Evening star., 1901-08-26
HE WAS WITH JOHN BROWN
JACOB wILDNER SAID TO BE SOLE
SURVIVOR.
He Now Lives I'm an Obscure Wiscon-
sin Vfllage-Hfs Story of
Harper's Ferry.

A dispatch to the Baltimore American
from ST. Paul, Mimi, says: Approaching
the end OF his days in an obscure little vii
lase in Wisconsin Is man who only re-
Gently has acknowledged that he was with
John Brown at Harper's Ferry rs one OF
Osawatomie's raiders He escaped at the
time of John Browns capture, but re-
turned In disguise, and was present at
the execution Of Brown and his compan-
ions.
This man is Jacob Wildner, and his home
is in New Lisbon. So far as he knows ne
is the only survivor of John Browns party
He lives quiet and retired life, because or
age and poor health, and for many years
he concealed the fact of his participation IN
the Harper's Ferry raid, fearing that IL
would create a prejudice against MIN ms
mind is as clear as to the stirring events
of 1859 as it was at that time, ne says
and he gives from memory this account OF
the attempt to cause q reDelllon among
the slaves. .o-o
Brown and our men crossed the railroad
bridge over the Potomac river, selzeo the
United States arsenal, stopped the railway
trains captured number OF citizens, set
free such slaves as they could find. and
held the town for more than tWenty-Iour
hours.
''The telegraph lines were cut and arms
that they would rise at once, according
to their previous agreement; but this, for
some reason unknown to me, tney releseo
to do.
..rbe s;tuation was thus unexpectedly
made critical for us, and our leader or
dered pickets to be established TO warn us
of the coming of the citizens, who were
arming against u.s. They attacked the ar
senal next day. When he saw them COM
ing John Brown gave us positive orders
not to begin hostilties, so we held our
fire until attacked. The first shots were
fired by the mob We returned the nre, OF
course. to the best of our ability, and sue
ceeded in holding them at bay for time
1t soon became apparent to us. however.
that the building could not be maintained
against our assaiiants. whose numbers
were increasing every minute
'Some Of our men lost heart then and at
tempted to escape. One ieaped into the
river and swan desperately Tor the other
shore. but before reaching ne was
wounded He managed to scramble out
upon q rock in the river ana threw up ms
hands in token of surrender. Virginian
waded out to him. and While ne sun mao mao
hia hands In the air the Virginian shot him
through the head, killing him In cold blood
It was a cruel deed. and 1t convinced the
rest of us that no mercy would De SHOWN
to us II we fell into the hands OF tne c,ti-
zens.
"At the suggestion Of our leader We then
abandoned the arsenal for an engine house
that stood near by. taking with us our
wounded and the prisoners. We remained
there all of Monday and Monday night.
..On Tuesday morning we learned that
Coi. Robert E. Lee, with force of marines
and some land troops. had arrived, and
that backed by the Virginia militia, he was
about to attack us. This information was
brought to us by two negro women. who
inplored John Brown to make his escape.
One of them offered him her dress, and
suggested that he blacken his hands and
face as disguise, but he told her that he
could not GO The other made the same
offer to me- and had only just put on her
gown when the attack was made. Brown
had told us to do whatever seemed In our
Judgment to be right, and did not care to
sacrifice my life without an effort to save
it. When the attack was made / JUMPED
through a rear window and Joined the two
negro women. who had preceded me out OF
the window.
.sThey led me to a little cave above the
ferry, where I was compelled to remain for
seventeen days. they supplying me with
food. At the end OF that time they said 1t
would be safe for me to attempt to cross
the river and get away. I made the at
tempt, but my disguise was discovered on
the other side, and II had not had in my
possession q few pieces OF gold with which
to ransom myself would have been turned
with John Brown.
Disgufsed ~ = Negro Woman.
Mr.. WiIdner returned to Harper's Ferry