Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-03-30
The Final Victims Of the Harper's Ferry
Tragedy-Personal Description and Last
Hours Of stephena and HdzIetta ~

Tragedy-Persouai DeBcrtptton ana Last
Hours Of stephens aud HdzIetts ~.
We have published several accounts OF Ste
vens and Hazletl and their actions, but the
following from the last number of the New
York Independent gives some new and in
teresting facts in regard to the tragedy: .f-
"Of ono Of these prisoners, Hazlett but
little has been made known to the public
not even his true name, which was not Haz-
lett but Harrison. He was one Of the young
est Of Capt. Browns companions, and re-
marked, while in prison, that on the day OF
his execution, March 16, his age would be ex-
actly twenty-five years twenty-five weeks
and twenty-five days. He had serious and
thoughtful mind, yet was fond Of adventure,
and often exhibited much personal courage.
OF his views and purposes against slavery,
he wrote in a letter, on the day before his
death, these honorable words: ....r
~ am willing to die In the cause of liberty.
II had ten thousand lives, l would Will
ingly lay them all down for the same cause.
My death win do more good than il had
lived" ,.. ... .sir .Ia. li
dAaron Dwight Stevens was more re-
markable man. He was regarded by Capt
Brown as his most reliable lieutenant. He
seems to have inherited his revolutionary
principles from his .great-grandtather who
once presided at public meeting in Pomtret
Ct., in furtheranee Of the American War Of
independence, and who sent personal gift
of f2O sterling to Gen. Washington at Valley
Forge. 1i'aIJ ror'h ~. r.nl, ..,,.'' o.
"Stevens was born andbred Yankee boy,
in Norwich, Connecticut, lost his mother,
and left home at an early age. On the day
before his execution he reached his twenty
ninth year. His personal appearance was in
no small degree prepossessing. A recent
photograph, taken in his cell, represents a
face remarkable for an intelligent, amiable
and benevolent expression. He had large
blue eyes and auburn hair and beard. He
was noted among his friends for the anima-
tion, and oftentimes brilliancy of his conver-
sati6nal powers. He was favorite in social
companies as q singer. His father, Mr.. Aaron
/ Stevens, of Norwich, (choir leader in the
Rev. Mr.. .Armss Congregational Church.
says of him: "My son has one of the finest
bass voices ever heard" He. was of a kind
| and sympathetic nature, which led him al
ways to take the side Of the innocent and
wronged. Any special kind actfrom friend
or stranger would move him to tears. Writ
ing from prison to person who had be-
friended him during his sufierings, he said:
II believe shall be killed with kindness
sooner than in any other way % 1r1 .f
sTEvENs's ACCOUNT OF THE RAID.
His sister, Mrs. Pierce of Norwich, visited
the prisoner, at Charlestown, and held re
peated interviews with him during the las
eight days preceding the execution.
n asked my brother" said Mrs. Pierce
"what was his intention in going to Harper
FerryP" ~ s...l.. ,.......-, ID,
at was for good" he replied; ut was :,
help my fellow-men out of bondage. Yol
know nothing of slavery; Iknow a great deal
1t is the crime of crimes. l hate itmofe ant
more, the longer Ilive.a Even since have
been lying here in this cell, have heard tn,
cryings of slave children torn from their pa
rents" NJ id1yW cJI 81 l.is ~ 'HIt =.
He then narrated in DETAIL that during hi
I Imprisonment woman had been sold in th
jaif and separated from her husband anC
three children. He stated also, that in tn
family of the jailer was slaye-girl, who hat
run away from severe mistress on accoun
of unknd treatment, and who fled for retug
to Mrs. Avis, by whom her time was bought
and by whom she will eventually be set free
During ona of Mrs. Pierces visits, Vir
ginian called to see the prisoners, in order Il
tell them that the slaves at the South were il
a better condition than the poor people Of tn
North. .....-.............-... . -.
81 am poor myself" replied Stevens, 'bu
never yet saw the day, in all MY life, whel
would have exchanged liberty for riches.'
On another occasion, his sister asked if h
had been reused to a bitter or revengefu
spirit, under his wounds and during his i'm
prisonment; to which he replied ln u.
"No; for believe can truly say that
love every man, woman and child on earth;
can forgive the man who hangs me. Whe
we went to Harper's Ferry we had no inter
tion to injure a single human beingi OF
F design was to free the slaves without bloot
she'd, just as we had done in Missouri; "
carried rifles and pixies only for self-defens
and to inspire, by the appearance of militar
force, q fear Of resisting us in our project.
think that no man was killed by amy of OF
party until after was shot down while bea
/ ing a flag of truce. Some Of the Yirginiar
were killed by their own party, by mistak
As for myself, did not shed single drop I
blood, except from my own wounds" Z
Stevens was pierced in different parts /,
! his body, by six bullets, two of which
] carried, lodged in his neck, to the grave.
: 81 am glad" he said, after reference /
his sister to the great pain be had suffered,
am glad that did not die of my wounds; f
, | believe that my execution upon the galloy
! will be a better testimony for the truth al
& liberty" ''' .' ,,,.-I,t,. /. y