The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1859-12-08

int,, s>ftag Lstt,J trym Mes Fo"te, Of
Horpsr', Ferry. e IL J. 'ni3 K "o'''i m
publishes the following Istter ~ having ben
received at that Off from Mss F"uke. Of
Harper's FyrrG, lazy Hh' ma w. has been
widely published ia e,ore,:tI1 Ai IA It tniN-
I ling incident in the Harp4r', Ferry nag dl ::
HARPERie FEERT, Nov. II, 1859.
Mr.. EoIFoR IL anticipate your surprise
when your eye shall rest on the signature at
tached to this sheet; but that surprise shall
vanish when you learn the why and where
fore | have taken the liberty Of writing on
few lines. | have lqarlet! f,om the Daily
Missouri Republics, ii ,ou were under
the impression that | saved the lie of
Thompson, the insurgeot, when be was ia
ken captive. He was brou Iht into the pub
lie parlor Of the hotel 50 netime before [
knew that he AMI Stevens had been cap
tured.
When first saw Thompson he was seated
in an arm chair, with his hands tied behind
his back, guarded b. som. OF the citizens
Several questions were put to him in regard
to his motives and expectations, when he
enrolled under the "PrOyisioaal Govern.
meat" His answers were invariably the
same That he had been taught to believe
the negroes were cruelty treated, and would
gladly avail themselves OF tie first opportu
nifty to obtain their freedom, and al they
had to do was to come to Harper's Ferry,
take possession of the. armory and arsenal,
which would be an easy matter, and then
the colored people would come in mass,
backed by the non -slayeholders of the Val.
leys of Virginia. Some one remarked, al
imagine you regret that you did not succeed
in running off the darkies." He replied
that he regretted having engaged il the at
tempt, and if it were to do over again he
would decline.
Very soon after, Mr.. Beckham, one of our
most esteemed citizens, was shot down I'm
armed as he was 1 went into the parlor
and heard one OF the guard ask Thompson
1t he was a married man; his answer was
that he had been married six moaths only.
| walked up to where the prisoner sat, and
said to him ''Mr. Thompson, you had much
better have staid at home and taken care of |
your wife and pursued some honest calling,
instead OF coming here to murder our citizens
and steal our property; that their first act
was to kill a Tree coiored man, because he
would not join them in THEN wicked scheme"
he said spoke truly but they had been
basely deceived.
Whilst was talking to Thompsoa, several |
of the friends OF MIR. Beck uan, who were
justly enraged at his col t-bl0ode1 murder,
came in with the aVoWed determination to |
Kill Thompson on tht spot. a. they appear
ed with eveled lihss, stood before 4. and
protected him, Tor three powerful reasons -
First, my sister-in-law was lying in the ad-
joining room Very Ill under the effects of
nervous chill, from sheer fright, and ii they |
had carried out their design, it would have |
proved fatal to her without doubt. In the |
second place, considered it great outrage |
to kill the man in the house, however much |
he deserved to die. Thirdly, am emphati-
cally law and order woman, land wanted the !
selt-condemned man to live, that he might |
be disposed OF by the law.
simply shielded the terribly frightened
man, ao'thom touching him, until Col Moor
Il think it was) came in and assured ne, on
his honor, that ne should not be shot in the
house. That was all i desired The result |
eV erybody knows.
One other error wish to correct. Philip |
B. Fouke, Of BelItvillc, Ill.,, is ny cousin on
ly. am happy to assure you that l have a
birth right in the ''Old Dominion" Re-
specially, yours, G. @. FoUKE.