The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-06-15

J. A. r, Preston in August Bivauac.
Shortly befose la o'clock the pris-
oner was taken from jail. ana the fun,
eral cortege was put in motion. First
csffe three companies, then the crim-
mails wagon, drawn by two large whits
horses. John Brown was seated on
his coffin, accompanied BY the Sherin
and two other persons. The wagon
drove to the foot Of the gallows, and
Brown descended with aiacrity, and
without assistance and assembled the
steep steps to the platform, His de-
meanor was intrepid, without being
hraggart, He madeno speech; wheth-
er he desired to make one or not ] do
not know; even il he had desired it,
it would not have been permitted.
Any speech Of his must OF necessity
have been unlawful as being directed
against the peace and dignity of the
commonwealth, and as such coilanot
be allowed by those who were then il
gagged IN the most solemn andextreme
vindication OF law.
John Browns manner gave no evi-
dence Of timidity, but his c~ountenance
was not free from concern. aud It
seemed TO me to have nEttle cast of
wildness. He stood upon the scaffold
but q short time, giving brief adieusto
those about him, when he was proper
ly pinioned, the white cap drawn
over his face, the moose adjusted and
attached to the hook above,
and he was moved, blindFold, d
few steps forward. 1T was curious to
note how the instincts OF mature opar-
ated to make him careful in putting
out his feet, as if afraid he would walk
OFF the scaffold. The man who stood
unblanched on the brink OF eternity
vas afraid OF falling a few feet to the
groundl
Every thing was now in readiness.
The sheriff asked the prisoner il he
should give him a private signal be-
fore the fatal moment. He replied in
q voice that sounded to me unnatur-
ally naturalist composed was its
tone, and SO distinct its articulation
that it did not matter TO him, If
only they wouldno keep him too long
waiting He was kept waiting. how
ever; the troops that had formed his
escort had to be put iii their roper
position, and while this was going on
he stood for some ten or fifteen min
utes blindfold, the roperound his neck,
and his feet on the treacherous plat
form, expectinginstantly the fatal act;
but he stood tor this comparatively
long time upright as a soldier in posi-
ton, aAd motionless. was close to
him, and watched him narrowly, to
see if / could detect any sign otshrink.
ing or trembling in his person, but
there was none. Once I Thought /
saw his knees tremc!s, but it was only
the wind blowing his loose trousers.
His frmness was subjected to still
further trial by hearing Col. Smith.an-
nounce to he Sheriff, Wenre ready Me
Campbell, The Sheriff did not hearor
comprehend, and III louder Gone the
same announcement was made. Bat
the culprit stiil stood steady, until
the Sheriff, descending the Hight Of
steps, with a well-directed blow Of a
sharp Ratchet, severed the rope that
held mp the trap-door, which instant
81 sank sheer beneath him. He fell
about three feet; and theman o~fstrony
and bloody hand, OF fierce passions,
OF IRON will, OF wonderful vicissitudes,
the terrible partisan of Kansas,
the eapturer OF the United States
arsenal at Harper's Ferry, the would
be Catiline ofthe South, the deniigod of
the Abolitionists, the man execrated
and laudea, damned and prayed
for, the man Nho, in his
motives, his tasans, his plans and his
successes, must ever be a wonder, a..
puzzle and a mystery, John Brown,
was hanging between heaven and earth.
"There was profoundest stiffness
during the CINE his struggles continued,
growing feebler and leeb,er at each
abortiye attempt to breathe. His
knees we're scarcely bent, his arms
were drawn up to q right angle ut the
elbow, with Che hands clenched; hut
there was no writhing Of the body, no
violent heaving Of the chest. At each
feebler effort at respiration his arms
sank lower asd his legs hung o re-
laxed until at last. straight and lassk
he aansslea swayed lightly to and fros
by the Wind.