The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-01
EIoht1 Browns IN erYe.

John Brown $ IN erve:.j IL.
Among recently published books is the
1,fo and letters Of Margaret Junkin Pres
ton, BY her stcpdaughtcr, Mrs. Allen. BY
the southern people OF the Ion 1ns =,
passed, Mrs. Preston's poems were widely 'sY
read ana greatly admired; nor q re they
altoEetllcr forgotten yet. Il Her husband
was Colonel Preston, tho con,rlandant OF
tho cadet corps Of the Virginia A, Military
Institute, who was present at the hang
Ing OF old John Brown, and who DC de-
scribcd that event in a letter&to his his
wife. The letteris reproduced In the book,
and we quote from 1t as follows:
ohio wagon drove TO the foot OF the
ra11ows and Grown descended with
alacrity and without assistance, and as
ccnded tho steep steps to the platform.
His manner was free from trepidatioh,
but his courtenancc was not without con
Germ, and 1t seems to me to have q ht tI
cast Of wldness. lie stood upon the sea sea /
fold but short time, giving br1et adlc Gu
to those about him. when he was prop
erly pinioned, the white cap drawn over I've
his face, the moose adjusted and attached
bllndfolded a few steps forward It was
curious to note how the instincts OF hta-
turn operated to make him careful III
putting out his feet, as1ai afraid ne
would walf Oft the scaftold The man VINO
stood unblenched on the brink OF eter-
nifty was afraid Of falling few feet 10
the ground.
"He stood for ton or fifteen minutes
blindfold, the rope around his neck ana ana
Ills feet on the treacherous platform, en-
pecting instantly the fatal act. l3ut lag i'
stood for this comparatively long tilne
upright az q soldier In position, anu
motionless. I was close TO him, anu
watched him narrowly, to see It ! c tl{
perceive any signs of shrinka or trc1tt-
| bling in his person. Once lathoughtst1
saw his knees tremble, butt was only
the wind blowing his loose trousers. HIS
! firmness was subjected to TIL further
trial by hearing Colonel Smith announce
| ia the sheriff, we are, all ready, MI.
Campbell Tho sheriff did not hear. or dlu
| not comprehend, and IN a louder ton 9. INC
announcement was made. But the culpr BY
still stood steady until the sheriff, de-
scendlng the flight Of steps. with ~ wei
directed blow Of harp hatchct severed
the rope that held up the trap-door. !,
| ON all that array there was not,s
| SUPPOSE. one throb OF sympathy ~! zig
offender. All felt in tho depths o their
heart that it was right. On the other
hand. there was not one word OF exulta-
ton or insult. From the beginning to the
end all was marked by the most absolute
decorum and soemnity.h
1 1t will be noted that the vehicle Z 70
which Brown rode from the jail to Inc
| Eullows was a wagon" not a carriage
i In tho absurd picture (Which has SONS
repute in the North representing Bro"r
on his way to the execution kissing g
NEGRO baby, the condemned man Is pui
In a. carriage, The fact, Of course, is tina,
. he was in II wagon and sitting upon his
coffin probably. The kissing Incident i
an out and out fake.
j From Colonel Preston's statement IT an
pears, too, that II was tho sheriff who
cut tic rope which loosed the trap-doo'
Of the scaffold This the sheriff seems
I to have done III the presence of many
spectators That disPoses OF the stor!
4 which has had some circulation, to tn
effect that the rope in question, the on
i that held tic trap-door was severed ny
negro.