Arizona weekly citizen., 1886-11-20
EXECUTION OF JOHN BROWN.
HI. Demeanor Upon the scanold-lnei-
 dents of the Oecasion-The End

dents or tnc OC~9.ACA
 aSbortly before Ii o'clock the prisoner WAS taken from jail, and the funeral cor teOe was put in motion. First came three companies. then the criminals wagon drawn by two large white horses Jonn Brown was seated on the coffin, accoih- nanied by the sheriff and two other per sons. The wagon drove to the foot or the galIoyys. and Brown descended with alao- Titv and without assistance and ascendeo the steep steps to the platform HIS ue
 neanor was intrepid, without being ora8 cart. He made no speech; whether be desired to make one or not l do not knoyy. even if he had desired it, it would not have been permitted. Any speech or his must of necessity have been unla"iu, as being directed against the peace anu dignity of the commonwealth, ana as such could not be allowed by those who were then in engaged in the most solemn and extreme vindication of law.
 John Browns manner gave no evi- dence of timidity, but his cOuntenance was not free from concern, and it seemed 10 me to have a little cast of wildness. He stood upon the scaffOld but a short time. giving adieus to those about him. when he was properly pin toned. the white cap drawn over his face. the moose adjusted and attached to the hook above, and he was moved, bIindfold, a few steps forward It was curious to note how the instincts Of na- t1re operated to make him careful in put t,ug out his feet, as if afraid he would walk of the scaiTOld. The man who stood unbalanced on the brink of eter- uity was afraid of falling few feet to the ground.
 Everything was n6r in readiness The sheriff asked the prisoner if he should give him a private signal before the fatal moment. He replied, tn q voice that sounded SO unnaturally natural-so com posed was its tone, and so distinct it's ar ticulation-that it did not matter to him, if only they would not keep him too long waiting He was kept waiting. however; the troops that had formed his escort had to be put in their proper position, and while this was going on he stood for some ten or fifteen minutes blindfold, the rope round his neck, and his feet on the treach- erOus platform, expecting instantly the fatal act: but he stood for this cOmpara- lively long time upright as soldier in position. and motiOnless. I was close to him, and watched him narrowly, to see II could detect any sign of shrinking or trembling in his person, but there was none. Once thought 1 saw his knees tremble, but it was only the wind blow ing his loose trousers.
 His firmness was subjected to still fun ther trial by hearing Col Smith announce to the sheriff, We are ready, Mir. Camp bell The sheriff did not hear or compre- hend, and in a louder tone the same an- nOuncement was made. But the culprit still stood steady, until the sheriff, de scending the flight of steps, with well directed blow of a sharp hatchet, severed the rope that held up the trap-door, which instantly sank sheer beneath him. He fell about three feet; and the man of strong and bloody hand, of fierce passions, of iron will, of wonderful vicissitudes, the terrible partisan of Kansas, the capturer of the United States arsenal at Harper's | Ferry, the would be Cataline of the south, | the demigOd of the Abolitionists, the man | execrated and lauded, damned and | prayed for, the man who, in his motives, l his means. his plans. and his successes, must ever be a wonder, a puzzle and q John Brown, was hanging be- tween heaven and earth.
 There was profunnest si iiIness during the time his struggles cOntiEue1, growing feebler and feebler at each abortive at tempt to breathe. His knees were scarcely bent, his arms were drawn up to a right angle at the elbow, with the hands clenched; but there was no writhIng of the body, no violent heaving of the chest. At each feebler effort at respiration his arms sank lower and his legs hung more relaxed, until at last, straight and lank, be dangled, swayed slightly to and fro by the wind. -. T. L. Preston in Southern BivOuac.