The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-01
JOHN BROWNS CLOTHES.
ihey Have Been in Brooklyn for Thirty
Years.
BROOKLYN Eagle. /

lDTOOhlyn EaSlC.
lhe clothes in which John Brown,
OF Ossawatomie, was hanged are in the
possession of Brooklyn undertaken,
Jacob N. Hooper, and his coffin was
also here until twelve monthsago when
1t was chopped up by mistake.
The story that connects the rugged
fighter. free soiler and abolitionist with
this city is part of the secret history of
the North during the anti-slavery
agitation which preceded the civil war.
John Brown, who was born with the
century, at Torrington, in Connecticut,
early devoted himself to systematic
study Of the slave question and the
consideration of plans to alleviate its
mlseries and finally abolish it. He was
a prominent figure in that movement,
emanating from the North, which was
set on foot TO bring the territory of
Kansas into the roll of free States and
lay barrier across the westward and
northwa path Of the slave power. He
was IN constant communication with
friends of the cause in New England
while living in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
John Brown and several of his sons
went to Kansas in 1856 and settled near
Ossawatomie, whence the name he
afterwards bore. The family plunged at
once into the political turmoil which
! was incident to the evolution of the
Territory into a State. John Brown
carried on the contest for free soil, as
his opponents were for slavery, by
bloodshed and deliberate assassination.
John Brown, led by hisowp hopes and
! incited by the expectations of North
ern creamers, went to Virginia and
attempted to establish a systematic
liberation ofthe slave. 1t was, perhaps,
| the idea of making an armed center of
offense in the enemy's country which
led him to the act that caused his death.
On June 3rd, 1858, John Brown left
Boston, where he had been in consulta-
ton with the Northern leaders, with
$500 IN gold and in possession of 200
rifles, bought with Northern money.
Less than year latter he settled near
Harper's Ferry, in Virginia, and on
Sunday evening, October 18th, 1889,
with eighteen men, John Brown cap
tured the United States arsenal at
Harper's Ferry and seized several
planters in the vicinity and liberated
their slaves.
The news Of the outbreak reached
Washington on the day following, and
Col. Robert E. Lee, afterward COM
mander-in-chief of the Confederate
| Monday evening with a company of
United States marines. After siege in
which two of John Browns sons were
killed and his forces reduced to half
dozen followers and himself supposed
to be dying, he was captured, "cut,
thrust and bleeding" as Governor
Wise of Virginia, who arrived a few
| hours later with a body Of several
hundred Virginia militia, describes
| him. John Brown was tried before a
Virginia court. The influence. of North
ern friends followed him here, and he
was defended by counsel from Massa-
chusetts He was executed in Charles
town, Va, on December ,, 1859. flow
John Browns body was conveyed
North and reached its final resting
place at North Elba, \. Y, was not.
known at the time. The project was
one which might have exposed those
engaged in it to assault, and the dead
John Brown to vandalism.
After hanging, the body, i'll thesame
ragged, shot-riddled clothes in which
John Brown had made his last fight,
was placed in walnut coffin and given
in charge of Charlestown undertaken.
Through the influence of the agents Of
Northern friends the coffin was secretly
shipped on board northern-bound
steamer, and in due time arrived in
New York. There Jacob Hooper was
on hand to receive it and removed the
coffin to his New York room, 1853 Bow
cry. John Browns body was promptly
reclothed by the undertaken and new
casket made for it and shipped to North
Elba where it was buried. The old
coffin and the tattered clothes were
brought from New York and secreted
in the cellar of Undertaken Hopper's
room in Brooklyn. There they re-
mained for nearly thirty years, until,
in cleaning up which was Instituted
in the cellar during Mr.. Hopper's ab-
sence, the coffin was broken to pieces
and carried away. The clf thes are still
in the undertaker's possession.
II will swear to thepart I had in the
disposal of John Browns body" said
Mr.. Hooper yesterday. "i5 is fact.
His body was not mutilated, but his
clothes were torn as if they had been
cut with bayonets."
How to Tell Counterfeit Hili.
Take United States bill of any de-