, 1860-02-17
OLYMPIA WASHINGTON TERRITORY FRIDAY FEBRUARY H. 1860

w AAO1AA4NO " L VI Il - ASAO Il
titution printed, which he completed before
he returned to Cleveland. We remained
in Cleveland for some weeks, at which
place, for the time being, the company dis
banded Capt Brown had had the plan
Of the insurrection in contemplation for
several years-in fact, told me that it had
been the chief aim Of his life to carry out
and accomplish the abolition of slavery.
In his trip East be did not realize the
amount Of money that he expected. The
money had been promised bona Jfde, but
owing to the tightness of the money mar
ket, they failed to comply with his de-
mands. The funds we're necessary to the
accomplishment of bis plans. / afterwards
learned that there was a lack OF confidence
in the success of his scheme. 1t was there
fore necessary that a movement should be
made in another direction, to demonstrate
the praeticabilty of his plan. This he
made about year ago by his invasion of
Missouri, and the taking Of about a dozen
slaves, together with horses, cattle, &c,
into Kansas, in defiance Of the u s. Mar
shall and his posse. From Kansas be took
them to Canada, via Iowa City and Cleve
land. At the latter place he remained
some days, and think disposed Of his
horses there. 1t seems that the U. S. Mar
Shal was afraid to arrest him, and this was
all that was wanting TO give confidence to
the wavering in the practicabiity Of his
plan and its ultimate success. He came TO
Harper's Ferry about the last Of June,
though did not see him till late in July,
or the early part of August, when we met
on Shenandoah street, Harper's Ferry, op-
poste Of Tearney's store. do not know
who were his aiders or abettors, but have
heard him mention in connection with it
the names of Gerritt Smith, of Yew York,
Howe, of Boston, and Sanborn and Thad-
deus Hyatt, of New York city. What
connection, and how far connected with his
plan do not know; but know he wrote
letter, few weeks previons to his attack,
to some gentlemen in Boston, which read,
as near as l can recollect, as follows:
DArE--.
Gentlemen:-I have got nearly all my
machines on, and shall be ready to start
them in few days, unless prevented by a
special Providence. Every thing is work
ing we'll shall want all he funds you
promised me in few days.
Yours, truly, "eALN & snI1-"
In the meantime the men who had en-
gagged to go with him had most of them
arrived at Chambersburg, Pa, had been sent
to the place which he bad rented in Wash
ington CO., Md, about miles from H Fer
~. The greatey part of tie men kePt Olst of
Sigh dSriHg The day, Tor fear of attracting
attention. The arms, munitions, &C., were
carted from Chambersburg to his rendez-
vous. The spear-heads and guards came
in strong boxes, and the shafts passed for
for fork handles. They we're put together
by our own men, at the house where most
Of them were found Letters Of Importance
came to the Chambersburg post Office, and
we're sent by some Of our own party to-
headquarters. The letters of minor impor-
tance came to the Ferry to j. Smith 4
Sons All illusions to our business were
made in such blind way that they would
not have been understood by any outside
parties, even should they have been mis-
carried. The attack was made sooner than
it was intended, owing to some friends in
Boston writing letter, finding fault with
the management Of Capt. b., aud what to
them seemed his unnecessary delay and ex.
pense. l do not know who those persons
we're, or how far they were cognizant Of his
Capt. B.'s) plans. But do know that
Doctor Howe gave Capt. Brown brooch
loading carbine and pair Of muzzle-load-
ing pistols, all Of government manufacture.
They were left either at the house Of Capt
Brown, or at the school-house, where most
Of the arms were conveyed. At what time,
and for what purpose they we're given to
Capt Brown, do not know. 1t was sup
posed that Col. Hugh Forbes was dead.
l was told by Capt B. that when on East
he had been told by Tbaddeus Hyatt, of
New York, that some Of the negroes at
that place bad informed him Hyatt that
Forbes had gone up'-a phrase which
Capt. b. and the rest Of our company un-
derstood to mean, that he had been killed.
do not think that Forbes had any cogni-
zance Of our plans from the time Of our
leaving Pedee, year ago last April. Pre-
Vlous TO bis quarrel with Capt. Brown, we
considered that be would hold place next
to Brown in command. do no know the
present whereabouts OF Luke F. Parsons
or Charles Moffett.
The last heard Of Parsons was through
Capt. Brown, who Informed me that Par
sons had started for Pixies Peak, and that
he BROWN thought be would be pretty
toleFably peaked before he got there. A
short time before the attack on Harper's
Ferry, Capt. Brown requested me to find
out in some way, without creating suspi-
cion, the number Of male slaves on or near
the roads leading FROM the Ferry, for dis
tance Of or 10 miles, and TO make such
memoranda that it would be unintelligible
to others, but in such q manner that could
make it plain to him and the rest Of the
company. He gave me two dollars to pay
my expenses with. l took the road from
Harper's Ferry to CharlestoWn under the