West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-10-10
AN EYEWITNESS.
TELLS OF JOHN BROWN AT HAR.
PER'S FERRY.
How the Fort Was Taken BY United
States Troops A Famous Raid.

Harper's Ferry, w. Va, Sept. IL
Especial Correspondence. Ar
irving at this little town between
the mountains. a chance visitor is
never allowed to forget that he is
on the scene of John Browns fa-
nous raid, the event that brought
Uarper's Ferry into historical
prominence. The great battles
fought here afterward arc matters Of
only secondary Importance, for per-
haps rightly the people OF Harper S
Ferry look upon Browns raid as
the beginning of the civil war.
Certainly it was like the roll of dis
tant thunder that presaged the ris-
ing storm.
But there is little left either Of
the civil conflict or the John Brown
raid;only the rough stone monu-
ment which the railroad erected on
the site Of the Brown Fort when
that building was removed to max Q
room for tracks and depo.s; and II
few men who gather around the
door at evening to discuss that stir
ring time. One of these, Jessie
Graham, had part in the i'll l-starr-
ed expedition and gave your cor
respondent detailed and vivid
description of it. Mr.. Graham Is a
venerable man, one of the village
patriarches, whose account of the
raid obtains precedence over histo
'ry or anything else in Harper $
Ferry. Indeed "A Chicago syndi-
cate offered him $50 to come to that
city during the fair aud tell his
story.
"John Brown and his men came
here sometime in the summer or
spring Of So" said Mr.. Graham,
"and introduced themselves as
school teachers, capitalist and pros
pectors. Brown called himself
Smith and claimed to be in search
of mineral lands; he frequently
brought ore and pieces Of rock back
from the trips across the mountains.
| saw good deal of him and al
ways thought him quiet sort Of
man, very pieus and religious.
One Of his men, l remember, mar
ried lady here, and no one sus-
pected that anything like plot
was on foot. The first action that
they took was on the night Of Sun
day, October l6. About midnight
they sent squads out over the ad-
joining country to arrest the lead
ing citizens whom they intended to
hold as hostages. In this way they
surprised and captured Col. l.. w.
Washington and Mr.. John III. AL
stadtt and son.
"Along toward morning they be-
gan to capture the citizens of Har-
per's Ferry. In the meanwhile
they had, of course, taken posses.
sion of the bridges and cut the
telegraph wires. Between 5 and 6
o'clock on Monday morning, Octo-
Der IL, my daughter was awakened
by loud voices and looking out OF
the window saw two or three men
arresting an Irishman by the name
Of Gallagher, who kept a saloon on
the street behind my house. She
called to nae and / dressed hurried
ly and went down to see what was
the trouble. 1 had hardly opened
the door when man held q pistol
at me and said / was mis- prisoner.
| wanted to know on whose authri.
ty and on what charge he arrested
me. His reply was:
"On the authority Of the Gov
ernment and you will fnd out soon
enough why we arrest you. Come
along here can't talk any lon g.
ger"
$50, together, Gallagher and
were hustled of TO the engine.
house, where we were surprised to
find quite a mum Der Of prisoners,
guarded by armed men, while pick
cts were visible on the bridges and
even up on the hill.
Owe we're in that place a day and
night, so ] had time enough to see
who the prisoners were. Besides
Gallagher and myself there were
A. NJ. Kitzmiller, Maj. Mills, the
United States armorcr, Am. Ball,
j. J. Dangerheld, John Donahuo,
a man named Childs, John Maloy.
Joseph Brua, Rein Cross, Alfred
GrIst, J. w. Crutchley, John Ir-
win, John Mason, John Becker.
two men named Murphy and Far.
Ter, Dan Williams, J. Roderck
Butler, G.. II. Furtnoy, u. Dear
ing, Joe Byrne, Terrauco Byrne
and Anthony Nunomaker. Some
Of these were brought in after We
got there.
"SoOn after we reached the on
! gino.house, Maj. Mills,s,s Govern
mert armOrer, vas brought TO-.
"llero," he said to Brown.
"What does this mean?"
"Wait, and you'll Sec" was the
answer.
"But you are stopping The
United States business and you n
pay for it, said the armorer.
"Did you ever hear Of the battle
y Of Dotfa 30 ooLoI nro-,,,,