The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-03
OSAWATOMIE BROWN.
Alexander r.. BOteler's Recollections of the
Raid ON HarPer's Ferry.



freshly wounded, Colonel Robert Lee allowed
me to pass in and talk to him as he lay on
the bare floor in one of the armory build
ings. There is singular circumstance about
that. Sometime before Browns descent on
Harper's Ferry took to my wife one day
sketch that made with pencil in the cars
coming from Point of Rocks to Harper's
Ferry" Said 1: MY dear, here is genuine
picture of the Wandering Jew" "Who is
it?" said she. 81 don't know. 1t was
strange old man with fingers like the talons
of bird that 1 saw talking to two young
men. He had the most remarkable head
have looked at for years. His hair went up
like spikes; his jaw and mouth
were very strong, and he had an
eye that would look you through and
through. His nose was like an eagles
and there was something very fascinating
about him, yet superstitious; and made that
sketch of him and called it the Wandering
Jew. He was talking about sheep-raising,
and talked very ntelligently, too, and was
interested in what he said, because thought
he might be going to buy land in our parts
Well my wife put that picture away and for
got about it. Suddenly the descent on Har-
per's Ferry was made. 1t did not then occur
TO me that Brown was the same man 1 had
seen. But when he was tried at Charlestown
and stood up to make the speech before sem
| tence was passed upon him, / took the op
portunity to draw another sketch of him. By
that time he had somewhat recovered from
his wounds took the sketch home, and
said; There, Mrs. Boteler, you see old John
Brown Why said she, I have seen this
man before Oh guess not said l. Yes,
have She thought about it awhile, and
then turned to the drawer where she had put
my sketch of the Wandering Jew, and drew
it out Yes said she, here is the very man.
had made the sketch of John Brown unwit-
tingly."
II have got that SKETCH" spoke up DON
collection"
Said l. "Mr. Boteler, what impression did
John Brown make on you?'
"a very remarkable man, indeed. When
he was drawn out of that engine house, all
covered with blood and dust, and haggard
from watching and want of Sleep | went in
to see him. He was lying on his side with
that eye turned up into which the blood had
run from the cut over his scalp which one of
the marines gave him as the engine house
was carried. The blood had flowed into his
eyes and dried there, and rather closed that
eye up. [ went in to him, and kneeling down
put my face very close to his. He was in a
pretty bad way, but made no noise except a
groan or two. Said | to him, Sir, excuse
me for interrupting you, but l am a neigh
bor L appreciate your misfortune and
came to tell you that if you have a wife
and family and wish to communicate with
them, will see that you are allowdd to
write them letter and l will send it myself.
though the authorities must first read it,
He said he had wife living at North Elba
N. Y, and daughters, and that he was
obliged to me, because he wanted them writ
ten to- Said l: Mr.. Brown, you will excuse me
If ask you question. l have a wife and
daughters, too ASK your question: said
Brown. 1 want to know if this is the whole
of the invasion of this district. Who started
this thing? L started it myself said Brown.
By this time he had managed to turn himself
over so that he got the other eye which was
wide open, to bear on me, ard he looked at
me as strong and sharp as if he had been the
examiner and the prisoner. Said |: Mr.
Brown, if that is your name, are we to ex-
pect any more of this raid? Will there be any
further descent on this region or Slater
None that know of, said Brown. If there
is any more to come it will not be of
my knowledge Said 1: Mr. Brown, if
this is the whole of the raid, you must have
expected assistance when you got here? Yes
said he, 4 did. My expedition was to free
the slaves, and expected them to ioin me.
as well as other people in favor of that OBJ
ject.' As was about to go away there ap-
peared at the door a Catholic priest who
had been attending some of the wounded
people in the fight He wore his vestments
and Brown knew him to be priest He at
once stormed out at the top of his voice: Go
| away from here! l don't want anything to
do with you. Take him away!' 1t was very
plain that the old Puritan wanted no Roman
list to come around him in his hour and arti-
Gle of death. So said to the priest: You
only disturb this man, and he is badly
wounded Don't come in"
Said l. "Mr. Boteler what do you think
of John BROWNE
81 think he was very able man. l do not
believe he had any insanity whatever in the
suggestion and conduct of the raid 1t was
one of the most marvellous campaigns ever
devised. / went through his effects which
were found at the old home in Maryland he
occupied, and there | found a map of Vir-
gina and the adjoining Maryland, giving the
number of slaves and white men in each
county and district Ii John Brown had got
into the mountains there is no telling how
extensive that raid might have been I'm
questionably certain proportion of the
slaves would have run away. His mistake
was that that military commanders afterward
made-of clinging to Harper's Ferry.
thinking it had some strategic
value. He meant to have gone
to the mountains and kept upon their
wooded SUBMITS, and the instruction might
have exceeded all our present notions.
Among his effects was list of persons that
he had asked to join him. or had partly con-
sented to do so, and it was divided into two
parts, the one list headed reliable. and tine
other unreliable At the head of the 'un-
reliable list were the names of Frederick
DOUGLASS, sr., and his son. don't think |
ought to talk about that, though because 1
admire the course Douglass has taken since
the war for concord and conservatism"
Some one asked Mr.. Boteler if he had any
sympathy with Cook the brotherin-law of
the Democratic Governor of Indiana. in that
raid
"None for him." said Mr.. Boteer. ''He
had come among us like spy, and married
there at Harper's Ferry. But did have sim
cere sympathy for that other white man,
Coppick, who was hanged at the same time
with Cook. When sentence of death was
pronounced upon him | saw his eyes go
round the courtroom as if to seek one
friendly look, and it came from nowhere A