The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-05-15
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Bones of Two of John Browns Men Have
No Resting PIacs.

No Resting Placs.
NEW YORK, May 15.-Within a short
time the two graves in the old Eagles
wood grove in Perth Amboy will be dug
up, and among other remains those of
two of the followers of John Brown, who
were hanged at Harper's Ferry, will be
disinterred. The reason for this is that
the soil of the graves ia valuable clay,
and Calvin Pardee, the proprietor of the
terra Gotta and tile works near by and
owner of the property, wishes the clay
for use in the factory. Pardee has been
at some pains to trace the families of the
two John Brown men, and has commune
Gated with them as to the disposition of
the bones, but the surviving relatives of
each say that they are financially unable
to give the remains fitting interment,
so, unless some body comes forward to
take charge of them. they may be de-
stroye1, it is said, or carted away.
The ground in which the bones have
lain nndisturbed for more than thirty
five years was formerly the property of
NJ Marchs Spring and his wife Rebecca
and part Of their beautiful estate of
Eagleswood.
The Springs. particularly Mrs Spring,
were ardent abOfitionists, and when the
feeling against the abolitionists was SO
bitter Eagleswood was kept guarded
by the servants lest the wilder element
of the neighborhood should carry out
frequent threats to raid it and burn the
house. In spite of threats and unpopu-
larity the Springs kept up the interest in
the cause, and when the sentence of
death was passed upon John Brown and
his band Mrs. Spring set out for Harper's
Ferry with the intention of taking charge
e kIo h1I 81. i
men whose friends did not come forward
to claim their remains
Two of the bodies, those of A. G. Haz-
lit and A. D. Stevens, were unclaimed
Mrs. Spring took charge of them and at
her own. expense had them taken to
Eagleswood for burial. When the news
of their action reached Perth AmbOy the
old city turned out en- masse to meet the
bodies at the train. The feeling on the
slavery question had changed utterly,
and he would have been a fooIhardy
man who at that day had dared speak a
word against the abolitionists. When
the two bodies, each draped in an Amer
lean flag, were taken from the cars, an
immense crowd had gathered. with heads
bowed. Twelve of the most prominent
residents of the city acted as pallbear-
ers.
AA0 01AIE OOORNA1 buR265ls Ladb Lu0
G. A. R. posts of Topeka take Immediate
action in the above matter and that the
remains of these two heroes, A. G. Haz-
lit and A. D. Stevens who died for the
grand principle of the abolition of slav-
cry be brought to Topeka and buried in
the cemetery here with appropriate GER
emonies. There is an opportunity to off
set in some degree the dedication of a
confederate monument at Chicago on
Decoration day by the burial of these
John Brown men in Topeka on that day.
No more appropriate soil than that of
Kansas could be found for the interment
of the bones of these patriots.
We hope that the G. A R. posts here
will take action in the matter. They
seem to be the most suitable bodies to
take charge. No doubt the money to
defray expenses of burial can be raised
here by popular subscription, or the
contribution of few pennies each by
the school children.