Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-01-04
H.
MORE SO
L r An
W EEis n
John Browns -
lie Lives on IA Mountain Ten Miles
From Los Angeles.


From the Cincinnati Enquirer.l
On mountain about ten miles north of
Los Angeles, overlooking the picturesque
san Gabriel valley, lives Jason Brown,
son of old John Brown, of Harper's Ferry
notoriety, who virtually fought the first
battle of the late war between the state.
He lives in tent at a mountain resort,
and acts a, guide for tourists visiting the
various points of interest in that section.
He is in feeble health, quite gray, with
long pat~iarchal whiskers, and lives alone.
But he is i'm great demand among the tour
lists who seem over curious TO see this
quaint charactcI. whose fathers soul is
marching ON. lie is very sensitive and re-
fuses to talk of the past to the mob who
ply him with all sorts of questions. |
heard one person say to him, And your
father was hanged at Charlestown?"
was introduced to Jason by the propri
etor OF the resort, and at my request as a
southerner. The poor old fellow, with re-
markable frankuess for one entertaining
such fanatcal views, gTasped my hand,
saving, IL like to meet southern men. \
southern man once saved my life. How?
Well, | was captured once during our
Kansas war. My hands were tied behind
me and was marched about 20 miles in
the broilng sun, surrounded by cavalry
guards. On arriving at headquarters a
mob of about 800 soon assembled, for the
news had spread that another one of old
John Browns sons had been captured and
there would be hanging. My brother
Frederick was already prisoner. On my
appearance some shouted: Swing him up
Hang him one man brought rope and
it was placed around my neck. | was
l 81 / I,h nd |
piled that / was. | will never deny my
name: you may hang me first
Continuing, he saiu. II never did deny
my name, and was in close quarters sew
eral times, but l thought then they would
swing me up. | noticed three men, of
! genteel appearance, who seemed to stand
aloof from the mob. They took no action
| in the proceedings. The mob again howed,
| swing him up. and at this moment the
| three men walked up to where | stood with
the rope around my neck.
"The tallest of the three had in his hand
a scrap of paper; he waved his hand to
| the MOB and read
" i understand you have two of my sons
prisoners. JOIN BROWN
That note was from my father. Whom
it was addressed to | do not know, for the
man did not read the address. | never
knew how he learned that was prisoner
or how he got that note to this man. l
was led a short distance away, and these
three men talked to the mob. What they
said do not know but the rope was taken
from my neck. The men told me they were
Kentuckians. That was all, and | was re-
| leased"
Tears flowed as the old man touchingly
related this thrilling episode of the past
oh oft a
killed, and, strange to say, by the man who
captured me. No, was not at Harper's
Ferry for the reason that l did not approve
of the method adopted"
On being asked if he did not sympathize
with his fathers efforts to free the slaves,
Jason evasively replied that slavery was
brutal, horrible, and that every human
being was entitled to freedom. He SYM
pathetically referred to the wounding of
his father, and to the death of his brother
at Harper's Ferry, adding that his father
| afterward said: 81 have more sons and
they cannot perish in better cause"
81 have been living here ten years" said
Jason, as | asked another question direct
ing his attention from the past.
my brother Owen is buried over in that
valley, and now live alone" Jason pointed
to picturesque spot in the San Gabriel
| valley about three miles distant and in
plain view from his tent.
81 took up government claim" con-
tinued Jason, land now this Is my home.
prefer the mountain air, it is more like
freedom. | do not care to live back East,
it makes me feel so sad out here l am so
far away that do not think of the past,
but | have no enmity toward those people.
When | am not out on the trail, am feed
ing my pets. Come and see my civet cats
and birds; | have a cage full"
"Have you noticed a bird fy?" asked
Jason. birds are heavier than air, yet
they sail along without the slightest motion
from their wings. See this bird how he
flies upward, and then comes back to me.
He raises himself without the slightest eff
fort. Now what is it that keeps him up,
when his wings are mOtionless? That is a
science that we must master, and soon shall
undertake, and then we may go through the
air by machinery as we now travel on earth
by railroads or navigate on water. | have
been studying the flight of birds and the
problem of navigating the air No, l am
not inventing a flying machine, but have
thought considerably on the subject, and
think we shall soon come to it. Probably
not in my day, for am now ~ years of
age and my health is not so good" con-
cluded the poor old man, in voice that
carried with it the sadness of the soul.