The Washington herald., 1909-04-11

men is chr0nicled IN history John
Brown and his small band. save two or
three who had escaped before the hue and
cry was raised. were surrounded ia the
government engineh0use az Harpers Fer
~ by "A company Of ninety United States
marines, commanded by Col Robert r
Lee and Lieut. j. f. 3. stuart whose
names later enbiazoTNd The chivalrous
pages Of Confederate history Several Of
them were klled in the ensuing battle
Others We're seriously wounded. among
them being the leader % the band that
sought 20 free "a race OF slaves.
After his capture Brown and bis COM
p2niOns were taken TO CharleS;ou-u and 4
incarcerated in the county jail Gov
Wise. Of Virginia, an ardent seceSslOnist 4
tnen. as he was later called out the \
militia OF the state and made the tOWn Z
his headquarters during the trial and in- 4
generation Of Brown and his cOnfeder- /
aJes The town was under marital Law I
rrom then on until after the last ~ the /
men condemned for treason and incIJing 4
an insUrrection among slaves paid tie i
FUN penalty o. the lIi-aovised action :
IL was during this period that Mr. AveT. I
Jnen an inquis'tive youth. witnessed The I
train OF incidents that ended in the spec /
tacUlar hanging OF John Brown.
Il first saw Jonn Brown" he says. /
the day after he was iucercerated IN /
tie Jefferson County Jail, lie and his I
companion Stevens were living wound ]
cd. On The floor. About them were ja' /
guard. Ide's. Stuart. Gov. Wise. Senator 4
Mason, who aftcrward in the Mason and I
Slydel case. came near involving the Z
Federal government On war with Great /
Britain; the sheriff. 5siIeTs, lawyers, and I
newspaper reporters.
Painting of Tie scene
This scene made so lasting an impress
sion upon the mind Of The boy Avey
that. more than half cenegry later. he
WIS able 20 have painted under his di-
rection. from his description. what has
been recognized by the best authorities
as q strikipgiy realistic oil painting OF
the scene. The painting is by the hand
OF Il Webb Keedy, 2 nephew of Mr.
Avey. II has been exhibited IN Chicago
and attracted much interest IN April
Il is 10 bs brought here again from Osa-
watomie. Kans-. where IL vas unveiled
about three years ago by former Vice
President Fairbanks. and placed on eXhi-
bitiOn az Lincoln Center.
On October -. Just a week after his
disastrous seizure OF Hsrpers Ferry.
Brown vas carried forth 10 his trial on
a sfretcher. The path Jed o5Iiquely
across the street from the jaI 20 the
courthouse. TIE way was lined by
soldiers two deep. with fixed bayonets. I
and loaded rifles. 50 great was the fear
that an attempt would be made by
Northern aboiitionists TO rescue Brown.
saws Mr- Avey-
The soldiers were so close together
!
get q glimpse o. the prisoner. who Just
then was the center OF the stage With
other boys. I rsn along the line OF Uui-
formed and armed men. and. peering be
tween their legs. was able 10 get p
glimpse Of the long form with i,s Sowing
Tcd and gray beard IN the stretcher Car-
ried by soldiers
In The courtroom was enacted a stir
ring scene. which I Witnessed and never
viii forget There was an alteration he
tween the opposing lawyers, and 90 an
I noyed the ErievoCSly wounded man or
the cot. He was lying beside the railing
separating the bar from the space re-
( served for spectators TIE sound OF
voices. pitched high in excited argument
seemed 20 annoy him. Placing his left
hand on the railing he pulled his una
ciated body almost 10 a sitting posture.
Hnfe 0A A4Au tetANFE.
Facing the States attorney Hith fash
ing eyes. he said in cold. even tones
/ Gentlemen. il is no use whateve- 10 hold
the mockery 0f trIsI over me. Tak-
. me out and hang me az once.
While he was speaking the courtroom
was 50 quiet You could have heard a pm
drop. When he had finished ne dropped
back on his cot. exhausted, and his trial
7 proceeded.
In his book, Mr.. Avey gives frequent
quotations OF events OF the trial. OF the
period that intervened between ITS concIU-|
sion and TIE execution. and the words
| used by the man who was then the
ccDOsure OF ali the eyes or the nation.
that threw much light on the character
OF the intense abOLtiOniSt
When his papers were brought into.
court 20 be Identified. Brown said. saws
Mr.. Avey. IN his book. 7 viii identify
any Of my Handwriting and save all
trouble 7 am ready 10 face the music
When a defense or insanity was suggest
ed. rather than interpOsed. he repeiled IL.
with indignation. When. after his coa-
viction. be was suddenly brought into
court on November = 20 listen 90 the
| Judgment and directed 10 stand mp and
nounced. he spoke gently and tenderIy
Though taken 10y sUrpr So. R:s well
modulated voice reached every corner Of
the courtroom ia the 6eathHke silence
He began:
~ have. may +: please the court. few
words 20 say. Ia The frst place J deny
everything but what 7 have all along ad-
mitted, the design on my part TO free the
slaves I intend certainly 10 have MADE
a clean thing OF that matter. as 7 did
last winter. when I went into Missouri
and there took slaves without the snap
ping OF a gun on either side. moved them
! through the country. and finally left them
| in Canada.
Did Not Plan Treason.
81 desired 20 have 6o7e she same thing
again on a large scale That was all
Intended. never did intend murder or
treason. or ths destruction OF property. or
TO excite o. iacite slaves 10 rebellion. OF
10 make insurrection.
"T have anOtEer objection. and that is
that il is unjust that I should suffer such
a penalty. Had I iaterfered in the man
ner which adn.it has been Eor1y proved.
Cor I admire the truthfulness and candOr
Of the greater portion Of the Witnesses
VINO nave teSlnc0 IN iilS cssc. ndu -
mterfered on behalf OF the rich. the pow
erful, the intelligent. The sC-called great.
or in behalf Of any Of their friends. either
father. mother hT0ther. sister. wife. OF
/ children. or any Of thai class. and SUI
/ fered and sacrificed what ] have in this
( interference IL would have been an right.
/ and every man in this court would have
/ deemed il an act worthy OF reward rather
/ than punishment.
'' This court ackncW Wiedges as I sup
! nrse ne Nalll--r Of The LaM nf Col ]