The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-04-27
JOHN BROWNS PASSING.

sank lower and his legs hung. more
relaxed, until at last, straight and lank
he dangled, swayed slightly to and fro
by the wind. .<.a*4 SEX -.
= 1t was a moment of deep sOlemnity
and suggestive of thoughts that make
the bosom swell. The field OF, execu-
ton was a rising ground that COM
manded the outstretching valley from
mountain to mountain, and their still
grandeur gave sublimity to the out
Nine, while it so CHANGED that white,
clouds resting upon them gave them
the appearance that reminded more
than one of US of the snow peaks of the
Alps. Before us was the greatest ar
ray of disciplined forces ever seen in
Virginia, infantry, cavalry and 1artil-
lery combined, composed of the old
commonwealth choicest sons and
commanded by her best officers; and
the great canopy of the sky oyerarch7
ing all came to add it's sublimlty, ever
present, but only realized when other
great things are occurring beneath it,
But the moral of the scene was its
grand point. A sovereign state had
been assailed and she had uttered but
a hint and her sons has FASTENED to
show that they were ready to defend
her. Law had been violated by actual
| murder and attempted treason, and
that gibbet was erected by law and to
uphold law was this military force as
sembled. But, greater still, Gods holy
/ law and righteous providence was vim
dicated. "Thou shalt not kill" who
SO sheddeth mans blood by man shall
his blood be she'd" And here the gray
haired man of violence meets his fate
after he has seen his two sons cut
down before him earlier in the same
career of violence into which he had
Introduced them. So perish all such
enemies of Virginia, all such enemies
Of the union, all such foes of the hui
man race! So felt and so said with
solemnity and without one shade Of
luminosity as I turned to break the 81
| lence to those around me. Yet the
| mystery was awful-to see the human
| form thus treated by men, to see life
suddenly stopped in its current, and
to ask oneself the question, without
answer, "And what them"
! In all that array there was not, I
| suppose, one throb of sympathy, for
the offender All felt in the depths Of
their hearts that it was right. On the
other hand, there was not one single
WORD or gesture of exultatiOn or insult.
From the beginning to the end all was
marked by the most absolute decorum
and solemnity. There was no military
music, no saluting of troops as they
passed one another, nor anything done
for show. The criminal hung upon the
gallows for nearly forty minutes, and
after being examined by a. whole staff
Of surgeons the body was deposited in
a neat coffin, to be delivered to his
| friends and transported to Harper 3
Ferry, where his wife awaited it. She
came in company with two persons, to
see. her husband last night, and re-
turned to Harper's Ferry this.mOrning.
i She is described by those who saw her
as a very large, masculine woman Of
abaolnte composure OF manner. The
Officers who witnessed their meeting IN
the Jail said they met as If nothing. ,ln-
usuaIhad taken place, and had a com
Portable supper together. RI : -. 3; =: -
Brown would not have the assistance
Of any minister in Jail during his last
! days, nor their presence with him on
the scaffold. In going from prison Ia
the place of execution he said very lit
tie, only assuring those who were. with
him that he had no fear nor had he at
any time in his life known what :feal
was. When he entered the gate of the
Enclosure he expressed his admiratfo
of the beauty Of the surrounding cOun.
try and pointing to different residences
asked who were the owners Of them. :
There was very small crowd to wit.
ness the execution. Governor Wise and
General Taliaferro had both ISSUED
proclamations exhorting the citizens tt
remain at home and guard their prop.
erty and warned them of possible dan
ger. The train on the Winchester rail
road had been stopped from carrying
passengers, and even passengers OF
the Baltimore railroad were subjected
to examination and detention. An ar
rangement was made to divide the ex
pected crowd into recognized citizens
and persons not recognized; to require
the former to go to the right and thu
latter to the left. OF the latter therl
was not a single one. 1t was told tina
last night there were not in Charles
) town ten persons besides citizens ant
military. -e -
There is but one opinion as to, tn,
completeness of the arrangement
made on the occasion and the absolute
success with which they were carriet
out. I have said something about til,
striking effect of the pageant as I
pageant, but the excellence OF it is tina
everything was arranged solely with ;
view of efficiency, and not for effec
upon the eye. Had 1t been intende,
as mere spectacle it could not hav
. been made more imposing: had actua
need occurred it was the best possibl
i arrangement. fS
I Vo,, voox- ho Inclined RI oaE stWa