any other insuuoclion
among slaves, nor did give Copeland money
fr the purpose named, or for any other pur,
pose. Yours respectfully,
RALPH PLUMB.
t..gv oRRRLIN, Oct. 81, 1869.
ED. MoRKiNo LEADER ~ wish to add t
what has been sad by my brother respecting
the charges purpOrtng t. have been made BY
Copeland, that it iA cot true that ever CAV,
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