The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-01

| Many communications have appeared in
| the papers In regard to the trial and exc
/ cuton of John Brown and his associates,
| but none of them accord with my men,
Dry.
! | was a member of the Richmond
Grays. at that time. attached to the First
/ Virginia Regiment, we were ordered to
| proceed at once to Harpers Ferry. The
bells on the Old Market, and the Bell
House near Ninth and Franklin were
| toled and the city was In high state
of excitement The First Virginia Regi-
ment composed OF the Richmond Grays,
Montgomery Guards. Company r. Ger
man Rifle. and the Second Howtzers.
marched up Main Street up to Eighth
and Broad. where long train OF cars
stood ready for the troops to embark.
! After all of us got aboard | saw John
| Wilkes Booth with an overcoat on his
arm come out of the Marshall Theatre,
| and in the company Of Ed. M. Alfrend,
board the coach the Grays were In.
Booth continued with US to Charlestown.
and was assistant commissary to the
Grays
When we arrived at Acaua Creek we
boarded a steamer for Washington. ar
irving there about daylight. On march
| Ing down Pennsylvania Avenue Gov.
head up in the air, with large pair OF
| silver specks over his nose, cut big
| figure John Wilkes Booth walked behind
| him with his overcoat on his arm.
We took a train on the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, and arrived promptly at
the Relay House, but unfortunately no
cars were there. Somebody had failed
to have the train ready. Gov, Mise. al
though much put out mounted truck
| md made grand speech to u.s. After
waiting -four or five hours, the train came
and we hurried on TO IIarpers Ferry
arriving late IN the evening.
We found Capt, n, e. Lee, of the T.
s. Regulars, had killed and captured tn,
! entire lot.
The Montgomery Guard and Virgins
Rifles. We're left at Barpers Ferry, ant
3 The II. u. |. Blues were sent to Martins
Q burg, Va. The Grays, Company +. an
u Howitzers doing guard went on to Char
# lestown, where Brown and tho othe
= prisoners We're confined I'm jail, We al
: rived late AT night and We're quartere
A. In an old stone house which had bee
II used'as tin shop. That night the SBlac
3 Horse Cavalry from Fauquier county n
Il rived and were uuartered with us, the
e horses beng kept in The yard of the II
n shop Company Il, and the Howitzer
were auartered in tho Courthouse Il
: iiowitzers being a new company had I
s guns but only their uniforms.
= The next day John Wilkes Booth ar
d Louis r. RosseuE, were appointed qua
II termasters, and commenced to Issue RI
+ lions. iVe got along very well. but son
n Of M took our meals a hotel.
y Many of the Grays were permitted
y visit Brown in The jail. all Of MS shoe
h hands with him, The jailcr "a very kin
+, old gentleman, Capt !, W, Avis. Brow
4, occupied the lower cell on the lloor
E, the left, as you entered the prison, Coo
= and the negroes were in the upper eel
$, in front.
II Brown was game 10 the last He hi
a long flowing beard. With bushy gri
e. hair. and piercing black eyes; he SEEM
TO be man OF iron nerve,
The coffin for Brown was made of phi
.. and was painted red, 1t was made
the alley next TO the jail, and the sc
ID ders secured many pieces of It as so
- ycnlrs.
TO On December Cd. tho morning Of I
nc execution, every company was formed