The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-24
JOHN BROWNS PISTOL.
History of "a Weapon i'm the Possession
of a Dealer in CuriOs.
New York Sun.

new L OTk sun.
Il In the window of curiosity shop in
Third avenue is exhibited the pistol which
John Brown used at HarperS Ferry. 1t is a
long-barreled short-grip 32-calibre revol-
YER of the "Chicopee" make, and all but
one of it's seven chambers contain loaded
cartridges. That one chamber holds an ex-
ploded SHE'LL and from it was undoubtedly
fired the leaders, last shot before he was
oVerpOWered by the marines in the engine
house at Harper's Ferry The weapon is
just as it was when in 1859 Browns raiders
were defeated and killed or captured in
their first encounter.
Arms had been sent to Brown while he
was in Kansas fighting the border ruffians
and maturing his plans for freeing the
slaves. These arms We're mostly pixies, but
some rifles and revolvers were sent by
friends in Massachusetts through the
agency of a Mr. Brewer, and this pistol
was in a consignment from that source.
After the first attack at Harpers Ferry
Browns men retired to the engine house,
taking with them a number of prisoners,
among them Captain Dangerheid, of Vir-
ginia. paymaSter of the United States army,
who was Browns first captive. At that
time Brown was armed with a rifle and the
ChicOpee revolver. Captain, afterward Ma
jor Dangerfield, 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
account extant of the charge of the ma
rines under Col. Robert e. Lee the break
ing in of the engine 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 to Captain Dangerffeld
as q memento. 1t remained in his possess
sion uninterruptedly until 1884. when Thos.
Hovenden the artist, who was Killed few
wears ago at a railroad crossing in New
Jersey while trying to rescue a child, was
at work on his painting, Last Moments or
John Brown" At that time the pistol was
sent to Mr.. Hovenden, who, however, could
make no use of it in the picture, so it was
returned to its owner. Subsequently IL came
into the possession Of a relative Of his, ana
was by him transferred to the dealer in
curios in part payment of debt. Not lonS
after the weapon came into the dealer
possession his 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.
is genuine it should be a Chicopee with a
handsomely figured cylinder"
The curio dealer produced the revolve-.
which his visitor examined with great In
terest.
THAT is the pistol, without doubt" said
Mr. Brewer. II can identify 1t positively.
Some time ago William H. Schiefelin Of
fered 500 for the pistol, but the ofer was
declined. The dealer values 1t at $500. A
Chicago collector and dealer once wrote to
him to send the pistol for Inspection, say
ing that he would probably buy l. at the
owners price but the owner replied that
the weapon could be seen at his shop ana
nowhere else. .
at is too easy to initiate such weapon
saws the dealer. HE might have Kept the
original and sent me back facslmlie.
That was done. as happen to know; IN the
case of one Of the most famous shootlnS
cases in the history of this city. me
weapon came into the possession of GER
tain person who quietly substituted an
other and the person who now congralu-
lates himself on the possession OF the pIs.oi
that killed So and So simply owns bogus
article