Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-06-03
BOWEN 8 KINasBURY. Prop'ts.

on6Auo Aouso Nv AAosPoA XokIys COu.
tributed by ). r. P. Daingerfeld. who
was held u prisoner by Brown during
the conflict. From this account We ex-
tract the following:
Stewsft stepped aside and made the
signal for the attack which was instantly
begun with sledge hammers to break
down the doors.
Finding it would not yield, the col
diers seized long ladder for q battering
ram, and commenced beating the door
with that. the party within firing inces-
sanity. I had assisted in the barricading,
fixing the fastenings go that could re
move them upon the first effort to get |
in. But was not at the door when the
battering began, and could not get to |
the fastenings until the ladder was used. |
then quickly removed the fastenings,
and after two or three strokes of the
ladder the engine rolled partially back,
making small aperture, through which |
Lieut.. Green, of the marines, forced him.
self, jumped on the top Of the engine.
shower of balls, looking for John Brown.
When he saw Brown he sprang about
twelve feet at him, and gave an under
| VIA AoS "a LAO o"SAoS 6U4nAuk uUOut
midway Of the body and raising him
completely from the ground. Brown
fell forward with his head between bis
knees, and Green struck him several
times over the head, and, as I then sup.
posed, split his head at every stroke.
was not TWO feet from Brown at that
time. OF course got out of the build
ing as soon as possible, and did not
know till some time later that Brown
was not killed. It seems that in making
the thrust Green's sword struck Browns
belt and did not penetrate the body.
The sword was bent double. The reason
that Brown was not killed when struck
on the head was that Green was holding
his sword IN the middle, striking with
the hilt and making only scalp wounds.
The Lieutenant Green referred to in
the foregoing statement is now and has
been for many years resident of Dako.
ia and is an applicant for an appoint.
ment under the new administration. 1t
is probable that he bases his. claims for
recognition upon his record. That rec
ord is given, as quoted above, by an eye
witness. We have not heard that Lieu
tenant Green ever did anything else re.
markable. The excitement of the occa.
sion may have furnished some excuse for
pounding helpless old man over the
head with sabre, in vain effort to
crush his skull, OF q time when himself
and his men we're overpowered by gu.
perior numbers. But the school of the
later day soldier does not recognize such
q display of inhumanlty to fallen foe
Nor does it recognize the right of sol
dier to permit the excitement of an armed
conflict to deprive him of the ingredient
of mercy, which should be as much 6
part of his individuality as the quality
of courage.
John Brown died long years ago.
felon's death at the end of o rope. But
in truth his soul went marching on
after the hangman's work was finished
and the lifeless clay was consigned t.
q soil purified in later years by tn
blood of fanatical old man. He violated
law and suffered the penalty. It hap
pens, however, that his name will b.
known forever In history in connection
with the first armed struggle TO
the liberation of millions of human
slaves. The brief conflict in the engin,
house at Harper's ferry was the skirmisl
of the advance guard of the grand arm.
which afterwards battled 60 we'll for uni
versal human liberty. Every sabr
blow upon that defenceless grey hea'
severed o link in the chain OF the bond
man, though the lusty arm which WELD
: the blade struck in defence of the slave
holder and his cherished institution.
,, The effort of Lieutenant Green to &c
cure an official position at this time re
wives these recollections of by gon
} years.