San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-08-26
orIE OF JOHN BROWNS SPEARS.
A Relic Preserved by One Who Helped
CaDture the AbOlitiopist,

a Keno Preserved Dy One VINO helped
Capture the Abolitionist.
Mr.. A. B. Allen, residing at No. 1924
New Jersey avenue, Washington, has in
his possession an interesting relic of the
raid of John Brown at Harper's Ferry in
1859. This is one of the spears used by
Brown and his men when they attempted
the liberation of the slaves in that vicinity.
The spear head is of iron, about eight
inches in length, and is like two edged
knife blade on a substantial socket, into
which the staff-a piece of hickory six feet
!ong-is fastened. Mr.. Allen secured this
relic, as well as a rife, when, after Browns
capture. he and some others were pressed
into service and placed on duty at the en-
CINE house to guard the abolitionist and
those captured with him.
Mr.. Allen had been employed by a citizen
TO capture two of his slaves who had run
away. The only clew as to the direction
the fugitives had taken was information
that they had gone up the canal. At the
time of their departure there had been no
tidings received here of Browns inten-
tions, although it was possible that some
of the slaves had been privately notified of
them. Mr.. Allen came to the conclusion
that the runaways might be headed off by
taking the railroad, and took the train.
81 went up by way of the Relay house and
the main line" said Mr.. Allen, entirely
oblivious of what was going on at the
ferry.
when we came opposite the ferry on
the Maryland side the train was stopped.
Then we learned by rumor of the lighting
at the ferry. We could hear all kinds of
rumors, and the train from the west had
not been heard from. This was the train
run by Capt. Jack Phelps, who was well
known here as one of the lessees of the
Alexandria and Washington railroad
There were only twenty-five or thirty of
us on the train, and we remained on this
side all night. We heard during the night
the movement of train over the river,
and finally Phelps train came over. We
then learned that Browns men had stopped
and held the train for some hours, but that
the leader when he was informed that the
United States mail was on the train al
lowed il to pass We then learned that in
the fighting in the town some had been
killed and others wounded. Not knowing
what force the insurgents had we did not
cross the bridge, but remained on this side
"In the morning the marines arrived
from the barracks in this city and they at
once proceeded to put down the insurrec-
ton. A Capt. or Lieut.. Russell, be-
lieve, was in command, and under his
orders the marines were marched to the
engine house, where Brown and few OF
his men were. AS we afterward ascer-
tanned the insurgents could have killed
every one of the marines had they been so
disposed, for they had arms and ammuni
ton and in the walls of the engine house
had been cut loopholes on every side The
marines finding the door fastened secured
a ladder and used it as a ram bursting in
the door.
"We-that is those of the passengers
who had been pressed into service-having
seen this from the bridge at once rushed
down. | remember that when l first saw
John Brown he was lying with his head
resting on the back of an upturned chair.
| looked at him and at once recognized him
as man had seen before; in fact, l had
seen him only a week or ten days previous.
" in Squire Downs office. He had been
wounded, believe, in the shoulder, but il
he suffered he did not show it in his coun.
tenance or by words. He was attired in
what appeared to be country goods, and
with his long gray beard looked like
well-tO-dO, Care-fOr-nothing farmer was
with him about three hours and half,
and heard enough to satisfy me that he
was badly disappointed man, and force
of two to three hundred men he had ex.
pected from Pennsylvania had failed tC
materialze. In the afternoon the bodies
of those of Browns men who had been
killed were removed, and party went up
on the heights to search for arms, but was
then unsuccessful.
THE next party that went out was re
warded by finding two boxes of rifles and
spears with ammunition. was on guard
when Governor Wise came up and had a.
talk with Brown and three or four other
prisoners. The conversation between
Brown and the governor lasted about an
hour and half. OF course, recognizing
Wise as the governor of the state, stood
off some distance and did not listen to
what was said Brown understood to tel
the governor frankly what was his inten
ton, keeping nothing back, and believe
he expressed his disappointment that he
had failed and that expected friends did not
appear Toward the close of the interview
Brown demanded good treatment while
prisoner, and asked that his meals be sent
him from the hotel This the governor
promised to attend to. AS he left the
engine house the governor remarked to me
He is most remarkable man. As soon as
some other troops arrived we were relieved
and sent home. Washington Star