Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-01-03

out even giving him time to put on his
boots He was killed about one huGdreu
and fifty yards from the house by the young
er Browns. acting under the Captains or
ders
"At about two O'Clock in the morning the
party reached Dutch Henry's Crossing, and
knock &C! at the door Of house where were
four men sleeping and !, woman and child
ren. The names Of the men were James
Harris, William Sherman, Jerome Glanvllle
and John s. Whteman. The Northern
army announced itself rs usual, command
ed surrender, inquired about other pro-
slavery men, about arms. saddles, horses,
and whether the men mcsent had ever
aided pro-slavery men il: coming to the
Territory, or done The Free State party
any harm, or intended u do it any harm.
Satisfactory answers were received from
Harris and Wnitcmau. and they were al
lowed TO remain where they were found.
William Sherman was killed in the same
manner as the J ourger Doyles and Wilkln-
son. The horrible gas'ies made by the
broadswo.ds or sahres Of the Browns gave
rise to the story that t!.r yiri inns were mu-
tilated but there is no reason to think that
the bodies were hacked or cut after life was
extinct. The 'NortherE army now, with q
IL
cd its steps to the camp uf the previous
evening, where the wagon aud horses bad
been left. They hreaklas.ed lh"s.. and IA.
manned in camp till nearly m"Gn.
AS the early light Of tha' Sunday la,rn
ing, May -, 1876, came over tia: acw land
so lately wilderness, shown. here and
there at wide intervals Il cabin, with Il little
field of planted ground, it revealed five
ghastly corpses lying in the grass. Two
widows. with their fatherlcss children, were
weeping over their dead. They knew then
what the world does not know even yet, that
this was the work Of John Brown. And the
same morning light found tho stern COM
mander Of the army of seven in camp with
his men and prisoner As he lifts his hands
to heaven to ask q blessing or the food, the
dried blood of his victims is seen upon
them by the prisoner The prisoner was
set at liberty during the morning, but was
little too free in what he said about the
Browns, and was shot not long asterward,
near Black Jack, while on his way to Kan
sas City in Il wagon. His death was, course
attributed to the Browns, but this is not
clearly established, and probably never
can be He may have been mistaken about the
blood on the old mans hands as 4 itcra! fact, but
the stain upon hi character from that night S
not to be forgotten overlooked nor forgiven. 1t
is right at this late day 10 publish it TO all the
world, and let the story have its full effect upon
the young who are forming their estimate OF the
man.
THE story rs here related is true beyond q
doubt in all essential particulars. 1t rests upon
the testimony Of no single witness, but upon the
perfect agreement Of many. Its truth was con-
tossed by Brown himself explicitly upon one oc-
casion; implicitly many times. Tho killing OF
these men WAS never attributed 10 anybody else,
and nobody in Kansas doubts that it was tpnc
under John Browns authority.
The effect .; this crime upon the character and
career Of old John Brown was pcrvasirc decisive,
overwhelming. After that night he knew that
his life was forfeit: and hc fought, and begged,
and planned with :. dcspcrateness born OF his
danger. Tie could not live in Kansas, he could
not i've sairl; peacefully anywhere. lie must
ii.ht nI 20 the end now. The Rubicon waI passed.
lie eat oil, his long beard, probably as 4 disguise,
ana sought help in New England reciting the
~ocs of his family, but conccaling their cause.
His desperate carncstness won the confidence and
thc hearts OF some Of New England's greatest and
nopc,t men. Had they known fully what he was
and what he had done, even what ht intended,
they would not have armed and helped him as
they did