The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-14
JOIN BROWNS EXECUTION.
Unwritten History Regarding 1t Related by a
Living Virginian.


Richmond (va) Special to New York World
'Hhere is not an item of truth in the picture
representing John Brown on his way from Jail
to the place of execution, published in the last
number of Harpers Weekly" said Col w. G.
Knight to-day as he viewed the illustration rep
resenting John Brown, of Harpers Ferry, as an
old gray-haired man taking a farewell kiss
from some negro babies. held up to him by
weeping negro women. 1.-The only fact in the
case" continued the Colonel, who is the editor
of the Southern Planter, of this city, lis that
John Brown was taken from the Jail and exc
cuted. Such representation does great Unjust
ice to the negroes of the South and is calculated
to give a false impression of the ideas enter
tanned of John Brown. Indeed the negroes at
that time did not know that such man existed.
short time prior to his execution he travelled
through south side Virginia, going direct to
Petersburg from Harper's Ferry, thence through
the Fourth district, now known rs the Black
Belt in consequence of the negroes being largely
in the majority in that congressional district.
AT that time he was passing under the assumed
maine of DIR. McLane, and no one had the slight
est suspicion that he was John (Ossawattomie)
Brown He stayed two days and two nights
with me in the early part Of May, 1889. l was
then living In Nottoway, sixty miles west OF
Richmond
"He talked about everything in the world ex-
cept Kansas and yet he came directly from
there; and what was remarkable about the man.
he had the mildness and appearance of clergy
man and possessed very large fund of intell-
gence. He appeared to be sixty years of age.
His beard and hair were just slightly tinged
with gray. He said he travelling through
the country, and the funny part of the thing
was talked together until late hour at
night, supposing all the time that he was n
travelling minister. for he spoke great deal of
the different churches and gave me an interest
ing history of his visit to Nauvoo, ILL., Joe Smith
the leader of the Mormons, living there
then. 1t was not until next morning that he
told me his business was selling patent trusses
| remarked, i am very much mistaken in your
calling, for | took you for minister of the
gospel He smilingly replied, Il do preach
sometimes
when my mind goes back to that period
SAID Col. Knight, 81 am astonished that man of
his mildness of manners could be the same man
who was such murderer and outlaw in Kansas.
There was an incident, let me tell you right
here in connection with this visit. John Brown
and his party were perfect outlaws in Kansas
and refused to let any persons from the South
bring their slaves to Kansas and settle there.
He was committing so many outrages that his
name became famous and he was known as
'Ossawattomie Brown His lawlessness in Kan
sas had permeated the whole country, especially
the Southern States and Col Rosser, of Peters
burg, determined to get up company of picked
men and go to- Kansas and drive Brown out the
State. Col Rosser came to my county, got 100
young men from that and neighboring counties
thoroughly armed and equipped them, and went
to Kansas in March of that year. He had not
been there week before he was ambushed by
Browns party, and the result was the company
from Virginia became scattered
Brown, seeing that he would not again be
troubled in Kansas, looked forward to grander
scheme, the bringing about of an insurrection
among the negroes of the South, making the
grave mistake that they would flock to his stand
ard when he appeared among them His visit
to Virginia was to familiarze himself with the
country roads aud the relative strength of the
people of both races. He did not use any Ian
guage to incite the negroes during his whole trip
He was too smart for that. Soon after he dis
persed the men under command of Rosser, he
left his party in charge of his son John and came
to Virginia to mature his plans for capturing the
arsenal at Harbers Ferry and make his nroad
upon the Southern States. John Brown reached
Nottoway before the men who went with Col.
Rosser were able TO return home. After COM
pleting his journeyings through south side Vir-
ginia Brown went north to secure forces for his
attack on Harpers Ferry, which was made in
October, 1859"
when did you find out that it was John
Brown who stopped at your house,"
~ did not suspect it to be him when he was at
my house, but after his arrest and execution
there appeared either in Harper's or Frank Les
lies Magazine which was subscribing to at the
time, the pictures of Brown and his party. Ny
little boy called my attention to the fact that
one of those pictures resembled DR.. McLane. |
scanned the picture and saw many points of re-
semblance, but when the trial came on and the
evidence began to developit became known thai
Brown had travelled through Virginia under the
name of DR. McLane Gov Wise VINO had in
terviews with the prisoner, afterwards told me
that John Brown gave him a history of his trip
through Virginia, mentioning places where he
had stopped, and said he had spent two days and
nights at my house"
Col. Knight editor of the Southern Planter,
of this city, to-day gave your correspondent the
above chapter of unwritten history which would
have doubtless slumbered with his dust but for
the illustration mentioned.