Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-10-22
WHO IS BROWN, THE LEADERS
SKETCH OF CAPT JOHN BROWN, THE LEADF
OF THE INSURRECTION

| Central new 1OrK Ill the 1al OF 1000, anu
settled in the township of Ossowattome. He
was accompanied by seven sons, the youngest
being old enough to earn his livelihood The
birthplace of Brown is not positively known
to the writer, but report has it that he was
born in Kentucky. At the time of his capture
he was about sixty years of age. He was about
medium height slim, muscular, and possessing
a / iron constitution. He had blue eyes, sharp
features, and long gray hair, wearing full
beard. In December, 1856, during the "Shan-
non war" Brown first made his appearance
among the free state men at Lawrence. His
entrance into the place at once attracted the
attention of the people towards him. He
brought wagon load of cavalry sabrcs, and
was accompanied by twelve men, seven of
whom were his own sons.
He first exhibited his qualities at the time
the free state and pro-slavery parties, under
| the lead of Gov. Robinson on one side and
| Gov. Shannon on the other met to make
treaty of peace. After Gov Robinson had
stated to the people who were gathered around
| the hotel the terms of the peace, Brown took
the stand, unlimited, and opposed the terms of
the treaty. He was in favor of ignoring all
treaties, and such leading men as Robinson,
Lane, and Lowry, and proceeding at once
against the border ruffian invaders, drive them
from the soil, or hang them if taken. Gen.
| Lowry, who was chairman of the Committee
| of Safety, and also commander of the free
state troops, ordered Brown under arrest The
| latter made no physical resistance, but it was
soon discovered that he was altogether too
combustibe person to retain as prisoner,
| and compromise was made with him by the
free state men, and he was released. He was
| informed by the leaders of that party that his
remarks were intended to undo what they
were trying to accomplish by means of the
hat ha in Law
and Kansas, and ought not by his rash re-
marks, to compromise the people of Lawrence
until he had known them longer and knew
| tn EN- better
One of the sons who was elected to the leg
islature i'll February 1885, was seized and
| taken from Ossowattomie to LecomptOn in
chains, a distance Of thirty miles His feet
and hands were chained together with large,
heavy chain, the size of that used by OK teams.
He was compelled to walk the whole distance
beneath burning sun. The irons wore the
flesh from his ankles he was attacked with
the brain fever, was neglected, and died in two
or three days. He was companion of Gov.
Robinson, jenkins (since shot by Lance and
some eight or ten others. Another son of
| Capt Brown was shot at Ossowattomie by
marauding party from Missouri. After the
death of the first son, occasioned by the tor
| lures and fatigue Of his forced march, Brown
swore vengeance upon the pro-savery party,
| and it was frequently observed by the more
prudent of the tree state men that he was evil
| IDENTIFY insane on the subject He was always
| considered by them as Il dangerous man, was
| never taken into their councils, and never con-
suited by them with reference either to their
| policy or movements.
The destruction of the Free State Hotel and
presses at Lawrence, in May, 1857, melted him
anew to action, and he organized a small COM
pany, composed chiefly of men who had been
robbed, or whose relatives had been murdered
by the pro slavery party and, at the head of
this band, armed with Sharp's rifles, bowie
knives and Colts revolvers, he secured South
srn Kansas, and the name of "Old Brown" be-
came terror to all who opposed his will in
that region. While he was thus marauding,
five pro-slavery men were taken from their
cabins at Pottawottomie Creek, in the night
time and shot dead. The pro-slavery party
charged this deed upon Old Brown, while the
| Free State party asserted that they could prove
| him in Lawrence, forty miles distant, when it
happened, and that the horrd deed was perpe-
trated by by "Butord' Georgia Ruffians, sup
posing that the victims were Free State men.
The news of the massacre reached West
port, Missouri the place of rendezvous of
the "border rufians," the same evening
that the KanZas Commission, sent out by the
rived at that place. The excitement wss in
tense, and was induced almost as much by the
appearance of the Commission as by the news
OF the massacre. The ''ruffanS" swore ven
geance upon the members and officers of the
Commission declaring that their blood should
recompense for the slaughter at Pottawattomie
creek, and but for the ntercession of Mr.. Oil
yer, the pro-slayery member of the Commits
sion, and others, it was believed that the Com
mission would have been attacked. 1t was at
this time that the notorious Ii, Clay Pate or
ganized band Of men in the streets OF West
port, Mo-, with the avowed purpose Of enter
ing the Territory and capturing "Old Brown"
He raised about thirty men, and went into e
Territory about twilight one evening, and was
surprised at sunrise the next morning by "Od
Brown" who was in command of nine men,
armed as stated above.
Pate sent flag of truce to Brown, who ad.
yanced some rods in front of his company,
and ordered the flag bearer to remain with
him, and sent one of his men to inform Pate to
come himself. Pate obeyed when Brown Or
dered him to lay down his arms. Pate refus-
ed to give the order to his men, when Brown,
drawing a revolver, informed him that he
must give the order or be shot on the spot.
Pate Immediately surrendered up himself and
men, and they were disarmed and marched in
to ravine near by, and kept until liberated
and sent back to Missouri by Col Sumner, a
few days subsequently, who also ordered ''Od
Brown" to disband and go home. The latter
agreed to do so if the Colonel would also agree
to protect the settlers in that region of the ter
| ritory. This was the celebrated "Battle of
Jack Point" made famous by the "H. c. p"
Kansas correspondent of the st. Louis Repub-
lican, who was the heroic commander of the
surrenderng party.
Capt. Brown was not much heard from again
until the notorious Capt. Hamilton made his
incursions into Southern Kansas from Missouri
! i'll 1888, when he raised another company and,
with Capt. Montgomery, drove Hamilton and
! his companions back to Missouri, and, march
| ing his men iuto that state, took possession of
one of the villages, shot one or two men and
liberated several slaves. This course of Brown
was repudiated by Governor Robinson, and
the leaders Of the Free State party in and out
of Kansas, which caused Brown to publish a
letter explaining his position, in which he as
sumed the entire responsibility of his acts, and
relieved the Free State men from any share
therein. This letter was called the "Two
Parallels" on account of the peculiar distinc-
ton made by the writer.
Capt Brown was very strong believer in
| the doctrines of the Presbyterian church lie
was fanatica on the subject of pro.sayery, and
seemed to have the idea that he was specially
deputied by the Almighty to liberate slaves
and kill shareholders. 1t was always conceded
to him that he was conscientious man, very
modest in his demcanor apparently inofiensive
until the subject of slavery was introduced
when he would exhibit feeling of Indignation
unparalleled. After matters had subsidized in
Kansas, Brown intimated to some of his anti
slavery friends that he contemplated organic
ing an insurrection am ,ngst the slaves in Ken
| Iauupsgpp fnaI al,