The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1878-11-22

utnOtg wv tnt N'"o'S l''eS ."
short distance up the Shenandoah to
the "RiAe Factory" where they sur
prised and captured Samuel Williams,
the night Waterman, who they march
ed, to the armory building. leaving q
detachment of their party in charge
of the Factory.
-A-wAFoHNANsB isoeysRy. -
About midnight Patrick Higgins
entered the railroad bridge from the
Maryland side, for the purpose of re-
lieving the Waterman who, as seen,
had already been captured. Finding
all in darkness aud supposing that the
former Waterman had met with an C.
cident, he called his name loudly,
when he was suddenly confronted by
two men, who presented their guns at
his breast and ordered him to surren-
der, One of the guards now conduct,
ed him toward the armory, but when
near the Virginia end Of the bridge
the plucky Irishmsn dealt his guard a
blow with his fist and bounded away
in the darkness. Several shots were
fired after him, but he escaped injury.
About this time the house Of Colonel
Lewis Washington, some few miles
from Harper's Ferry, was visited by
six of Browns men, under the leader
ship of Stevens, who took the Colonel
prisoner, seized his arms, horses, &c,
aud declared his slaves fee-some Of
whom they took with him. On their
return the party also paid their res
poets to MIR. Alstadt, a farmer living
near Colonel Washington, whom they
also made prisoner and whose slaves
they also declared free. Messrs. Wash
ington and Alsiadt were conducted to
the armory and confined with the rest.
Meanwhile, others of the raiders were
securing the streets of the town, and
those Of the citizens who made their
appearance we're captured and confined
with the Others until they numbered
about fifty. Brown informed his cap
tives that they could regain their lib
erty by writing to their friends and
furnishing a negro apiece as substi
tute, and when the very natural ques-
ton was asked him as to the object Of
his attack his answer was. ITO free
the slaves" Abont one o'clock on
Monday morning, the eastward-bound
passenger tain on the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad arrived, and was, by
order of Brown, detained for consid-
cradle time, when it was permitted to
proceed-carrying with it most be-
wildered and excited lot of passengers.
NEGRO PORTER KILLED.
Some time during the early hours
of the morning, HepwoOd Shepherd, a
negro porter at the railroad office, at
tracted by curiosity, walked toward
the bridge, when he was ordered to
halt by the guards stationed there.
Becoming frightened, he attempted to
escape, when he was shot through the
body. He succeeded, however, in
reaching the railroad Office, where,
after suffering great agony, he died
the next day. Shepperd was the first
man killed by the raiders, and to this
circumstance many attribute the fact
that there was no general Instruction
among the negroes, some of the far
mers in the neighborhood saying that
they noticed an unusual excitement
among their slaves a day or two be-
fore the raid. 1t is hardly probable
that knowledge of the intended at
tack was impaired to many negroes,
but doubtless those who had intended
taking part were deferred by seeing
one of their own race the first victim.
As the regular hour for the commence.
ment Of labor in the different armory
buildings approached and the work.
men left their homes tor the shops 10
which they were employed, the most
Of them were captured 10 detail aud
marched of to the armory-the gen.
eral rendezvous for the prisoners. BY
seven o'clock the number of prisoners
had reached ABOUT seventy, with more
TO follow. At this time Browns par
~ had complete possession of the
town; they held the armory buildings
Offices, workshops and ground; their
sentinels guarded the bridge and prin'
cipal corners and patroled the streets.
Had he decided to fly to the mount.
alma with his Few followers il is more
than probable no could at that time