The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-05
JOIN BROWN OR HIS DOUBLE
DY NAME OF DR.. LAZARUS B. I'LAIB
1dsntincd as John Brown by Many keha-
he Persons but no Doubt Case Of Mis-
taken Identity--A Remarkable Case
Now Explained for the First Time

~. ~.
manuscripts Of the late Colonel J. Mar
shall McCue. who was related TO General
1mboden by marriage. and among tfcse
WAS the material which Colonel McCue
had gathered for an article upon the
travels OF John Brown. the harper
Ferry raider. through Virginia within tne
Jew years preceding the raid, under the
name OF Dr. Lazarus Il. McLain-
Tho papers were sent 10 The Times. and
being in very disordered and fasmfh-
aary condition. were carefully coId'eo
and set up in type emitting only some
Irrelevant matter. the account u tne
travels Of DIR. Lazarue b. McLain as pre-
pared by Colonel McCue, are given YER
batim.
Nearly all the persons TO, whom he re-
fcrs or whose letters he gives In fuii are
very well known in Virginia, but none
better than Colonel w. {. knight, VINO.
as his daughter. Mrs. Governor OFerraii,
says. died in the firm belief that John
Brown bad been his guest IN Nottoway'
Colonel McCue prepared these papers
about ten years ago, and with the eS-
ception OF the two letters which conclude
the statements Of the supposed Browns
travels, none are more recent thHl 1885,
The story begins thus:
Professor w %. Vance, superintend-
ent OF the colored schools of New Al
bany. Ind. is trying 10 rouse interest," IN
the organization of John Brown CLUBS
among the people of the country. for the
purpose Of honoring the martyrs mem
DRY. and eventually OF erecting fnonu-
ment IA his honor. with TINS end III
\ I.a 100
on John Brown and Harpers Ferry.
He WAS executed at Charleston, now
West Virginia on the ID December 1853.
There was something in his character
that so interested Governor Wise that
he interviewed him IN Jail three several
times. In one of the interviews he men
TONED the fact that he spent some con-
siderable time in what is termed the
BLACK Belt. made up OF the counties
OF Charlotte. Halifax. Mecklenburg, Lu-
nenburg. Greenvile. Nottoway, Prince
Edwards. and perhaps one or two others.
He gave him the names or prominent
citizens In each, with whom he had
spent more or less time. and spoke en-
Enthusiastically of their Tree and unstinted
hospitality In an Incidental CONVERSE
ton with one of those gentlemen, ma
tive and a resident OF the county OF
Nottoway. the Governor said to him he
mentioned your name. among others
This gentleman. Col. VIM G. knight,
who since the war. mas resided In Rich
friend of the writer, hearing him say that
in a contaminated history Of Augusta
county. he had "A notice OF what that
county did In connection with the John
Brown Raid. mentioned the circum-
stances connected with Browns visit to
his home. It interested me so much |
insisted on his writing IL out, as an adj
dition TO my work. He did so, as fol-
lows:
JOHN BROWN SPYING OUT vIR-
GINA
Richmond, Va. May 49, 1884
Col /. Marshall McCue.
Fishersville. Va:
My dear Col,-Late i'm the evening of a
day In the early part of June. 1858 QS59D,
a man called at my residence in Motto
way county. OF this State. introducing
himself as DIR. McLain. and asked the
privilege OF spending the night. Having
the appearance. manner. and dress OF a
"f'' Ems With tho mildncss and digrN-
~ OF clergyman. l supposed him to be
engaged in the work of coporteur. and
very readily extended to him the hos
inequalities OF my home. He proved him
self to be a cultivated and most inter-
esting person. Such was the attractive
ness OF his conversation, that the night
had far advanced, before | ventured TO
suggest that he should retire to his
room. Up 10 this moment. he had not
even limited what his business was, but
ne lntn tldltV III SDIltWDdl III lIiS IAN
guage: II must crave your pardon sir,
but your hospitality has been so kind and
cordial. 1 have forgotten 10 tell you that
l am on an errand of mercy. and some
what OF money-making.. There is very
troublesome disease known as hernia,
which exists 10 much larger extent
than Is supposed. from disposition OF
persons afflicted with II to keep II a Sc
cret. j have invented a truss which fts
easily and comfortably, is cheap, and VIII
suppress the complaint. | have found.
TOO. that this complaint exists more ire
quently with the negroes than the
whites: and in a majority OF cases, the
master Is entirely ignorant that there Is
n case of II among his colored people.
Presenting upon the acquaintance That
we had made. |. in 1ocular way re-
piled. that l had much mistaken MS
calling. He quickly asked what l had
supposed IL TO be? | said. ! had taken
him 20 be a clergyman. and engaged in
distributing the Bible. He laughed, and
said. You have not missed IL very lar,
for | do preach sometimes" This incl
dent gave turn to our conversation, and
for an hour or more. longer we sat up.
and he gave me his views about all the
denominations of Christians. leaving
decided impression on my mind that he
was Presbyterian, possibly from
notion that their doctrines were most In
accordance with his own views. He then
gave me very interesting account OF
the Mormons. and or visit he had
made to Nauvoo, and to Joe, Smith, their
leader. In fact ne seemed TO have been
an extensive traveller, and had seen
gf cat many men and places, which con-
tributed much to his fund of knowledge,
and his capacity for performing the
part of an agreeable guest.
The next. morning, after breakfast,
after seing my horse brought out for "A
ride over my farm. he asked the privilege
OF attending me and making an exami-
nation OF the men anu boys. 10 ascer-
tain whether there were any cases OF
hernia. He had my confidence so COM
pletely. that | promptly assented. The
hands. happening TO be near the barn,
wedding corn. each was called up In
turn, taken behind the barn. and after a
careful examination. In my presence. not
single case was found. When Uncle
Billy" my overseer. was called. lie own
ed up promptly that he was so affected.
when the doctor. after an examination.
took from his pocket tatlors measur-
Ing tape. and proceeded 10 note IN his
memorandum book all the necessary
measures. He then explained that each
truss had 10 be made to measure. and
that he carried the materials with him
for the purpose. He now left me and re-
turned TO the home TO make Billy's truss
When i got back several hours after
wards, found him busy with needle and
thread. but In a few. minutes it was
finished. After he had dned. and re-
turned 10 the field. and Billy had his
truss strapped upon him. asked what
i owed him. he replied. s., which | paid
him on the spot. IL was then or
o'clock In the evening. when he asked
me for his horse. and directions TO the
house OF the next neighbor. but l sug-
gested that he had better spend another
night with me. 10 which he asssented.
The next morning ne went 10 my neigh