The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-05
JOIN nR0WN,s WEFE.
Tragic Experiences Of the Helpmeet of the
Harner,s rerry Raider.

Harper : cry lAftiHSI'
| Philadelphia Times
The death on Friday last, in San Francisco,
/ of Mrs, Mary Brown. widow Of Ossawattomie
! Brown, of Harper's Ferry uotorety, recalls the
fact that the day upon which her husband was
| executed she was in Philadelphia. y visit Was
| paid yesterday to William Still. well known
| colorcd man, living at No. PA South IWeilh
street. who was one Of the leading spirits m the
| underground railroad movement, ana win
, v,r Mrs. Brown was stopping at the mo
mentioned
Eyes, said Mr. Still to a reporter yesterday,
! that was sad day with us all ! remember it
| as if it had been but yesterday. Mrs Brown
| had come from her home ut North Eiba n Y,
| intending to 90 Oh to Cha1leStOWn, w. Va, to be
with her husband and console him in his last
moments. Her presence in this city and her in
! tcntiOns becoming known, she was visited by
| Lucretia Mott, Sarah Pugh Mrs. Mckim Gen.
i and Mrs Tyndale and Miss Grew, who dissuaded
| her from undertaking journey hazardous,
! for you must remember that those Were exciting
| times, and no person, either man or woman was
| safe III the South who was known to sympathlze
| with the abolition movement.
Lieutenant Merriam. one of the officers of the
| little company which made the attack at Har
! pers Ferry under the leadership of John Brown,
had arrived at my house only few days before,
| and the narrative of his escape and the bitter
feeling of the Southern people helped to convince
J Mrs Brown of the rashness of nor intention.
| She consented at last to remain here provided
! some one would go on to Charlestown and bring
| her husbands body North after the execution.
! General Tyndale and Mr.. McKim volunteered to
go. which they did, and, as l have said, she re
manned with me.
Dec. >, the day of the execution, was cold
! and clear, and Mrs. Brown the first to arise
| that morning. She came down to the breakfact-
! table calm and collected. without the sign of
tear mental suffering. In fact she seemed
rather cheerful and light-spirited No reference
was made during the breakfast hour to the sad
| event of the day, and not until the hour set for
/ ia RpDWO shO II ions of
| grief. But when the clock struck 10 she grew
| deathly pale. and as she sat with her hands
folded across her breast, as if in silent prayer,
! tears rolled down he marble-hued checks and she
! presented picture of heroic grief that | can
never forget. For nearly an hour she steamed
| lost to all about her, but when the first feeling
of bitter despair wore off she said:
well, | suppose the law is avenged and the
| people are satisfied
| "She then spoke of her husband cheerfully, of
his intentions, of his zeal, of his honesty. She
| had always been in full sympathy with him in
! his undertaking and had full knowledge of all
! his plans She expressed desire that her sons
! should engage in the work of emancipating the
slaves, and thus carry on the work of their late
! father to completion While in this city Mrs.
| Brown visited around among many friends. and
| she a welcome guest wherever she went.
| When. the day after the execution, the body OF
! John Brown WAS brought On. it was met Mt the
! Walnut street wharf by Mrs. Brown and taken
| to North Elba where it was buried III the family
vault
In appearance Mrs. Brown was a pleasant
| faced woman, tall and dgnlied, with great in
| telligence and the impression she made was
| that she was Us Jealous in the work of freeing
! the slaves as was her husband.
When Mr.. Still was asked to relate the Incl
| derts. as he could recall them. of Lieutenant
Merrams escape from Harpers Ferry after the
! fight that had proved so disastrous to the little
| band of zealOts. he said:
tits difficult to understand how a man with
| the education. wealth and social standing OF Mr..
| Merriam could ever have been induced to 90
| into any movement of the kind. with disaster so
surely awaiting them. He was a Bostonan, and
apparently about thirty three Years of age. He
had been educated in Paris and had travelled a
great deal l saw him when he was on his way
to Harpers Ferry three or four days prior to
the Instruction. and he impressed me as u re
| fined gentleman. with great determination and
physical endurance. Though not active par
ticipant. l was cognizant of all the plans of the
little band, and Mr. Merriam talked with me
/ freely.
"A few days after the attack was made and
| the whole country was aroused, while detect
| ives and spies were hunting the remnant of the
| band who had escaped, Merriam came into my
| house. | confess was terribly frightened. for
there was large reward offered for him. dead
| or alive, and | expected his arrest at any mo-
| ment.
He was dressed in a brown suit of heavy
material, and around his waist. beneath his coat,
| was Il belt full of revolvers. The powder from
| the battle was still on his face and hands, and
the numerous hardships and hair-breadth es-
capes through which he had passed were plainly
| visible about him. He stopped with me only a
few hours to rest and then went on to New
York, and from there, l believe, he made his es
cape into Canada"
During the conversation Mr. Still showed let
tiers which he had received from Mr.. and Mrs.
| Brown and lock of hair from the head of old
| Ossawattomie, which he had forwarded to his
feduring his imprisonment
There is one incident connected with the raid
I.f IL. +I,.A
| During his Imprisonment at Charlestown, await
ing execution, his son John, with the assistance
of his mother, trying to organize d company
of resolute men, who should go with him and
make attempt to rescue his father from
prison Young Brown passed several days in
this city trying to organize his company, but as
a sufficient number could not be got together
the idea was abandoned 1t is said that Mrs
! Brown wanted to put on male attire and be one
of the company to go to the rescue Of her hus-
hand