Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-04-03

per OF mgn Standing, tue IfbleS, mas
an interesting article on 'John
Browns Wife"-so we'll written and
interesting that the Enquirer gave it
place in its supplement, and yet it is
almost void of truth. The circum-
stances narrated, it is stated, came
from a colored man, name and resi-
dence given, still living in Phlladel-
phia, at whose house. the article states,
Mrs John Brown was when her hus.
band was hanged, at Chariestown,
Virginia, in December, 1859. She
had the Times sensational" says. left
her home at North Elba. New York,
to 60 to Virginia to see her
husband, but was dissuaded on ac-
count of the fact that mo person,
either man or woman, was safe in the
South who was known to sympathize
with the Abolition movement" For
this reason she consented to remain at
the residence of the colored man who
told the tale to the reporter, who pub
lished it as told to him. Decribes the
conduct of Mrs. Brown at the negro's
house in Philadelphia on the day of
Browns execution-how, in the morn
ing, she seemed cheeeful and light
spirited. At the hour of ten o'clock
the hour of the execution-she
grew pale, and sat with her hands
folded across her breast, and silent
t. ars rolled down her marble e-hued
cheek, presenting, as the reporter said,
a picture of heroic grief. When the
feeling of bitter despair wore of she
said, "Well, I suppose the law is
avenged and the people satisfied" All
thisis Interesting reading, but, in fact,
there is not one word of truth in it.
Mrs. Brown was not at the house OF
the negro, William Stell, No. 244
South Twelfth street. Philadelphia,
that morning-was not in the city,
nor in the State at the time repre-.
sented, and hence the tale is but the
coinage of the brain of the colored
man or of the reporter.
John Brown was sentenced to be
at Charlestown, Va, on the I'd of De
cember, 1859 On the day preceding
the execution Mrs. Bro wn arrived at
Harper's Ferry, near Carlestown,
where Brown was tried and convicted,
and made application to the military
authorities at Charlestown, where the
hanging was to take place, for liberty
to visit her husband. The little town
was vast military encampment. In
telllgence has been conveyed to the
State authorities that an attempt would
be made to rescue Brown, and hence
the volunteer militia of the State was
ordered out to see that the law be car
ried into execution. The feeling Of
the people--pervading all classes,
whites and negroes, the latter rea
or affected--was bitter against Brown
and those aiding and abetting him in
the attack on the armoly at Harper's
Ferry and the killing OF several inof-
fensive citizens. The whites feared
above all things, negro insurrection
anu that they knew was the aim of
Brown and his men. The people O.
Virginia had some years before sam
pie of such an insurrection in North
ampton County, where white men
women and children were all sacrificed
to the fury of Nat Turner, and gang
of black desperadoes.
The evidence that a set of silly
fanatics for a time plotted to rescue
Brown from hanging was full and com
plete, but the preparations to thwar
the scheme by military force nipped i
in the bud.
The application of Mrs. Brown t.
see her husband was an embarrassing
one. 1t was granted, and detachmen
of cavalry, was sent to Harper's Ferr,
as an escort. An immense crowd ha,
surrounded the prison when she ar
rived, and the military had to open
passage way to the prison door, S
dense was the throng. She Remained
in prison with her husband for som
two hours, when she was again es
corted to the carriage furnished her t.
Harper's Ferry, to the hotel in whicl
she passed the night, and where sh
remained until the morning after thu
execution. The newspaper press at tn
time commented in sneering terms OF
the fact that woman had to be sur
rounded by cavalry while visiting he
condemned husband, as if the grea
State of Virginia feared her, and whe1
l saw the sight Of one woman in car
riage, surrounded by some twent
troopers, armed and equipped,
thought it reflected anything but cred
it on the boasted chivalry of tina
State. Turning to friend when tn
cavalcade drew up | expressed muc
disgust at the sight. "You are mis-
taken in the object Of the escort" h
said,. "Here, l am sorry to say, a
we'll as elsewhere, there are set G
miserable devils who would lnsu1
a woman. To keep John Brown
wife from hearing improper words tn
authorities sent the detachment t
guard her, not from violence, bu
from hearing foul words about hersel
and her husband. IT uttered, sh
could not hear them, and the State c
Virgirginia, sir, was saved the disgrac
Of having q woman, no matter whs