Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1893-05-09
MISCELLANEOUS.
viii Join The Fort.
John Brora's Scc6old WiH be Rs-
ht6ited at The Great World's Ear.

lntact and in storage on one OF the
topmOst floors of the American SecI-
rity and Trust building in Washing
ton, says the Star, there is ghastly
relic of the abolition period. It is
the scaffold on which John Brown
and his accomplices were executed.
The history of the structure is as fol-
lows: Inthe latter part of Novem-
ber, 1899, David II. Cockerill, of
Charles Town, Jefferson county,
w. Va, was employed by the
authorities of that county TO erect
the scaffold for the execution of
Brown and of those persons implica-
ted with him in the raid on Hampers $
Ferry. Cockerill bought the lumber
from William, Phillips, and with the
assistance of three carpentersscs Reob
p. Croft, Joseph II. Cockerill and
Charles Barrett, built the hanging
apparatus in field along the east
side of Samuel street extended. The
abolitionist leader was hanged at
twelve o'clock on December 2, 1853.
The 1scaffold was taken down aud
removed to the Jail, yard, where il
remained till the morning of Decem=
Der Is, when it was again put up and
Browns Confederates,E Edwin Copple,
Shields Green, John E. Cooke and
John Copeland were hanged. The
scaffold was again removed to the
Charles Town Jail, and again on the
10th of March e-erected for the exc
cution of Albert Hayslctt, alias Wm.
Hayslett, alias VIM. Harrison and
Albert d. Stevens. 1t vas once
more taken down and stored at the
Jail. Later Mr.. Braxton Davenport,
president of the county court of JEFF
ferson. county, gave the timber to the
builder, Mr.. Cockerill. This gentle
man used it in building front porch
to the home of Daniel Sheets on the
corner of Lawrence and Liberty
streets, Charles Town. Here it re-
manned till 1888.
In that year the property mention
ed was bought by Col. John NJ. Coyle
and he, with the help of Contractor
Cockrell, pulled down the porch, and
stored the material in the jail, After
Coyle's death, the scaffold timber be-
came the property. of II. III. Cook,
Forrest Washington, Brown and
George Washington. By them it was
sold to Augustus o. BrummeiI. Ills
G7street northwest, Washington.
TheSfacts as stated here are vouch-
ed for by aHidavits from Frederick
Douglas, Gen. David n. Strother,
Frank P! lynch, clerk Of the county
court of jefferson county, West Vir-
ginia Charles j; FauIknes, ,Jr. Judge
of the Circuit Court of Jefferson
county; James N. Gallagher editor
of the HirgiRiG Free Press; George
w Haines, editor of the SPIRIT OF
JEFFEBsoS.; Cleon Moore, Thomas
A. Moore and Andrew r. Kennedy,
attorneys. A large number ofprom-
inent business people also testify to
the genuiness of the Scaffold.
The present owner, Mr.. Brummell,
was member of the Richmond Blues
that were called out TO suppress the
insprrection, and was present at the
interview between Gov. Wise and
John Brown at. the Jail on the day
before the hanging Brown was taci-
turn, and abruptly closed the inter
view by turning to the Governor and
saying: "You have a duty 10 per!
form, and the sooner it is ended the
better,
The scaffold is an old-fashioned
one. 1t is 9x14 feet and feet high.
Across the top, five feet above the
drop, runs the beam, to which the
rope was fastened. An old rome
still bangles there and it is said that
it is piece of the original hemp.
1t is ascended by ten steps, and is
painted with pitch. The drop is
four feet long and TWO wide, is hinged,
and falls upon the withdrawing Of
bolt from the rear. 1t then swings
down and outward, so that it would
partially conceal the body of man
who had gone through it. II will go
on exhibition at the Worlds Fair.