Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-14
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH,

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DlsPArcH.i
WASHINGTON, August 13. = General
James B. Colt, now practicing attorney OF
this city, late chief of the old army and
navy division of the pension bureau under
the Cleveland administration, Colonel of the
Fourteenth Regiment of Connecticut Volun-
teers, and Brevet Brigadier General, who
carries eight wounds as his war trophies, has
purchased the scaffold on which the hero
John Brown and several of his associates
were hanged, and it is now on its way to
this city, and will soon be employed in
way that Will appeal to the poetry and senti-
ment of the whole country.
At the request of the authorities of Jeffer.
son county, West Virginia, this scaffold was
erected in Charleston in the last days Of
November, 1859, and on the I'd of Decem-
Der of that year the body of old Ossawatomie
Brown was swung from its cross bar. 1t
was taken down and stored in the jail yard
and re.erected on the 18th of December for
the hanging of Edwin Coffoe, Shields,
Greene, John E. Cooke and John Copeland.
SOMETHING OF A HISTORY.
On the 10th of March of the following year
it was again erected and did duty for the exc
cution of, Albert HazIett, alias William
Harrison, alias William Hayslett and Aaron
D. Stevens When the ghastly history was
ended, Cockrill asked what he would do
with the scaffold, and he was told to dis
pose of it as he pleased by Hon. Braxton B.
Davenport, President of the Court of Jetfer-
son county.
Cockrill transformed the scaffold into the
frame work for portico for the house Of his
friend Daniel Sheets, at the corner of Lib
erty and Lawrence streets, in Charleston,
and there it remained for years. As time
changed and events wrought new estimate
of Brown, even in the minds of his enemies,
il was recognized that in future years con-
historical timbers. In the autumn of 1888
they were bought by John NJ. Coyle, and
stored away in the second story of the Jail
building under lock and key.
These facts are attested by numerous citi-
zens of Charleston, by Andrew II Hunter, the
attorney who prosecuted the cases against
the insurgents, DR.. G. f. Mason, who ex-
amined the bodies of the executed men, by
David H. Cockrill, who built the scafold,
his father by Frederic Douglass, who
examined thoroughly into the matter years
ago, and by David 81. Strother, the we'll
known writer, "Porte Crayon." Of that time,
who made drawings for .Hdrper's Weekly
and Magazine of the scenes attending the
execution, and of the scaffold itself.
THE GENUINE ARTICLE.
There is no doubt of the genuineness of
the relic. Curious to know what disposal
General Colt would make of the scaffold the
correspondent of THE DISPATCH called at
the residence of that gentleman this evening
and inquired regarding the matter.
I was in Kansas at the time of the Kan
sas-Nebraska difficulty" said the general,
"and was great admirer of John Brown,
though I never saw him. Having some bus
iness at Charleston recently discovered the
existence of the scaffold, and it occurred to
me that instead Of allowing 1t to be hawked
about, possibly by fakirs and speculators, it
might be put 70 serious and sacred use. I
am interested in some property on the histori-
cal Bolivar Heights, overlooking the Shen-
andoah and Harper's Ferry. tits a beautiful
spot, commanding magnificent view and
overlooking all the region where was en-
acted the immortal tragedy of John Brown.
"Once. when stopping there, it seemed to
me that this was the spot of all others for
monument to the memory of Brown, and,
when found the scaffold was in existence,
1 thought as Brown earned his undying
name finally on that scaffold, it might be
made more than quarter of a century later
to earn funds with which to
ERECT A MONUMENT
on the spot overlooking the scene of his
most remarkable exploit. am a lawyer
and not a Snowman, but it is my present in
tention, if can find the proper person to
take charge of the scaffold, to exhibit 1t,
and appropriate the proceeds, above ex-
penses to the erection of this monument
On the property of which speak there is a !
fine marble quarry, and of this marble 1
would construct the monument. 1 have
offered portion of the property to the State |
of West Virginia for reform school or
other public Institution.
"It is possible the place may become q |
summer resort, as the scenery is grand, and |
Harper's Ferry is already place much Wis |
erected 1 would reserve enough ground to |
lay out pretty park around it. !
Il have inquired into the sentiment Of the
people on the snbject, and do not believe
there would be any serious objection or in
reference. The views of the old inhabitants
have changed greatly in regard to Brown,
many Union soldiers having settled there.
abouts, and any who might otherwise OBJ
ject would probably be silenced by the fact
that any additional attraction would bring
people and money to the town. This is the
way have arranged the matter in nv mind.
Possibly may find obstacles in the way I
have not thought Of, but I hope not"
FUTURE BEFORE IT.
Though the General did not ssy 80 def
nitely, It is probable the scaffold will be
placed in one of the public museums here
after it has earned q monument for old
Ossawatomie Brown. General Colt was the
first man in Connecticut to enlist for the
war, though General Hawley claims that
distinction. The news Of the firing on Fort
Sumter was received at his home in Nor
wich in the morning, and he at once en-
pany before evening.
At Gettysburg his regiment captured six