Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-11-29
WITNESS TO EXECUTION OF
ANTI.sLAvERY MARTYR WIS.,
IrINc IN IOWA.
WAS ONLY A YOUTH
At TIME OF EXECUTION
Elijah Alvey, Of Chicago, Tells Of Thrill
ing Incidents Preceding Civil War
ATTIC Scene in Court Room Dur
ina AboIitionist's Trial-Arose From
Cot to Address Court.

Ottumwa. Nov 29.-Probably no man
living today is better acquainted with
the details surrounding the trial and
hanging of John Brown, the Kansas
abolitionist at Charleston, Va, which
was partly resultant in the civil war.
than elijah Alvey, of Chicago, who is
in the city exhibiting the picture The
Imprisonment of John Brown" at the
V Nj. e. A. Students of United States
history remember the story of john
Brown the staunch abolitionlst from
OsaWatomie, KAN, who, with small
company OF men, made Il AI5nt attac is
on the government quarters at Har-
pers Ferry, and seized the provisions.
After hot fight with the Virginia
militia in which several or Brown $
men and soldiers were killed, he was
captured and after trial, he and sew
eral of his confederates were hanged
for the crime. The things which John
Brown did in his efforts to free the
slaves were but link in the long chain
that led finally to the civil war
Alvey Was Eye Witness.
Mr.. Alvey, as boy, was an eye wit
ness to the trial and execution of
time. which forged so important a part
of the chain which started the great
war, made an ineffaceable impression
upon the mind of Mr.. Alvey at that
time. He not only collected and placed
at the disposal of the public the most
complete collection of relics and re-
miniscences OF John Brown that has
ever been assembled but he also gives
some new light on this noted patriot
in a book entitled The Capture and
EXecu ton of joan Brown"
Mr.. Alvey was IS years old, and was
on his way to work on the morning
of Oct. II, 1859, when he was at
tracted by the unusual hustle around
the sleepy village OF Charlestown.
Brief inquiry brought the information
that Earper'S Ferry, six miles distant
was lin possession OF Il band OF UNI
known men," No one knew the nature
Of the invaders who overnight seized
the government post on the Shenan-
doah river. In a fight between the
Charlestown "minutemen" Brown and
his companions were captured and
taken to Charlcstown and incarcerated
in the Jail there. 1t was during this
period that Mr.. Avey then an in
quisitive youth, witnessed the train of
incidents that ended in the spectacular
hanging OF John Brown.
Saw Brown in Jail.
II first saw John Brown Mr.. Alvey
says, "the day after he was incar-
cerated in the Jefferson county jail.
He and his companion, Stevens We're
lying wounded on the floor. About
them was a Jail guard, Lieutenant
Stuart, Governor Wise, Senator Ma
son, who afterwards in the Mason and
Slydell case came near involving the
federal government in war with Great
Britain; the Sheriff, jailers, lawyers
and newspaper reporters"
Painting Of the Scene.
This scene made so lasting an inn
preston upon the mind of Mr. Alvey, a
boy at that time, that more than a
half century later, he was able to
have painted under his direction, from
his description, what has been recog-
nized by the best authorities as "a
strikingly realistic oil painting Of the
scene. The painting is by the hand
Of H. Webb keedy, a nephew of Mr..
Alvey. ifs
In telling Of the carrying of John
Brown on cot from the jail TO the
courtroom, Mr.. Alvey said: The SOL
diers were SO close together that it
was with difficulty any one could get
glimpse of the prisoner. who just then
was the center of the stage. With other
boys..I ran along the line Of uniformed
and armed men, and peering between
their legs, was able to get glimpse OF
the long form with Its flowing red and
gray beard on the stretcher carried
by soldiers.
Stirring Scene in Court.
I'm the court room was enacted a
stirring, scene, which. witnessed and
never will forget There was an alter