New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-12-06
John BROWNS INVASION.
yuRTHER INTERESTING INCIDENTS OF
- THE EXECUTION.


this time. Certainly who witnessed the scene
rreeeuted on the field of execution can oblitera'e
from bis memory; for, setting aside the PeconarV
memorable event which called it out, the grouping
marching and deploying Of the troops, seen IN '.e
hight nnl;vht and with 20 grand background "ouiu
insure is permanency.
The ann arose clear and bright, but was presen.y
los, behind haze which thought augured oadiy iOf
ths 5av By O'Clock, however, almost the en'ire
.nan.e If the blue heavens was Tree OF ciouas ana
~ thermometer stood 60 high that until late IN the
.na,Doon. the windows of houses were open, ana all
,bexord were sitting their porehes or promenadmg
the sreets. walked out TO the field OF execution al
=. carly hour 10 watch all the prehmnaries and
...r,e "a GOOD place as the fears Of the mil /
aayv authorities would accord TO peaceful
.itiren from the North. The timber for the scaAod,
Il. framed ready for erection was hauled 10 the ground
the evening previous and at o'clock, the carpenter
and his assistants began putting together The scat
iOd was about six feet high from the ground perhaps
twelve feet wide, and fifteen or eighteen long. A
hand.rai extended around three sides and down the
fight Of steps, On the other side, stout uprghts, with
crosse beam which supported by strong braces.
In the center OF the crOssbeam was an iron hook from
which the rope was suspended. The beneath was
arranged TO swing hinges attached to the platform
90 slightly as to break from it when the cord was cut
that upheld the trap. The cord, knoted at the end,
parsed through hole in the trap through another hole
m the cross-beam, over the corner and down the up
night TO hook near the ground to which 1t was tied
Is will thus be seen, that the weight of the prisoner
being upon It, the sheriff had only to cut the cord near
Me hook, and the trap would fall at once.
The rope used TO srangle Brown was only three feet
long 1t was of hemp made in Kentucky, and sent in
CT % n. ..to11H ar1an big
purpose. Other ropes had been sent from other sec
lions One made Of South Carolina cotton, in Alex
andria has already been publicly noticed. The would
have been preferred beyond all Others because Of the
eminent fitness Of the moral conveyed for the consider
alton of all sympatbzers with this deluded AbotORisH
But Providence willed l. otherwise; for found
ON tral unable to sustain much less weight than that
of a mans body. Another, almost great pet with
our Charlestown friends was of hemp, made in Mis-
souri, BY the slaves of Mahala Doyle and sent by her
with particular request that for the sake of rerbu-
tive Justice IL might be used TO hang the man whom
she asserts murdered her husband and two This
was tried in the balance, but found wanting also. So
the precious gift from Kentucky was applied TO the
purpose.
The rope was arranged 30 as TO give the body fall
of lust eighteen nehesscareely enough was thought
by some, who expressed desire that Brown might
fall ten feet 60 az to insure bis death beyond perad-
venture.
On Thursday afternoon, a corporal aud some Of his
guard went to 70 the field with wagon-load Of white
aags fixed on short stakes, which stuck in the
ground at twenty PAGES apart all around the lot in two
rows, the rows twenty PAGES apart. These were in
tended to mark the posts of the senries Other similar
flags showed the positions for the COMMANDMENTS Chief
with bis staff the several companies and troops and
narrow strip on the town side, where worthy and well
sualifed citizens who came properly vouehed for,
should be allotted positions They need not have gone
10 this latter trouble, however, for when the time for
the execution came, the people bad been so warned,
and bay onetted, and arested and scared and bam-
boorled by the military that they generally remained
nj home There were not 400 civilians the ground,
and as 10 the poor country people, they might have
been seen from the scafold away off the roads and
IN fields at least mile Off and all under the watchful
spueryision of valiant troopers and foot soldiers
By o'clock the first of the troops came to do their
nerilous duty. The double line of sentTies was ar
ranged and at the word of command each man IN his
INN rQht.faced and forwardmarcbed, and went to
pacing up and down his beat for all the world az II
moved by machinery. Cavalry troopers clothed IN
scarlet Jackets sat like statues on their horses at ds-
Of fty feet from each other, but the lapse of
time bringing WEAKNESS, they relieved themselves by
assuming sundry graceful postures Of BODY such as
hanv;ng leg over their horses neck sitting side
vice like woman.
Then came an artillery company, with brass cannon
Of large sire and most approved pattern, which was
skify pointed 80 that in the event of attempted
rescue the poor prisoner might be blown into shreds
by the heavy charge of grapeshot that lay PerdH in
is cavenous depths. SO You the brave Virginans
were determined vindicate the majesty of the law in
any event. This is no joke assure you. The cannon
was actually there and actually loaded; for saw it
with nv own eyes, and felt il with my own hands.
This wss not the only cannon in question, either, for
Capt Nichols company bad their guns pointed so as
20 sweep the jail and every approach to it, in of
need; which considering that the fearful enemy was
being quietly banged at little distance Off reminded
me Of dog Noble watching certain hole Rftera certain
squirrel had safely from it, do not speak of the
prisoners remaining in jail for feels afraid of
them. Brown is the head devil, aud almost the only
inonbus on their breasts.
Ater the artillery, more cavalry and infantry and
40 on Unit, al but the escort were on the ground. The
field contains about forty acres, should say part Of
in corn stabble, but the greaerpar in grass. The sur
face il undulaing and broad hilloek near the public
road was selected the ste for the gaows because
1t would afford the distant spectators fair view, and
place the prisoner high that if compelled to fire
upon him. the soldiers need not shoot each other the
civilians The field was bounded the south by the
road on the north by pretty bit Of woodland, and
on the remaining two sides by inclosed fields.
The sun sAOne with great splendOr the prisoners
escort came mp and afar OF could be the bright
cleaning mnskets and bayonets of bis body-guard,
=. Il h al IN, H. AL