Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-01-16
JOHN BROWNS RAID.

JuHN bkUWN'S kAlU.
THE DELIBERATIONS AND PLANS
LAID AT CHATHAM, ONT.
An Interesting Reminiscence Of the
First Break Toward Freeing
the American Slaves.
A correspondent of the st. Louis Globe
Democrat, writing from Toledo, Ohio, says
Among the forty-fve persons who at
tended the secret Convention, at which
John Brown presented his famous Provi-
sional Constitution and Ordinances, at
Chatham, Ontario, May s, 1859, was James
Madison Bell, colored man, and at that
time resident of Chatham. Mr.. Bell was
then bright, energetic man of about 80
years, and was intimately connected with
John Brown during his stay in Ontario,
and, in daily intercourse with him, be-
came quite familiar with all of his plans.
Mr.. Bell is now resident of this city,
and one of its most respected citizens. He
resides on Indiana avenue, and conducts a
large plastering business.
A Glo6e-DemocrM representative called
upon Mr.. Bell at his home, and found him
ready and willing to tell nearly all he
knew about John Brown. He is good
scholar, and an easy and interesting con-
versationalist, using the most correct Ian
guage, OF which he seems to have perfect
| control.
Only few questions were needed to
start Mr.. Bell, and, his memory working as
he went along, he seemed to take as much
delight in telling as the reporter did in
listening.
MIR. BELLS STORY.
81 first saw Mr.. Brown in the spring of
1885," commenced Mr.. Bell, leaning back
in his large arm chair and closing his eyes,
as if to stimulate thought ''He came to
| my house at Chatham, Ont.-Canada West
we called it then-and presented letter
from VIM. Howard Day ,colored, a friend of
mine, graduate of Oberlin, and afterward
for some years a member OF the Pennsyl-
vania Legislature.
''The letter was dated at Toronto. a
few days previous, and simply introduced
| the bearer as John Brown, asking me to
do what l could for him during his stay in
| Canada.
"This was my first introduction to John
Brown, and knew very little of him be-
fore that time except what l had heard of
his raids in Kansas. He stopped at my
house few days until his men arrived,
after which he secured quarters for him
self and men in the hotel then known as
Vile Mansion, corner of King and Will
Jams streets, where he remained until he
left for Harper's Ferry"
"What did he do with the party of
slaves he brought with him."
she did not bring but one slave over
with him, and reports that he brought
party of them are untrue. ! don't remem-
Der what became Of the one he brought
with him"
JOHN BROWNS MAIL.
did Mr.. Brown receive any letters
while in Chatham"
"Oh, quite number, and | ought to
know something about that, for every letter
that he received through the mails while
there came under cover addressed to me.
They were all from individuals in various
parts of the North, though mostly in the
New England States The last letter he
received came, as usual, addressed to me,
and contained the money which sent o.
born Anderson to Harper's Ferry. All the
money Brown received while IN Canada
West came from one individual, and have
frequently heard him say that the same
individual had helped him on numerous
occasions when in trouble, and that he was
one of the stanchest supporters he had"
Did you know this mans name?"
Oh, yes, of course"
What was it ?"
Well, | am not at liberty to give it. !
have frequently seen it signed as "A
Friend of the Black Man, but know he
was always anxious not to have his name
known in connection with this affair.""
Although the reporter tried in every
way to learn from Mr.. Bell the name of
the party referred to, he positively refused
for the present to divulge anything regard
ing him, except that he was friend of
the black man, a well-known man in pol
itics, a resident Of Massachusetts, and now
living.
Was Mr.. Brown in hiding while in
Chatham?'
ooh, no. He didn't disguise his pur-
pose there, nor did he make any spread of
his affairs. He was there money bound,
| and could not get away until his friend
came to his assistance. When he came to
Chatham he had no means whatever.
and he and his men simply remained
there resting a few weeks while waiting
for money, and discussed their plans.o
BROWNS PLANS.
"Were you familiar with his plans ~
Yes, he frequently talked with me
and told me freely just what he intended
to do. When he came to Chatham his
only plan was to raid on Virginia, and
while there the plans for this raid were
fully discussed and decided upon Brown
was not revolutionist, but an insurrec-
zionist. His plan, in brief, as he told it to
me, was TO go to Harper's Ferry with his
men, surprise eand capture the arsenal,
and, with the arms thus obtained, retire
to the mountains in the vicinity with all
the prisoners they could capture, and
there carry on a guerilla warfare He
planned that slaves would flock to him by
thousands, and with his small handful of
men, reinforced by daily addition of slaves,
he could hold an army at bay, and after
his movement became fully inaugurated,
he expected the North to come to his
assistance.
Another part of his plan was to capture
slave owners and prominent Soutnerners
wherever possible, and hold them as hos
tages, to be ransomed by the liberty of
slaves who would then join his movement.
The plan seemed feasible enough, but
Brown never underestimate its dangers.
He expected to die on this raid, and went
to Harper's Ferry confident that he would
not live to see the end Of the movement he
inaugurated | remember remark he
made to his men one day when they were
speaking of the great danger involved in
the undertaking. Said he:
If you are afraid to die you had better
not go to Virginia, for the chances are
ninety-nine out Of one hundred that not
one of the men who engage in this move
ment will come out Of it alive. As for me,
well, Harpers Ferry lisa good enough place
for me to die
PREsCIENT REMARK.
another thing | remember on this