The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-02

In tho window Of a curiosity shop In
Third avenue IS exhibited the pistol wnlch
John Brown used az Harperis Ferry, says
the New York sun. ~
Galore revolver Of the "Chicopee make,
and Am but one Of its seven chambers
contain loaded cartridges. Ihat one
chamber holds an exploded shell anu
from it was undoubtedly hItu Ino Ie"u-
or's lart shot before he was oVcrpOwel-
ed bv the marines I'm the engine house at
The weapon is just as It was when in
1859 BlOwn's raiders were defeated ana
killed or captured In their hrst encouh-
ter.
Arms had been sent to Brown while
he WAS in Kansas fighting the Border
Rufians and maturing his plans for lree-
ing the slaves. These arms were mostly
pixies. but some rifles and revolvers were
sent by friends I'm Massachusetts through
the agency of a Mr.. Brewer, and this
pistol was In a consignment from that
source.
After the first attack at Harper's Fer
ry. Browns men retired TO the engine
house, taking with them a number or
prisoners. amOng them capt. DalngeI-
hcld. of Virginia, paymaster OF the Unit
ed States Army, who was Browns frst
captive. At that time Brown was arm
ed with a rifle and the ChicOpee revolver
CAPTAIN. afterWard Major Daingerneld,
had known Brown slightly. and became
much better acquainted with him during
the brief period when he was a prisoner.
He has written the most accurate ac-
count extant Of the charge OF the ma
rines under Col. Robert e. Lee, the
breaking i'm OF the eng1ne-hOuse door,
and the capture OF Brown after he had
fallen. with a dozen bayOnet wounds IN
his chest and arms.
AT Browns request. the pistol found on
him was presented 10 Capt. Daingerfeld
$500. IL H.rNHNn.A In hHI nnCa
session uninterruptedly until 1884. when
Thomas HOvenden. the artist, who was
killed a few years ago at a railroad
crossing iu New Jersey while trying TO
rescue A child, was at work on his paint
ing Last Moments OF John Brown" At
that time the pistol was sent 10 Mr.. HO-
Vonden. who, however. could make no
use Of 10 In the picture, so 1t was re-
turned to its owner.
subsequently IL came into the posses
sion Of a relative of his. and was by him
transferred 10 the dealer In curios In
part payment OF a debt. Not long after
the weapon came into the dealers pos
session bis shop was visited by EDWARD
G.. Brewer. son of the man who had
bought the arms for John Brown. The
dealer. mentioned the fact that he had
john Browns pistol.
SHOW Il To me" said Mr.. Brewer. 1T
10 Is genuine it should be q Chic0pee with
a handsomely Inquired cylinder"
llN CNflu ufhitF IinlNNfu VIC itNflNNi q
which the visitor examined with great
interest.
That is tho pistol. without doubt"
said AIR Brewer. Il can identity II pos
lively"
some time & William II. S%chienfelin
offered 800 for the pistol. hut the offer
was declined. The dealer values II at
$500. A Chicago collector and dealer
once wrote TO him TO send the pistol for
inspection. saying that he would proba-
bly, buy 10 az the owners price, but tho
owner replied that the weapon could be
seen at his shop and nowhere else.
1t rs too easy 10 Initiate such q wea-
pom" says the dealer. "Hc might have
kept the original and sent me back a
fac-simile. That was done. as ! happen
20 know. in the case of one of the most
famous shooting cases in the history OF
this city. The weapon came into the
possession OF a certain person who OUT
city sulBtituted another, n the person
who now Congratulates himself on the
possession Of the pistol hat killed So
and-So simply own a bogus article