The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-12

SO. concealing ourselves about the house.
we proceeded TO capture these men as fast
as they arrived locking them UP in the
cellar. They came by twos and threes. and
as fast as they entered the house we fell
upon them, taking their guns, which we
burned and destroyed In the open fireplace.
and placing them in the basement below.
This went on all day, and when the owner
Of the house and two others came In at
D. m. we surprised them. we had the
others, took their arms. and. locking all
ffty-nine Of their horses. Brown came
back TO Kansas In 1857. and spent that and
part of the next year recruiting and send
ing men to his place Of rendezvous in
Springdale, Ia. From there he went East
in 1883, falling on Harper's Ferry on Oct Is.
1888. / did not accompany him on this ex-
petition, remaining in Kansas TO assist in
lighting out the struggle then in progress
between the two elements of pro and anti
slavery.
After the Harper's Ferry affairs the Bos-
ton people sent to Kansas for James Mont
gomery, one of Browns bravest and best
followers. He went East for the purpose OF
organizing a body of Abolltionists. falling
suddenly upon Charleston. w. Va, where
Brown was imprisoned. and rescuing him,
but when he arrived the Boston people re-
ceived a letter from Brown advising them
to do nothing of the sort, adding that he
was quite willing TO die for the cause.
Some have wondered why Brown chose
Harpers Ferry as the scene OF his raid.
The reason, as he himself stated, was that
IL was exposed, poorly guarded. and for
the further reason that it was near the
capital. A great deal has been published
and said about Brown which is not true,
and IL is time a history OF his life were
written Hovendens celebrated painting
of Brown. I'm the Metropolitan Museum, in
New York, IS historically untrue. although
faithful i'm its portrayal of the mans char
acter. He appears. in the picture, on the
way TO the gallows and stopping to kiss
negro child in its mothers arms. with ne
groes standing and kneeling about him.
The facts are that for several days before
and during his execution the negroes were
compelled by the masters and the police TO
remain indoors and off the public streets,
so that when he left the prison for the gal
lows there was not negro in sight"
Speaking Of his experience at the out
break Of the civil war, Mr.. Holmes said:
81 came to Washington TO attend Lin
coins Inauguration and to look after some
private business. which kept me here sew
Lane and Pomeroy. the two Kansas SEN
ators, conceived the idea of forming the
Frontier Guards mot the District Volun-
teers), composed mostly OF Kansans and
Westerners in the city, for at that time the
troops had not arrived and the city was
without protection. Well, some days later
Pomeroy learned that Lee had resigned
from the army. He had been looked upon
as SCOTS logical successor, and. realizing
his military genius and worth Ii was de-
cided 10 take him prisoner before he left
for the South. There was no time to be
lost in the matter that night detach-
ment Of the Frontier Guard, myself includ-
ed. FASTENED across the Long bridge TO Ar
lington. We surrounded the house only to
find that he had left for Richmond a short
time before. We then supposed that he had
gone TO Alexandria TO take the 10 o'clock
train. and marching across country, halted
and boarded that train, again discovering
| that we were too late.
1T was some few days after this that,
| while scouting about in the neighborhood
| of Falls Church, we captured the first Con-
| federate flag of the war II was a small
affair. which some one had brought back
| from Richmond. II was flying from the
| roof of a house, and we sustained nothing
| more serious than a tongue flashing from
| the women in effecting its capture"