The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1859-12-08
EXECUTION OF JOHN BROWN.
IEIS Last HOurs--A6ectiDgI Interview
with his Nife--Scenes and Incl
dents of the Occasion--His Last
Will and Testament.
[Te:szralhsa sHpEes.ly e. = clneian.ti 80
HARPER's FERRY, Dec. 2. 1859.

this place, where l met your reporter, who
visited Charlestown To gather the facts reia-
tive to the execution of Ossa watomie Brown,
full particulars of which [ send you at
Baltimore. crowds endesgored TO purchase
tickets for Harper's Ferry, among whom
were number OF Northern Editors, but the
Company positively refused TO sell any tick
cts except to through passengers or to those
whose business and character were known to
the officers Of tie road As consequence,
many were disappointed in tie effort to gIat-
ify their curiosity, and the number of pas
sengers upon the road was unusually small
At the Washington Junction, seven miles
west of Baltimore, two gentlemen got into
the train, and were Immediately approached
by an officer OF the Company, who told them
he must know who they were and what
their destination To this query ore Of them
demurred, when the following colloquy en-
sued:
OrFIcER-It is absolutely necessary that
you should answer me.
PAssEsoER-Why am l in Austria
OFFIcEg-TEere is no time for argument
the State that grants Us charter has
right to proclaim martial law, and we must
comply with her requirements.
% PAssENGER-I am a subject OF her
Britanic Majesty-I have through ticket.
1sT PAssENGEa-.I have ticket to Wheel
ing, Showing his ticket aad going to
Minnesota Ny name and business l choose
to keep to myself.
OFFIcER-All right, gentlemen, you can
pass along.
The passengers seemed good deal sur
prised and irritated, but were modified when
explanation was given by an official con-
nected with the road. Some military gen
tlemen belonging to the staff OF Gen. VIM. &.
Taiiaferro, in command at Charlestown, also
got in at the Relay House. They lived in a
remote part of Virginia, and had been una
BILE to Join their commander earlier. At the
various stations along the route between Bal
timore and the Ferry, groups Of people were
gathered, evidently awaiting the arrival of the
down train, carrying news Of Browns execu-
ton. Our train reached The Ferry alta quar-
ter before u o'clock and We found the plat
form carefully guarded by soldiers, who close
ly scanned every passenger and kept the
space in front clear. Everywhere about the
town soldiers were stationed, and the Gov
eminent bull lings had been turned into bar
racks. in which were quartered the L. S.
troops from Old Point Comfort.
But few strangers were in the village, the
visitors consisting chiefly of people Of the ad
jacent country, who had come 10 hear OF
which has just been organized here was be.
ing marched through the streets with drum
and f(e,and both sights and sounds couspired
TO remind one of the pomp and circumstance
of gloriols war.
! learned that Mrs, Brown, with a lady
aud two gentlemen friends, from Phila lei
phil, We're staying at the Wager. having ar
rived on Wednesday night. | immediately
sought OF the gentlemen, named McKim
no was loud in his complaints o! the man
ner in which they had been treated by the
lE ilitary authorities, aud gave me the follow
ing narrative re says mat last week Brow
wrote to his wife, saying If she thought she /
could bear the meeting with calnnness. be ,
would be glad to take leave of her; where !
upon she determined 70 see him once more
before he died Ms NicKim, knowing the
value of woman's sympathy and companion
ship, under such trying circumstances, vol
unteered to accompany her, as also did Mr.
McKim and another gentleman. The latter
supplied themselves with the best testmoni-
ais as to responsibility and character, and al
50 with letters of Introduction TO Col Lewis
A. Washington and others and reached Har-
per's Ferry on Wednesday night.
On the next morning, they communicated
with the officer in command of the Virginia
military here, that Mrs. Brown had arrived,
and that they wished to accompany her to
Charlestown. The officer cautiously re-
sponded, that he presumed there would be
no difficulty in granting their request, and
Immediately telegraphed to Gen. Ialiaferro,
at Chariestown, who, in turn, tele graphed to
Gov. Wise for instructions 4 great number
OF messages were then exchanged, and final.
ly it was ordered that Mrs. Brown should be
sent alone TO see her husband, under an Is
cort Of military, and the others of the party
should be detained and watched Mrs. Brown
was greatly distressed at being compelled 10
go without her friends, but finally consented
and was taken TO Charlestown and allowed
an interview of two hours with her husband
but was not permitted 10 remain during the
night An anecdote is related Of Brown in
this connection, which is eminently charac-
teristic: When Gen. Talaferro had arranged
for the visit Of Mrs Brown, he called on the |
prisoner and informed him that his wife
would come to see him, and he wished to
know how long an interview he desired
Brown said -"Three or four hours" {,
which the General responded that that was
too long; an hour lie thought was enough. h
Brown replied: Very well. sir, obey Your
orders, and do your duty. | have no favors 4
to ask Of the State of Virginia.
This indomtable spirit was manifested to
the very last. In his final interview with
Cook he accused him stcrnlv of falsehood in
that he, Cook. had been misled
by Inn. He shook hands with all the pris-
oners, and handed each of them TWENTY-FIVE
cents, remarking that the money was of no
further use TO him.
When parting from his wife, he asked the
siior as though it was the most casual and
Indifferent question: AT whtat hour am N
De executed" And on being told II o'clock
he turned to his wife and said: s.yerv we'll
think OF anything else TO saw. I will
wife il down and leave it for YOU
On the seatfold, he refused 10 make the
lsual signal to the Sheriff to let the drop .aI,
Ind resolutely declined the services Of any
clergyman No one attended him but the
Sheriff aud bis assistants. He has left two :
siils-oae disposing of some smsll landed :,
,ropertv. and the other rclatiner tn he 1;snn (