The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-12
JOHN BROWNS scArFoLD.
Sold to Relic Hunters "reminiscences of His
Raid.


Atlanta Constitution
Mr.. r. G. Baylor of the firm of Baylor q Bay
lor- civil engineers, said yesterday:
Il have lust received a letter from nv old
home in Virginia which states that a few days
ago the scailold on which old John Brown was
hung was sold to syndicate Of relic hunters
The old fellow was hung nearly thirty years
ago so that the man who owned the gallOws
must have held it some time for the rise OBJ
served the scribe.
He did not hold it in the shape of gallows. -
was the reply. when John Brown was hung
at Charlestown carpenter who was building a
house there bought the lumber and put it into
the porch. 1t was Il little brick house located on
a corner, and there was just about enough of the
scaitold to frame the porch. The house was
bought by its present owner for $500, and few
days ago he was approached by syndicate of
relic hunters to whom he sold the porch for nine
hundred
What do they propose to do with it,!
Il guess they will work the lumber up into
cuff buttons, charms, etc. Here are two cuff
buttons made from wood from Libby prison.
said Mr.. Baylor, holding up his wrists.
Were you around Harper's Ferry when
John Brown was there" asked the scribe
u was quite small and saw very little of it.
but my father Colonel Robert w. Baylor. com
manded the first company that reached Harpers
Ferry after the stir was begun, and was present
when General Robert E. Lee captured Brown
and his party
Those were interesting times"
Yes, shall never forget what [ saw. Brown,
you know, had his men and implements of war
fare concealed in the wood near Harper's Ferry.
and crossed the bridge and seized the United
States arsenal one night when 10 one was think
ing of such thing. 1t was on Oct t. 1859.
about o'clock in the evening that he and his
score or SO of men took the town. Several peo-
pie were killed in cold blood, and the most in
tense excitement prevailed. But YOU doubtless
know already the history of old John Browns
raid and its results
Did he finch when he was hungl"
No, he was grit to the last. He walked
up the scatfold with Il firm step. and went The
way of all the earth with the greatest COO
ness
There was an interesting incident connected
with the hanging, continued Mr. Baylor. (which
! believe has never been printed. and Whicl
shows how strict General jackson was Jack
son was a professor in the Virginia Military In
stitute, and the cadets ON duty at the exc
cutlon to preserve order. One cadet was pacing
his beat and found that tree would shut out Il
view of the hanging from where he stood. He
heightened his beat and got view Of the hang
ing, but when he got back to the institute jack
son had him up for deserving his post during the
hanging of John Brown, and he received some
punishment; believe was put on extra guard
duty"
Continued Mr. Baylor
81 have in my possession the sword of John
Brown taken from him when he was captured.
1t was given to my father by Brown when he
was in captivity l have been offered
5000 for it, but refused to sell it.
1t Is one of the finest pieces of
metal l ever saw. The weapon is a cavalry
saber, with an iron scabbard and q bone handle
The blade is a regular Damascus blade finely
etched, and so plant that you can press the point
around to the handle, and when il is released it
will resume its original shape"
How came your father to get it,
when Brown lay wounded my father went to
him and took the sword from under him. After
keeping 1t a while, he carried it to Brown and