Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1884-04-24
JOIN nnoWN,s scAFroLD.
Tie Fraudulent Scheme Of an Eastern
SPecuiator la Relics.
Ff0n Fond "a L1r bis.l SpecicI.

From q Fond dg L1c iis) Specici.
4 recent article IN an Eastern paper, stating
that the scaffold unon which John Brown was
hanged has been purchased By 81 Eastern s:e :
ulatar. has created considerable more interest
in Foal IN iac than iAsome paris oithe unloii'
though wherever thcrc8rc Survivors OF Zen
p.,,terson's command OF 10000 mca there the
interest IN the spectators purpose casains. It
is Given out that the purposcof the alleged pur-
chaser Of the John Brown scaiiold Is 70 cut II
mp into very dininaiiye pieces aud sell the
same - relics. i very Interesting enterprise
this is 20 be sure. % people generally, but Il IS
especially engaging % s's-t'fofs % PATTERSON ;
division, who remember lat batwccn the ltth
and Zis. of July. iS0i. they were participating
in 4 raid on tire only original John Brown scai-
fold. aul thas as "a scai1.d * was then Dc
rOiislc,l root and branch. The soldiers OF TINS
command were years ahead Of the schenier the
paper refers % in cutting the scaif0ld into irag-
mcnts for relies. Tie purpose was 20 strong 10
have piece Of ihe tiuberS. aud the pursuit 50
searching that when Pattcrs0n's division
mlrchei aw.:y not splinter OF the dimensions
of q verr much abbreviated lcai-pencil was lei
Of that scliiolt which the Eastern fraud Is to
sell s., fast col G. X. Pier Col. Y. u Green,
CIps Nfilt Gwen, David Babcock and T. z.
S.r1n- ir are AMONG the Fond du Lac boys
who can testify 90 the truth Oi this report, and
the Two first named gentlemen have rccounted
scafold very graphically in recent conversation.
Each Of these gentlemen and other soldiers OF
Comr2nv of The first Wisconsin display relies
OF the early y>i, - Charlestown, from when
Pl,.crsonse1minandc. carried the scai.o!d piece
meal De; entire.
TIE foregoing Sc take from the st. Louis
F5t-DsD1'ci
It's true a5oat Gen. Plttersons thirty thous-
ana nis., being relic hunters that's the how
they spent their time in Charlostown whilst
Gen. Joe Johnstons twelve thousand stood at
Winchester, twentg-one miles distant.-eycry
.aan with % chip on his head, so tospcol;. The
secret Of the whereabouts OF the john Brown
scaG,l was -elisioJ.ly kep; from the Soooo-
tlc owner Of tae little brick house on the cor
ner no, d.s;rjn, the destruction Of ais IoTehin
which mu-h Of the scattold timber was and
whe-e It rcma inel until @ few weeks ago.
Pa;;ors1n's iucn did take away the b:s.ocu~t
tree which stood near thc scaitod site, and
would have removed the stump if they could
n,a,e mustered dentists enough 90 extract The
roots aul laI not been urged 90 a psccipitetc
ai-h; from the hallowcd PIE .ncts. They were
under the impression that john Brown was
hung on n trce; consequently tranS and limbs
%. the OIL l3,ls-. who's, le3vtl Oaec mIle
grateful shade, were converted into miniature
collin and other charms for watch chains and
the blrk into corls for clltasus an L fishing
lines Oh yes; the Fond dI Las boys were
hero. t0)-fond of lactc1l Is every COW with a
crump.el horn had reason to know. We have
nodcuos the surviving boys and jai Lying ;heru