Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-06-17

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men. They answered Got 50 CRAZY a
you think. Is Jon viii soon SEA- Up
"a this nnae had not soan any arms:
presently, however,. TIE nan threw back
the short cI0aks they wore and displayed
Shmpea's rides, pistols and knives.
Geaing these, and fearing something
serious MS going "a. ! told tie
men / believed / would return
10 my quarters. They At once cooked
their guns, and told me / vas prisoner.
This surprised ne. of course, bnt I could
do nothing, being entirely unarmed. /
talked with them some little time longer,
and .again essayed 70 return 70 my
house; but one of the men stepped be-
fore ne, presented bis gun, and told me
Il I moved I would Be shot down. I
then asked them what they intended to
do with me. they said was Ii no
personal danger; they only wanted to
carry me to their captain, John Smith.
I asked where Captain Smith was. They
answered, at the guard-house, inside
Of the armory Enclosure" I told them I
would GO there, as thatwas the point for
which I first started. Ny Office was ct
this place and felt uneasy lest the
vault might have been broken open.
Upon reaching the gate I saw what,
indeed, looked like war--negroos armed
with pixies, and sentinels with muskets
all around. When I reached the gate
I was turned over to s'Captain Smith.
He called me by name, and asked if ]
knew Colonel Washington and others,
mentioning familiar names. / said /
did, and he then said. ''Sir. you win
find them there, motioning me toward
the engine-room.
We were not kept closely confined. but
were allowed to converse with him. I
asked him what his object was; he re-
piled, ITO free the negroes Of Virginia.
he added that he was prepared to do
it, and by twelve o'clock would have IF
teen hundred men with him, ready
armed.
Up to this time the citizens had hardly
begun TO move about, and knew nothing
Of the raid.
When they learned what was going on.
some came ont armed with old shot.
gums, and were themselves shot by con-
cealed men. All the stores, as well IS
the arsenal, were IN the hands Of Browns
men, and it was impossible to get either
arms or ammunition, there being hardly
any private arms owned By the citizens.
AZ last, however, few weapons we're
obtained, and body Of citizens crossed
the river and advanced from the Mary
land side. They made e vigorous attack,
and Ia few minutes caused al the in
vaders who were not killed to retreat to
Brown inside Of the armory gate Then
he entered the engine-house, carrying his
prisoners along, or rather part Of them.
as he made selections among them.
After getting into the engine-house
with his men, he made this speech:
Gentlemen, perhaps you wonder why l
have selected you from the others. 1t
is because believe you to be the most
influential, and I have only to say now
that you win have 10 share the same fate
that your friends extend to my men. !"
BE began ct once to bar the doors and
windows, and to cut portfolios through
the brick wall.
Then commenced o terrible firing
from without, from every point from
which the windows could be seen. and
in few minutes every window was
shattered, and hundreds OF balls came
through the doors. These shots were
answered from within whenever the at-
tacking party could be seen. This was
kept up most OF the day, and strange to
say, no prisoner was hurt, though thou
sands Of balls were imbedded in the
walls, and holes shot in the doors almost
large enough for aman to creep through.
At night the firing ceased, for We were
Ia total darkness, and nothing could be
seen in the engine-house Q.
During the day and night I talked
much with John Brown, and foundhim
as brave Is 8 man could be. and sensible
upon all subjects except slavery. Upon
that question he was religious fanatic,
and believed il was his duty to free the
slaves, even Il IN doing 50 he lost his
own life.
During . sharp fight one Of Browns
sons was killed. He fell; then trying to
raise hirnselfhe said, 1T Is all over with
me, = and died Instantly.
Brown did not leave his post at the
portfolio, bat when the lighting ceased
he walked to his sons body, Strengthened
our bis limbs, took or his trappings,
then turning to me, said. "Thia Is the
third son have lost ID this cause. An
other son had been shot Il the morning
and was then dying, having been
brought IN from the street. Viii
Brown was murderer, yet was con-
strained to think that be was not VI