Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-11-04
4 BLOODY DEED.

\ complete account Of the Harper's Ferry
outbrelk has not been written and probably
never vii be-. The description Of the strange
events of the three days preceding Browns
capture. which have been given to the pub
lie, have come from the excited and preju-
diced inhabitants Of the vicinity or at least
from Southern sources. How much has
been suppressed. no one can tell 1t would have
been for the credit Of the agents in it if the
following record Of the "cool and dei5erafe'
hatchery (lor such the principal actor testi-
ifs it to have been 50 far as he was concern
ed,) of one Of the misguided men whose
lives have paid the penalty of their folly and
madness. had been suppressed also. What
a sickening scene it describes The break
ing in Of the mob on the bound and helpless
prisoner, resisted only by 4 woman, who
with a woman's pity and more than wo-
mans courage, feed the levoled guns and
shielded him with her OWL person the
rude seizure Of him from her sheltering
arms the brutal "slinging" out Of doors :;
the gratifying of the thirst for blood and the
return for another sick and wounded victim.
1t is a horrible story. We envy not the
man who could stand up and relate it, justi-
flying the deed.
The following is the testimony on the
trial Of Brown, Of Henry Hunter. q young
man Of twenty-five, son of the Mr.. Andrew
Hunter, who conducted the prosecution
Henry Hunter calIed-Examined by coun-
sci tor defence.
@. Did YOU witness the death Of this man
Thompson2 A. l witnessed the death of
one Who's name l have been informed was
Thompson.
Q. The one who vas a prisoner? A.
Yes, sir.
Q. Well, sir, what were the circumstances
attendIn. 1t? A. Do you wish my own
connection with it, or simply a description
o the circumstances-shall | mention the
names?
Mr.. Andrew lIunter-Every bit oft, Hen
~ state all You saw.
Winess-There was a prisoner confined
in the parlor Of the hotel, and after Mr..
Beckham's death he was shot down by a
number Of US there belonging to this sharp
shooting band.
Mr.. Andrew Hunter-WiIl you allow him
to state. before proceeding further, how he
was connected with Mr.. Beckham?
Mr.. Green-Certainly, sir.
Witness-He was my grand uncle aud my
special friend-a man | loved above all 9TH
ers after he was killed MIR. Chambers and
myself moved forward to the hotel for the
purpose OF taking this prisoner out and
hanging him we were joined by a number
Of other persons, who cheered us on in that
work We went up into his room, where he
was bound with the undo lbted and undis-
guised purpose Of taking his lie at the
door we were stopped by persons guarding
the door, who demonstrated with US, and the
excitement was so great that persons who re-
mOnstTated with Us one moment would cheer
us on the next We burst into the room
where he was, aud found several around
him. but they offered only a feeble resis-
lance we brought our guns down to his
head repeatedly-myself and another person
for the purpose Of shooting him, in the
room there was a young lady there, the
sister of Mr.. Fouke, the hotel keeper, who
sat in this mans lap, covered his face with
her arms. and shielded him with her person
whenever we brought our guns to bear she
said to us "For Gods sake wait and let the
law take its course - my associate shout
ed to kill him 'Let us shed his blood
were his words all around were shouting
''Mr. Beckham's life was worth ten thousand
of those vile abolitionists ;" ! was cool
about 1T, and deliberate my gun was push
ed up by some one who seized the barrel. and
| then moved to the back part of the room,
still with purpose unchanged, but with a
view to divert attention from me, in order
to get an opportunity. at some moment