Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1859-10-27
The Harper's Ferry Tragedy
DETAILED NARRATIVE.
[From the Baltimore American. !

Brown made his first appearance in tn
vicinity of Harper's Ferry more than
year ago, accompanied 10y his sons, tn
whole party assuming the name of Smith
He inquired about land in the vicinity
and made Investigations about the proba
bility of finding ores, and for some tim,
boarded at Sandy Hook, mile cast of tn,
Ferry. After an absence of some month.
he re-appcared in the vicinity and rentet
farm on the Maryland side, four miles
from the Ferry. They bought a large
number of picks and spades, and this con.
firmel the belief that they intended to mine
for ores. They were seen frequently in
and about Harper's Ferry, but no suspi-
cion seems to have existed that Bill Smith
was Capt Brown, or that hc intended en-
barking in anything so desperate, or extra
ordinary; yet the developments of the plot
leave no doubt that his visits to the Ferry,
and his lease or the farm. were all parts Of
his preparation for the insurrection, which
he supposed woull be successful in exter-
minating slavery in Maryland and Western
Virginia. Browns chief aid was John E..
Cook, comparatively young man, who
has resided in AMI near the Ferry for some
years. He was first employed in tending
a lock on the canal, afterwards taught
school on the Maryland side of the river,
and after brief residence in Kansas.
where, it is supposed, he became acquaint-
cd with Brown, returned to the Ferry and
married there.
He was regarded as a man Of some INTEL
ligence. known to be anti-slavery, but not
so violent in the expression of his opinions
as to excite any suspicious. These two
men, with Browns two sons, were the on
ly white men connected with the insurrec-
tion that had been previously about the
Ferry. All were brought by Brown from
a distance. and nearly all had been with
him in Kansas. The first active move
ment in the insurrection was made about
half past ten Sunday night. w. NJ.
the watchman on the Harper's
Ferry bridge, whilst walking across towards
the Mary yland side. was seized by a num-
ber Of men who said that he was their pris-
oner and mns. come with them. He rec
ognized Brown and Cook among the men.
and knowing them, he treated the matter
as a joke, but enforcing silence they con-
iucted him to the Armory, which he found |
already in their possession. He. was re-
aimed till after daylight, and then dis
,harged. The watchman who was to re- !
ieve Williamson at midnight found the
bridge lights all out, and was Immediately
seized. Supposing it an attempt at rob-
'ery. he broke away. and his pursuers
over he escaped, The next ap-
of the insnrrectionists was at the
lonse of Col. Lewis Washington. large
arrner and slave owner, living about four
niles from the Ferry. A party headed by
;ook proceeded there. reused Col. Wash
ngton. and told him he was their prisoner.
They also seized all the slaves near the
ouse and took away carriage and horses,
nd large wagon with two horses. When
'ol. Washington saw Cook, he immedi
tely recognized him as man who hal
allied upon him some months previous, to
HON he had exhibited some valuable I
rms in his possession. including an an. q
que sword, presented by Frederick the s
Ireat to George Washington, and pair G
pistols presented by Lafayette to Wash
gton. both being heirlooms in the family.
eforc leaving, Cook wanted Col. Wash a
gton to make 0 trial of skill at shooting, O
I'd exhibited considerable certainty as a r
arksman. ..,........ 80, ..,....l O
When he made his visit ON Sunday D
ght, he alluded to his previous visit and d
e courtesy with which he had been treat Il
!. and regretted the necessity which made c.
his duty to arrest Colonel Washington. Ii
e. however, took advantage of the knowl- A
ge he obtained by his former visit. ito Il
rry off all the valuable collection of arms, a,
lich Col. Washington. did not re obtain n
after the final defeat of the iusur- W
,tion. Iir
From Col. Washington the party pro-, ta
'dcded with him as prisoner in his own nj
'riage. and twelve of his negroes in the
gon, to the honse Of Mr.. Allxadt, an ef
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