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

| there was something about him which
| caused me TO look upon him with dis
! trust. though / had no suspicious OF his
| purposes at the time
| .iIe was a man OF fine intelligence and
| Inflammation. lie talked i,uently upon
| general subjects; seemed well read in the
| Bible: was fond Of discussing theological
! questions. and professed TO be Presby-
terrain. and. I think claimed TO be Ia
ccnsed TO preach.
| II don't think he ever discussed slavery
| with me. | think he was aware OF my
,djsapproval OF his nightly visits among
1 the negroes. but as / was but boarder
1 did not interfere with his movements
was very sure. as soon as had a
description Of John Brown, that ne ana
| McLain were the same.
Il wish l could furnish you something
more valuable. but this meagre sketch
Is about all / can give after the lapse
OF 80 years. Yours truly.
John T.. MASSEY"
| Inasmuch as Mr. Massey referred TO Mr..
| Hudson Martin. an acquaintance whom
knew 10 he living addressed him. on
| the 18th inst. / received this very graphic
and interesting communication from Mr..
! John n. Martin. his brother;
Faber's Mills, Nelson County, Va,
| February Is. IS.
Dear Sir-A few days ago a letter 10
| my BROTHER. Hudson Martin now in Rich
mond, was handed 10 me. asking for
| "reminiscences OF Old John Brown alias
| Or. McLain. Having been at my faith
er's at the time Or. MoLain Brown
| called. in the manner you descdibo-to-
Wit TO spend tho night. and saying he
wished TO make an early start the next
morning.
THE Inference IS obvious now. Then,
no raid on Harpor's Ferry" was thought
| Of.
During Or. McLains Brown stay DR..
| s. ". Rice. at the time pastor OF the
| Baptist church al stanton. and. as you
remember. father-in-law OF Gen. Roger
pryor Of New York, in company with
| Mr.. w. w. Vaughn, a half-brother OF
| Ex-Governor Logon, OF Maryland, we're
also the guests Of my father.
Brown had every opportunity TO talk
| with the negroes at my fathers. and no
doubt availcd OF Il. yet II he did disclose
| his intentions TO make them free. don't
know H. lie did not make a favorable
impression upon all Of them, as this IN
| cident discloses.
zone Of the negro men that ! thought
most OF. and was most attached 10 was
Dick. poor fclow-now, no moreD I
said to HIM
What sort Of a man do YOU take Dr.
McLain 20 be-
well sir. 10 tell you the truth. |
don't like that man; / don't like the way
he talks. he amt sincere
IL do not remember that my question
ing went any further. OF course at the
time / did not suspect anything and am
now only made conscious of having seen
the veritable John Brown, as Dr. McLain,
after the raid you mention.
Yours truly.
JOHN n. MARTIN.
END or COLONEL MCUES STORY.
Mr.. Martins letter concludes Colonel
McCue's story Of John Browns alias Dr.
McLnin's travels but these letters hav-
ing been read. others were found who
were willing 10 testify TO the same effect
Among these were Mr. A. w. Traylor. OF
Richmond. and Mrs Paschal I. Fowlkes,
OF Nottoway. whose statements are given.
STATEMENT OF MIR. \. W. TRAYLOR
Albert w. Traylor aged seventy-iive.
resides SOC east Marshall street. Rich
mond. Va. deposes and says that I'm the
fail OF the year lS5l he moved from
SpOtsylvana county Va. 10 Little Creek.
plantation situated on the James
river in Goochland county about thirty
three miles from Richmond. which was
then owned by Thomas James Deanc, u
merchant Of Richmond. ana that he
resided there for one year only removing
thence in the fan OF 1855 20 his own
plantation i'm Buckingham county Says
that he is enabled 90 be quite positive
as 10 the year of his residence In GOOch-
land. by reference TO his own written
memoranda. and that Of others. made az
the time. all now before him. Says fur
Their that on a Saturday In the spring or
summer Of the year 1888. while residing
at Little Creek. he was visited by
stranger. a tail. woll-built. rather robust
man. who appeared 10 be between fifty
FIVE and sixty years Of age, wearing a
gray, almost white, full beard, who spent
that day there and who diued AT his
table. This man gave his name as Lag
arus Mclean, ald stated that his home
was In Ohio. lie drove a. spotted stall
lion to an ordinary buggy or road wagon
and was travelling ostonsibly for the
sale OF "A patented truss" and was look
ed upon with some disfavOr on account
OF his suspicious intercourse while there
with the negro servants. Says that
about two weeks after this visit 1t was
reported in that neighbOrhOOd that THIS
same person had been arrested and
obliged 10 leave some plantation In Hall
fax county. Va. for cndeavoring 10 stir
up an instruction amongst negro SER
wants there
Says further that after the capture OF
John Brown at liarper's Ferry IN Octo-
Der. 1859 ne heard 10 stated that be
Drown had been identified as the same
person who had visited GOOchland coun-
~ in the previous year under the name
of Lazarus Mclean. Says further.
however. that he never himself saw John
Brown after the capture and had no OPP
pOrtunty 10 personally IDENTIFY him ana
Lazarus Mclean as one ana the same
pcrson but that they were Identical was
certainly commonly reported ard credi-
bly, accepted at that time both in Buck
ingham and Goochand counties.
MRS. PASCHAL j. FOWLKES. Of Not
tOway gives these "reminiscences OF
visit from John Brown:
cone balmy afternoon in the latter part
OF February. 1851 the servants being out
of place. / myself responded 10 "a rap az
the front door OF my residence. ON
opening u, there presented himself, a
rather tall. loose iointod. though strong
limbed man. gray haired, and appearing
10 be between fifty and sixty years OF
age. He was clad I'm a dark gray bus
mess suit. was holding in hama a valise
or carpet bag and in a plain straight
forward though not ungcntle manner,
introduced himself as "Dr. Mclean. tray
cling through the country for the pur-
pose Of relieving the afflicted an oracu-
lar statement which he later interpreted
10 my husband as the introducing of "A
superior kind OF truss for sufferers I'm
need of such appliances. Sull later,
when the tragic cnactments OF Harper
Ferry were thrilling the South with aw-
full horror and the WhllOm guest OF our
hresde was known 10 be one with the
author and leading actor in that ter
rible drama, was recalled the words or
his Introduction and recognized the deep
or significance they bore TO him who
used them.
The stranger was of easy manner, So
cial and laxative, telling us that his
home was In Ohio mentioning freely his
family and specially one n his sons. lie
spoke readily on moral and religious top
les as 10 came IN the way. and we soon
found he was a strong Temperance ad-
Vocate. Tie said he belonged 10 the