The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1859-11-12

u "A ~
=, .lssotte ~ 7sk;~ss Asss;sa-
viei1ed ~ ssaae d ~ distarbsecp ~
1Iafpsyb refyy, aud gives ~ @Aewinx
ecpeeee Of H. origin RI the seakss and
its pregyrss up to ~ tins Of IL ssF'vA'
a ~ troopa: i
he principal isssiSssor Of this short
bat bloody Instruction was undoubtedly /
Cept. John Brown, whoee connectiou with
scenes Of violence IN the border wsrfarc
OF Kansas then made his nAHc familiarity
notorious with usc whole country.
Brown made his first appearance IN
the vicinity 81 Harper's Ferry more than
. year ago. accompanied by his two
sons, the whole party assuming th~ nane
Of Smith lie inquired about land IN
the vicinity. and made Investigations
about the probability Of finding ores,
and for soInc time boarded at Sandy
Point, . mile cast n tho Ferry. After
an ehsencr II some months h. rcappcar-
~ n thc vicinity, and tta cider Brown
leased or rented = farm On the Maryland
aide about fonr niles from the Ferry
They bought large number 81 picks and
aud spades. aud tbs confirmed the he.
Lief that they intended TO mine for ores.
They were seen frequently in and about
HsrJer's Ferry, but no suspicion seems
10 have cxir,td that Bill Smith was Capt.
nrown, OF that he intended cmbsrking
in any movement 80 desperate OF extra
ordinary, yet the development Of the plot
Ieavca No doubt that his visits 10 the
Ferry and his Lease Of the farm were all
parts II his preparation for the insurrc
tion, which he supposed would be sue
ceasfnl in discriminating slavery In
Maryland and Western Virginia.
Brown's chief aid was john +. Cook.
a comparatively Young man WIN has re-.
aided !. and near the Ferry fur some
years he was FIRST employed in tending
lock ON the canal. afterwards taught
school on the Maryland side Of the river,
and afSes brief residence in Kansas.
where il il supposed h. became acquair
ted with Brown, he returned to the FER
~ aud married there. lie was regarded
~ a mar Of some intelligence. and known
to bc anti-sIavcry, but not So violent in
the expression Of his opinions ~ to OK
cite any suspicious These two men,
with Browns two sons, were the only
white men connected with the insurrec-
ton that had hccn seen previously about,
the Ferry. Al were brought by Brown
from distance, and nearly all had been
with him ia Kansas.
The first active movement in the III
surrcction was made about l0i o'clock
Sunday night WIN. Williamson, the
watchman on the Harpcr's Ferry bridge,
whilst walking across towards the Ma
ryinnd side. was seized by number Of
men, who said that he was their prison
ar and must come with them. H. rccog
nixcd Brown and Cook among the men,
and knowing them, he treated the mat
ter ~ joke bat. enforcing silence,
they conducted him to the armory, which
he found already in their possession
IIc was retained IN AFTER daylight and
then discharged. The Waterman who
was 10 relieve Williamson at midnight
found the bridge lights all ont. and was
Immediately seized. Suppos;as il an at.
tempt At robbery, In broke away, ana
his pursuess stumbling over, he escaped
Tho next appearance Of the insurgents
was ut the house oi Lewis Washington,
a large farmer and slave owner, living
about lour miles from the rerry. Pnf-
~ headed by Cook proceeded there,
aroused Col ", aud told him he was
their prisoner they also seized all the
slaves near the house and took a car
riagc and horses and large wagon with
two horses. When Col Washington
saw Cook he Immediately recognized
him ~ a man who had called upon him
some months previous. to whom he had
exhibited some valuable arms in his pos
scssion. including nm antique sword pre-
scented by Frederick the Great to George
~ Warrington. and pair of pistols pre-
scented by ten. Lafayette to Washlng-
ton. both being hcir)oonN in the family.
Before leaving, Cock invited Col. w.
N = trial of skill at shooting, aud cxhil,-
tied considerable certainty ns a marks
man. When be made his visit on sam
day night he alluded to his prsvsods Wis
il. and tho courtcsy with which be had
been treated. and regretted the nccessi.
~ which made it his duty to arrest Col.
w liz. however. to"k advantage Of
the knowledge hc obtained by his former
visit 10 carry ID all the valuable colIcc.
ton Of arms, which Col W. did not re-
obtain ill after the final defeat Of the in.
surreotion.
From Col. Wsshington's the party pro-
cecdcd with him. As prisoner, in his own
carriage aud twelve II his negroes in the
wagon, to the honsc Of Mr.. AIlstadt,
another large farmer on tho same road.
Mr.. Allstadt and h.s son, q lad sixteen
years Vi age. were taken prisoners, and
Ill the negroes witi,is reach being fore.
I'D 70 join the 'novesnpnt,s tAey returned
to The Armory at the FerrysAs
All these movesDsaee o1um TO have
been nsaie withoue sxsieiag the slight.
Get alarm In M town, nor did tho
dct<btion Of Capt. Phelps train Ut the
upper end Of tho town, sttrnct attention.
II was not until the town vas fairly
walked up, and they found the bridge
guarded by armed s1sn, and guard alta.
flowed NJ Ill the svst1Bes, that the pco-
pie found that ttsy wore prisoners. A
panic appears 10 have immediately -
sued, and the number Of the ,"'" sr
'htIdHsRg the sIaves, who were forced 70
join, from Eve to sir hundred.
In the meantime, = number Of work.
men knowing ns1Aisg Of what had oc.
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