The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-05

two were tho homesteads OF the vicinity
singled out for his visits. We afterwards
were told that he had tarried a whilc M
the house OF a gentleman IN Amellt cuuh-
~ where he did a good deal or Wilunb
and that among the letters Mhloh Nv
requested his host 10 post for him, was
one addressed. Mrs Mary A.(O Brown.
When John Brown was hung thefo
were published descriptive pamphiet'
bearing "A fun length picture OF him. so
closely did this cut resemble our FORMER
guest as 10 leave scarcely n douDt OF
Identity The very contour or feature,
head and figure, the very SET ana haus
Of the garments. the very cut and CROWN
OF hair and whiskers, the pose OF BODY
all were faithfully reproduced.
Hon. Chastine White, OF Hanover
county, at whose house the same Dr.
Mclean had stopped. visited Harper $
Ferry after the incarceration TOT the put-
pose Of settling the identity OF the prls-
ouer. John Brown. with the travelling
physician and declared them 10 be the
came person. yet this undoubted veri-
ncatiOn could scarcely add 10 the GER
tainty established already by the won
derfu resemblance Of the cut, ana l
must confess that on the discovery. pity
and regret for the genial stranger tar
rying beneath our rOOf-tree quenched any
fEulllilOu over the ittAt VI 'Ni i4ttf't''i''
ed and terrible foe.
After the developmeuts OF Harper's
Ferry we questioned those Of our servants
with whom there had been opportunity
Of private interview with the invader, one,
an Old woman whom her master had
sent i'm 10 see Dr. Mclean for the bcne-
nt Of his medical service, the other. the
butler. who escorted him 10 ms cham-
Der at night The former averred that
ne had discussed with her naught beyond
the professional service he was render
ing but the butler claimed that he had
put TO him several nterrogations re-
garding his treatment ana contentmcnl
as a slave.
THE RESULT OF An EXAMINATION
After reading these crcumstantial ac-
counts of John Brown alias Or. Mclean $
visit 10 Virginia 10 was difficult 10 resist
the belief that Brown and Mclean were
one and the same person. lhe llct us
claimed. however. n 10 was "a iact, was
OF too much importance not 10 be sified
20 the Bottom and 80 the editor q ne
Times correspondod with Mr. +. y.
Sanborn. the biographer of Brown 10 as
certain IL he had any Information about
the subject which WAS not contained IN
his life OF Brown and learned that ne
had none and did not believe that Brown
had ever made the trips imputed To him.
Professor Noes cox Tyler also upon
request had the books upon Brown IN
the library OF Cornell University search
cd 10 see II there was any account or
these visits To Virginia ana responded
that ho could find none
An examination Of the life or brown
disclosed the fact that there was "a con-
nict between the time when Brown was
by his biOgrapher reported 10 be IN new
York Iowa, Kansas, or elsewhere ana
when Colonel McCue's correspondents
said he was I'm Virginia under inc name
rruIg tnA
impOrtant to ascertain whether 10 was a
case of mistaken identity or not. The
question TO be solved then was this and
10 seems plain enough now. was thelc
ever any such person AZ Ut. Lazarus j.
McLain, Of Lisbon, OhioY
About the end OF last October MT
BRYAN editor Of The Times met eX-Sena-
tor Calvin s. Brice IN New York and
asked him TO give him the names OF
some reliable persons I'm Lisbon q. 10
whom application could be made for in
formation about Or. Mclain.
Mr.. Bricc very promptly ana hlnuIy
gave the names of Hon Robert W. Tay-
Ter member Of Congress from that dis
trict and chairman OF one OF the COM
miftees ON elections. Mr. n. i. Billingley
and others. MT Bryan wrote the follow
ing letter 10 Mr. Tayler and substantial
~ the same 10 Mr.. Billingsley:
Richmond. Va, oct q, 1891
Hon Robert W. Yayler New Lisbon,
Coiumbiana county ONO.
Ny Dear Sir.-Whic IN New York yes
terday. ex-senator calvin = Brice was
kind enough to give me your name as a
friend of his fIom whom ! could pos
sibly get information about man call
ing himself Dr. Lazarus 4. McLain, who
sometime between the years lsob ana 1873
travelled through virginia as a specialist
in hernia. lie claimed 10 come rom
Lisbon. o. and II was believed by many
persons with whom he stayed that he
was none other than the celebrated john
Brown, Of Harrers Ferry Tame. OF
course n there was such man ~ Df.
Lazarus Il. McLsin wei known In ONO.
at thot time the John Brown theory was
a mere Imagination, but II there was no
such Dareon as DR. Lazarus IL. NcLain,
ii may he that there Is some foundation
for the theory that this name was
pseudonym for John Brown himself.
| nave had a great deal OF correspond
ence on the subject. but until now have
never applied TO any one at Lisbon who
couId nrobablv tell me about the exist
ence of DIR. McLain. l shall very much
appreciate such Information as you may
be able 20 give me on ms subject
JOS. BRYAN.
To these letters the following replies
DIR DIR MLAIN NOT JOHN BROWN.
Lisbon. o.. Nov. ]. 1891.
Joseph Bryan. ESD, Richmond, Va.
~ si,I am in receipt o. your let
ter OF he 9Th ufr IN which your in
Int "a IN the Identity OF Or. Lazarus
H. McLain. -. ,or 49,. -.
heyine come to this town about sixty
49," ago from Hollidaysburg. Pa. Ue
49, a music teacher BY profession but
,',acticsd medicine to some extent, trav-
Iii, o,,er the country. and was no doubt
in in Virginia between rs and 50. In per.
sOna S0a Ne Is sad 10 hsve beea
Isken for him I'm different parts OF the
country. s.r,o, 49,. 49,,