Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-05-06
WILL JOIN THE FORT.
John Browns scanold VIII be Exhibited
at the Worlds Fair.


at the Worlds Fair.
Intact and in storage on one OF the
toDmost floors of the American Sc
curity and Trust building in Washing
son, saws the Star, there is CHASTITY
relic of the abolition period. 1t is the
scaffold on which John Brown and his
accompllces were executed. The his
tory OF the structure is as follows:
In the latter part of November, 1859,
David II. Cockerill, of Charlestown,
Jefferson county, w. Va, was en-
ployed by the authorities OF that county
70 erect the scaffold for the execution
Of Brown and OF those persons implieat-
ed with him in the raid on Harper's
Ferry. Cockerill bought the the lumber
from William Phillips, and with the as
sistance Of three carpenters, JACOB T.
Croft, Joseph H. Cockerill and Charles
Barrett, built the hanging apparatus IN
a field along the east side OF Samuel
street extended. The abolitionist leader
was hanged at twelve o'clock on Decem-
Der ., 1859.
The scaffold was taken down and re-
moved to the Jail yard, where it remain
ed till the meraing Of December 10,
when il was again put up and Browns
confederates, Edwin Coppie Shields
Green, JOIN Z. Cooke and John Cope
land, were hanged. The scaffold was
again removed to the CharleStown jail,
and again on the 10th of March re-erect-
ed for the execution Of Albert Hayslett,
alias VIM. HaySlett, alias VIM. Harrison
and Albert d. Stevens. Itwas once more
taken down and stored at the Jail. La
ter Mr.. BraxLon Davenport, President
of the County Court Of jefferson county,
gave the timber 10 the builder, MIR.
Cockerill. The gentleman used 1t In
building front porch to the home OF
Daniel Sheets, on the corner OF Law
renee and Liberty streets, Charlestown.
Here it remained until 1888.
In that year the property mentioned
was bought by Col. John NJ. Coyle and
hewitt the help Of Constructor Cocker
III, pulled down the porch, and stored
the material in the Jail. After CoYle's
death, the scaffold timber became the
property of H. II. Cook, Forrest w.
Brown and George Washington. By
them it was sold TO Augustus 0. Brum-
nell, OF Ills G street, northwest Wash
ingtOn.
The facts as stated here are vouched
for by affidavits from Frederick Doug
las, Gen, David II. Strother, Frank z.
Lynch, Clerk Of the County Court, OF
Jefferson county, West Virgins; Charles
j. Faulkner, Jr. Judge OF the Circuit
Court OF Jefferson county; James n.
GalIaher, editor OF the Virginia Free
Press: George w. Haines, editor OF the
Spirit Of Jefferson; Cleon Moore, Thorn
as A. Moore and Andrew L. Kennedy,
attorneys. A large number of promi-
nent business people also testify TO the
genuineness Of the scaffOld.
The present owner, Mr.. Brummell,
was a member Of the Richmond Blues
that were called out 10 suppress the
insurrection, and was present at the
interview between Gov. Wise and
John Brown at the jail on the day be-
fore the hanging. Brown was tact
turn, aud abruptly closed the inter-
view by turning TO the Governor and
saying: You have duty TO perform,
and the sooner it is ended the better"
The scaffold is an old-fashioned one.
1t is SKA feet and feet high. Across
tie TOD, five feet above the drop, runs
the beam, TO which the rope was fasten-
ed. An old rope still bangles there and
it is said that is is piece Of the origl-
nal hemp.
Iii assembled by ten steps, and is
painted with pitch. The drop is four
feet long aud two wide, is hinged, and
falls upon the Withdrawing OF a 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. 1t will go on exhibition at
the Worlds Fair.