The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-12-10


The Execnslop NJ 1oAn Dresvm.
The following aeoesnt of - ezseaeion u
Drewn i from the c.rcinnau 0Az4sss, vhoss
ssporsss was - Harpar's Parry:
LAsf In1savIEw ~ N. Aup nas. paown.
The following i succincs ana ts.ahfsl -
count Of the concluding inservie6 besmeen NJ.
and Mrs. Brown. An escort Of cavalry accom-.
panied Mrs. Brown from aarper's Ferry under
command u Captain Moore, Of the Richmond
Montgomery Guards The carriage which con.
veycd her US stopped as The outsh1rts u town.
All the military we're ordered ou:, and the
street was thronged with aids and plowed Oh
c'alt, who appeared anxious TO convey to the
distressed woman an idea Of their conse Quenee.
The carriage MAS driven ,lowlJ through town
while the women and children capped from the
windows. and mushrOom soldiery strutsed on
the streets.
On arriving u the jail, which vas closely
guarded. the carriage stopped, and Capt. Moore
whe rode With Mrs.. Brown, jumped from the
vehicle, and rendering her Bis arm, escorted her
into the Jail.
Capt Brown Was informed Of his wife's arri>
val, and requested that she might be allowed TO
enter his room a. soon ~ possible In . few
minutes the jailof conducted her into bis pres
'cnee The meeting was affecting, and 1t 6rss
neither party spoke.
Brown embraced her, pressed her to his boz
sem and exclaimed, Ny wife!" No tears we're
shed, but deep drawn sigh told too well OF
the intensity OF the feeling which each was un-
dergOlng.
After few minutes thus spent, the Captain
drew q chair, and Mrs. Brown sat down. He
then spoke to her Of his condition, told be was
contented, and il it was not for parting with her
and others whom he loved, he would have no
regret in dying. Mrs. Brown entered fully into
the feelings Of her husband, and both were re-
signed to the fate which awaited him.
Capt. Brown referred to the disposition OF his
property and the welfare Of his children, and
alter spending an hour IN conversation, supper
was brought in By the kind jAilor, and the hus.
band and wife sat down to partakc OF their last
meal. The Captain raised his hands, and ask
ed God to bless the meal, and then with q
cheerfulness which has no parallel, they COM
menced their repast From the time MRS. B.
arrived old Capt. B.'s spirits rose and he ex-
hielted light heartedness, which surprised those
who we're around him. Mrs. Brown remained
With her husband until hall past six O'Clock,
when she was informed that the Interview must
end. The Captain desired that his wife might
remain with him during the night, but the or.
ders from headquarters were to the contrary
and accordingly they separated. While the
parting scene was one which showed much in
tensty OF feeling, there was no exhibition Of
passion, and aft an embrace, and kiss, and
kind admoniti0n from Brown they parted for
ever.
Mrs. Brown was conducted to her carriage,
and under similar escort With Capt. Moore,
who was kind and gentlemanly in his deport-
ment the carriage started for the Ferry.
The SuhatMncp n Rrnwnss intarv;o 9Th III
wife, was relative 10 a settlement OF his none
tsry affairs aud the disposition Of his body
Previous TO her arrival he had desired that his
body should be burned, and the ashes thereof
urned, and IN that condition removed. He also
expressed desire that the bodies of bis two
sons who were killed at Harpers Ferry should
De dsinterred, and after undergoing q similar
process, be placed in the same urn with his
own, and taken North. s
This would have been impossible, rs the ply
sicans Of Winchester had secured their bodies
and dssected them.
Gov. Wise had given an order to the effect
that if any person called for the body of Brown
who was entitled to it, that the Sheriff should
hand the same over, and Mrs. Brown was as
sured by the authorities that tho body would be
sent to her address at Harpers Ferry. B.own
spent some two or three hours, last night in
writing and reading. and then retired TO rest
he slept soundly, and rose about six o'clock,
cheeeiul and apparently unconcerned about the
fate which awaited him. About haif>past seven
O'Clock, after partaking of his breakfast, Capt.
Avis, jsilor, who has been very kind to Brown,
and who had eudeared himself thereby, informs
ed him that ne could visit Cook, Coppic and
the other prisoners, IT he desired. Accordingly
he was conducted to the room of Cook first.
BETWEEN BROWN AND HIS FELLOW
: PRISONERS.
On entering, kindly recognition took place.
when Capt. Brown said, addressing Cook: II
am sorry you have not confined yourself to
truth IN your statement called your confession
never sent you to Harpers Ferry as a spy,
and your statement to that effect is FALSE
Caok-"lou certainly did,"
Capt Brown Gina commanding tone)-"I
DIG not, sir; you have, by your, course, held
yourself up as an object OF contempt, and de-
'ervedly so." "
At this remark, Cooks head fell and he m .ie
10 reply. Brown was next conducted to Stew
sGs room. The meeting between them was
cordial. Brown remarked that he Was about
o die. Stevens said, Il feel assured that YOU
vii 30 to better world than this" Capt.
brown said, conduct yourself like q man,
lnow you will do so without my advising.n-
They again shook hands and parted. He then
'epaired TO the room OF Coppic, where con.
TerSation almost similar took place. Thence
lie went to the rooms OF the negroes, whom he |
expected to die ike men, and as became their |
and position. The negroes gave him |
he assurance that they would die ieariessIy, as |
hey were fully assured that their action was |
ust and proper. Brown then returned to his |
oom, and continued writing Tor some time.
THE EXECUTION.
As the hour approached for his execution.
he medical Faculty in attendance, the Sheriff |
4 the county and the officers OF the jail, visited
is room and conversed with him. Brown vas |
heeriul and talked as though the hour which |
las appointed tor his death was Indifferent and
lr IN the future. Nothing OF any material IN
rest occurred in these interviews.
At nine O'Clock, agrceably to the general or
ef, the military companies commenced as.
inning their positions. One company was sta
oned In front Of the Jail; another directly
opposite the Market House, and yet another in
ont OF the Court House, which was ONLY a few
ards to the north of the prison. Two pieces
brass cannon were placed near the Jail wall
. she road leading to the scaffold
The place OF execution was not more than !
sit a mile from the Jail. 1t was erected on an
ninence, in the center of a twenty acre field |
be grounds were laid off, aud small white flags
ere stuck in the ground, beyond which no
tzen was allowed to pass. ee
At the gate a military company were stations
!, who refused to admit any person unless
'companied by military escort The repr.- I
natives OF the press, alter much trouble, were I
corted into the field, and assigned position
thin one hundred yards OF tie seaf1old.
At this time the military had assumed their
'sitons on the field, aud in the woods, 10 the
nth Vt the field OF execution. The cavalry
ere seen in every direction, while mounted /
Ell were stationed all along the fences of the {
Id Of execution, and could be seen riding to {
e south and east, apparently Anxously looking {
r the anticipated rescue. {
The Richmond Company +. were assigned a J
s.ion to the south Of the scaffold, and within t
" yards OF it, while the Cadets from the Vir> i
Tia Military Institute were stationed in front.
within about the same distance. 4 Com II
ny OF Cavalry we're riding around the field.
Two or three Companies Of Infantry we're a
Toned within twenty yards of the feaees. as G
keis. v
Field officers, staff officers, and officers nf '
, day, and officers not o. the day, together b
ID Aids TO the Governor, were dashing along
spirited horses, riding to and fro, apparently a
ing exhibitions OF excellent horse ulapship 8
rivalling each other in this accomplish L
nt n