La Junta tribune., 1899-02-04
The Hanging of John Brown.

at ItdislSaA, tut Nettiah youa
ist. writes in the New York lndepen-
dent about the execution OF John
Brown, of which he was witness.
The hanging took place on Dec. 2, 1883,
and is thus described:
The procession from the goal to the
scaffold was brilliant The general
commanding had STAFF more resplen-
dent than that OF Field Marshal Molt-
Ike and King William. when they rode
together over their battle fields in
France. Old John Brown was seated
on his coffin in the bed of wagon. OF
the fashion farmers call wood-wagon,
an open body and no cover. He wore
battered black slouch hat, the rim
turned squarely up in front, giving 1t
the aspect of n cooked hat. This was
that his vision might not be impeded,
and he looked with evident enjoyment
upon the country, saying 1t was the
first time he had had the pleasure of
seeing it. His words were repeated at
the time. The man l saw as he was
in the wagon and as he was helped
upon the scaffold-he had about a
dozen steps to ascend-his arms pin
ioned by ropes at the elbows. tied
firmly. so that his hands were free
while the upper arms were bound at
his waist. He wore baggy brown
coat and trousers and red carpet slip
pers over blue-yarn socks. and stood
firmly but in an easy attitude on the
trap door, that was sustained by
rope. Then stout, white cord OF
cotton, provided by some cotton plant
er who thought there was propriety in
it-something symbolical In twas
placed over the iron gray. sturdy head.
the moose dropped easily around his
neck and frightened SO that il would
not slip, but SO as not to give physical
discomfort The face of the old man.
was toward the east. the morning light
on it, and the figure perfectly in dress
and pose. and all appointments. that OF
typical western farmer-a serious
person upheld by an idea OF duty--the
expression OF his features that of
queer mingling of the grim and. to use
rural word, the peart. The white cap
was pulled down and still the troops
were moving, falling into hollow
souare-a formation that had not been
rehearsed. This became tedious.
Brown asked that there should not be
delay. The suspense was distressing.
and from the ascent of the scaffold to
the fall of the trap, and the sharp jerk
upon the white cord, the time was
nearly eighteen minutes. This was
not, though often stated. with the pur-
pose Of torture, but the delay of the
military to get into assigned places.
Browns hands gave the only sign of
the emotion that possessed him. He
was rubbing his thumbs hard but
slowly on the inside of his forefngers.
between the first and second Joints.
as one braces himself with nervous
grasp upon the arms of dentists
chair when a tooth is to be drawn.
II is no wonder Brown asked the sher-
IN about the waiting. There was deep
stilIness as the form of the victim
plunged six feet and the rope twanged
as its burden heightened a little and
shiyered. Then the body began to
whirl as the cord slackened and twist
| ed. and the rapid movement caused
the short skirts Of the coat to hutter as
in wind. About quarter OF an hour
was spent by the surgeons climbing
the stairs and holding the suspended
! body to their ears. listening to see II
the heart continued to act. One OF the
reporters was moved to say as II he
had prepared deliverance and was
getting it on contrary to better judg-
ment, Gentlemen. the honor Of old
Virginia has been vindicated." There
was no response for the sentiment.
The road to Harper's Ferry was soon
aIled with carriages at high speed.
There was dust flying. In the yard OF
a farm house were half dozen lads
nlaying soldiers, two Of them colored.
one beating a small drum. This was
the highway along which more than
any other surged to and from the
armies OF the nation and the confed-
eracy.
Something more than ten years la
ter. August. 1870. in eastern France. l
was with the German invaders OF the
fair land of Lorraine. and one day as l
looked upon division OF the Grand
Army of the Red Prince, monstrous
mass of men with the spikes Of their
helmets and their bayonets glittering
over them under vast tawny cloud Of
dust. 1 heard with amazement deep
| throated burst of song in English, and
1t was: