Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-11-04
Trial Of Capt brown.
THE PLEA .oF. INSANITY.

id Trial of Capt, Brown, I
rs dt N sigTHE PLEA OF INSANITY. sa.,P
uR The Conrt finally, refused TO postpone t
u trial of Brown, and the whole afternoon.
he he Goth was occupied in procuring a jur
On Brown was brought into Court on the NOR
III ing Of the 9th, being able to walk, b
ct Immediately laid himself, down on his cot
,e full length within the, bar. He looked col
r. aiderably better, the swelling having LETT b
&, eyes. Mr.. Bolts, one Of his counsel, read tt
y following dispatch: s,l, 81 AHA fsrs .vqsxs
d ge4zs AKRON, Ohio, Oct. 26, 1859.
ii To @. j. Faulkner and L. Botts: -.
I John Brown, leader Of the insurrection a
Harper's Ferry, and several of his famil
q have resided in this county for many years
r Insanity is hereditary 10 that family. Hi
, mothers sister died with it, and daushte
of that sister has been two years in th
Lunatic Asylum. A son and daughter o
{ his mothers brother have also been confnet
Q in the Lunatic Asylum, and another son o
, that brother is now insane and under clos
, restraint. These facts can be concusivelJ
proved by witnesses residing here, who will
doubtless attend the trial if desired
y q - (signed, ~ "A. H. LEWIS.
The telegraph operator at Akron, VIM. G.
|, Allen, adds to the above dispatch that A. H.
J Lewis is a resident Of that place, and his
statements are entitled to implicit credit.
\ Mr.. Bolts said that on receiving the above
dispatch he went to Jail with bis assooi ate,
Mr.. Green, and read it to Brown, and he
was desired by Brown to say that in his
ather's family there has never cen any in
sanity at all !; on his mothers side there have
been repeated instances of it. He adds, his
first wife showed symptoms of it, which
was also evident in his first and second son
by that wife, Some portions of the state
ment in the dispatch he knows to be correct;
of other portions he is isignorant. Ae does
net know whether his mothers sister died
in the Lunatic Asylum but he does believe
a daughter of that sister has been two years
in an Asylum, and thinks son and daugh-
ter I his mothers brother havs been confn
ed in the Asylum, but he was not aware OF
the fact that another son Of that brother is
now insane and in close confnement.eys aa
Brown also desires his counsel to say that
he does not put in any plea of insanity, and
if he has ever been at all insane he was to-
tally unconcious of it, yet he adds that those
who are insane generally suppose that they
have more reason and sanity than those
around them, For himself he disdains to
put in that plea, and seeks no immunity of
that kind The movement is made totally
without his appreciation or concurrence, and
was unknown to him until the receipt of
the above dispatch. Brown here raised
himself up on his bed and said; 81 will add,
if the Court will allow me, that look upon
it as miserable artifce and pretext Of those
who expect to take different course in re-
gard to me, if they took any at all, and l
view it with contempt more than otherwise
As remarked to Mr.. Green, insane persons,
so far as my experience goes, have but very
little ability to judge of their own sanity,
and if am insane of course / should think
knew more than all the rest of the world
but do not think so. am perfectly un-
concious of insanity, and Iregret, SO far as
lam capable, any attempt to interfere in
my behalf on that score" t'2
Mr.. Bolts, stated that he was further in
structed by Brown, that rejecting this plea
entirely, and seeking no delay for that rea-
son. he does repeat to the Court his request
made yesterday that time be given for the
arrival Of foreign counsel, which he has now
reason to expect. avid sas
John Copeland, mulatto prisoner, from
Oberlin, Ohio, has made full confession to
the U. s. Marshal. He has given the names
of the parties at Oberlin, what induced him
to 90 to Harper's Ferry, and who furnished
money for his expenses. He also states
that movement of a similar character was
contemplated in Kentucky about the same
time. Many persons North, whose names
have heretofore been mentioned, are direct
" implicated. His confession. is withheld
from the public until the trial is over, by
order of Gov. Wise. ....,. ........ s...
sMr. johnson has been shown large
number of letters duplicating Gerrit Smith,
and number of prominent men of Oberlin,
Cleveland, and other places in Ohio.
Among the latter is one signed 'sHorace
Greeley g. Co.," that had enclosed S4l for
seven letters from Kansas, and two from
Ohio. 1t was directed to J. H. Kagi, one
of the killed but as he had been cores
pondent of the Tribune, this letter had evil
IDENTIFY enclosed his pay. III ,z..s .-.s. ....
Another letter from Capt Brown to his
son, dated .'April 10th, 1852" details q
visit to Gerrit Smith, at Peterboro, which
the writer regarded highly encouraging; !;
that Smith gave him 800, and that he also
received at his house note that he consid-
cred good for 5000 more. Smith had also
written his friends East, that $4,000 must
be raised for Brown, Of which he would
furnish one-ffth. - Is eso 70 -gs aae
There is also notice of draft from the
Cashier of the New Y York State Bank, sent
him by direction of Smith, dated "Albany,
August 20, 1862" "s5 81. .a-.s ss.g
Marshal johnson has list Of the officers
Of the Provisional Government, and a list CT
, contributions to the project.
} The examination made by Marshal John
SOB, settles the fact that this movement had
long been maturing. Many prominent mer
in the Northern States have given money
. and influence in its behalf, and when th'
facts are made public sensation may b.
expected. sao.ss7 ~ aa. a.aa5 %
Cook was taken to Charleston on tn
morning of the 2Sth. He says that, if Brow