The record-union., 1897-12-27

there only few days before This act
Of Cook" added Mr.. Boyer, went gen.
orally against him at his trial: and, in
deed, so incensed the people that for
awhile his lynching was feared" 1t
had been Browns intention to proceed
down the valley as far as Charlestown,
but when almost there, he decided to
return to the arTnory and go to Charles
town later.
| The insurgents remained at the ar
mory all that night, fortifying it against
| a possible attack of the citizens. Early
the next morning several laborers, on
| their way to work at the armory, were
| taken prisoners, as were also few or
the officials. BY this time the greatest
alarm and CONSERVATION prevailed
throughout the valley, the news circu-
lated being that abolitionists had taken
possession Of Harper's Ferry, and, of
course, their number was exaggerated
until it reached far into the hundreds.
These rumors having reached the of
ficials at Washington, Colonel Robert
e. Lee was sent with 800 marines to
quell the disturbance, but before his
arrival fighting had begun between
Browns party and the citizens, several
|
OF the slaves who had been driven into
the armory, none would help fight their
masters. partly, it is presumed, through
loyalty TO the latter and partly through
fear of the almost sure defeat of the
insurgents.
BY the time of the arrival OF the men
| from Washington the insurgents had
taken refuge in the engine house,
ictr olx k,, a iro itcl nd win
dows, and made ready for stout re-
sistance. Through port holes made in
the walls they We're enabled to use the
rifles and pistols with which they were
armed. This engine house, afterward
dubbed John Browns fort, was moved
to Chicago during the fair, proving a
very great attraction. Later it was re-
turned to its old place at the ferry
Fighting continued all of Monday, sew
en- or eight of the insurgents being kill
ed and a few wounded. 1t was said
that at one time Brown stood in the
engine house directing the movements
of his men and aiming his pistol with
one hand, while his left grasped the
pulse of his dying son-another son
lying dead on the floor beside him.
Whatever his faults-and in the opinion
many-even his enemies must acknowl-
edge his bravery and Indifference to
danger and fear.
On Tuesday morning, October 18TH
Lieutenant j. z. B. Stuart, who had
previously fought Brown in Kansas and
had volunteered to accompany Colonel
Lee to the ferry. was sent by the latter
to demand Of Brown an unconditional
lsurrender Stuart's orders were, in case
Brown refused, to signal by waving his
handkerchief to Lee, who was station
ed some little distance away. Browns
! answer to Stuart was that he would
desist on condition that he and his men
be given half an hours start across the
river Stuart Immediately stepped be-
hind a nearby gate post and for an in
slant the little piece Of white linen was
seen to fiutter-the signal for the wait
ing marines to advance. Colonel Lee,
quickly joining Stuart, again command
ed Browns surrender: and on the sec
ond refusal one of the large ladders be-
| longing to the place was seized by sew
eraI of the marines and crashed into
the door of the the building. Two of
the men We're killed in the performance
of this duty. Brown, who had been
wounded. and several of his men We're
taken prisoners and lodged in the jail
| at Charlestown. Eight of the insur-
gents managed to escape, although two
Cook and Hazelet-were afterward
captured.
| A man in Browns party by the
name of Thompson was taken out of
| the engine house by a few of the in
| furiated citizens of the town, thrown
| from the bridge into the river and his
body riddled with bullets. Two others
| of the insurgents had made their es-
cape TO a small island in the river, a
| little above the bridge, intending to
make their way into the mountains,
but. being seen, were also killed. An
! other of the men-a negro-WaS shot
and his body left for several days on
! the streets of the town, where it was
found and horribly rooted by hogs,
| burial being denied the remains until
necessity compelled their removal.
! OF the four men taken prisoners with
Brown. two-Copeland and Green
were negroes. Cook, who had escaped
into the mountains of Pennsylvania,
| was captured a short time later and
| lodg ID in Jail with his associates.
Brown was tried at the old courthouse
| in Charlestown for conspiracy to pro-
duce iGsurrection, for treason and for
| murder. The late Judge Parker pre-
| sided, Brown being defended by Mr..
| Hoyt a young lawyer from Boston.
During his trial the prisoner maintain
| ed the utmost composure, seemingly
perfectly Indifferent as to the verdict.
He was quite tall. and of rather rough
| appearance and in manner he was gruff
and careless. His answers to the pros
! ecutiug attorney We're curt, and alto
| gether the impression the man made
on the court was anything but favor
| able. The trial lasted six or seven
| days: the jury was out but ten min
utes, when the verdict of guilty was
| returned Mr.. Boyer added that the
jury left the courtroom merely as a
matter Of form, as they could have
announced the verdict without leaving
their chairs.
During Imprisonment to await execu-
ton, which was fixed for December ,,
/ 1880, Brown was as composed as dur
| ing the trial and on the morning of
his execution there was not the least
change in the indifference of his man
ner. He was driven to the place of
| execution-a little outside of Charles
town-ln a common farm wagon, seat
ed on the coffin in which his remains
were soon to be placed. Even a that
| trying time his composure did not de-
sert him. During the drive he con-