Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1913-01-09
THE JOHN BROWN RAID ]
some CLIPPINGS FROM OUR /;
OLD FILES OF 1859.
Thursday, October q, 1859.


Thursday, October q, 1859.
Col. L. w. Washington has given US
the following particulars connected
with bis arrest by Browns party
Continued from last week.
About daylight many prisoners,
chiefly residents of Harpers Ferry, were
brought in. A little before light Stew
ems and one of the prisoners Il can't
say who) were holding conversation
at the door, when Stevens asked
what are your opinions on slaveryT
The reply was, "I'am no Shareholder,
but being born South / sustain the
cause" Tor words to the same effect
when Stevens replied, then as you
sustain the cause as a non-slaveholder.
you are the first man would hang, you
deserve it more thai a man who 10
STAKEHOLDER and sustains his interest.
About or o'clock it was announced
to US that breakfast had been ordered
and was ready. Brown himself came
to me and asked me to go and take
breakfast. Invent to the place where
coffee &c, were being furnished, and
advised several who were about taking
the same to abstain, as it might be
dangerous, from the outside character
istics of our captives.
During the morning hours of Monday
Brown manifested an unusual degree of
GOODNESS, he made no effort to conceal
or shield his person from outward at
tack
About midday, | should suppose
Brown entered the watch-house where
the prisoners were and selected one by
one until he had numbered ten persons:
l.. W Washington, ] H. Alstadt, Benz.
Miles, A. M. Ball, J. E P. Dangerfeld,
Torrance Byrne, George Shope. Joseph
Brua, Israel Russell, John Donahoe,
who were taken into the Engine House
| where all remained. except Messrs.
Brua and Russell, who had been per-
mitted by brown to go out on missions
of compromise. Why they were not
| with US on the final charge am not in
formed During the night on Monday,
the prisoners were anxious that outside
firing on the building IN which we were
confined should cease, as friends and
foes alike would be exposed. Mr.. Sam
uel Strider came in with flag of truce
and manifested every disposition to
render the prisoners every service of
which he was capable, and had some
water furnished US i think brought it
himself, he came and went several
times. The first military officer who
visited US was Captain Thomas Sim,
commanding Company from Freder-
lex City Md. The name Of which COM
pany / regret@I do not know. Capt.
Sim was the means of introducing
Colonies Maulsbv and SILVER. who as
sured us that they would use every
means in their power to arrest the OUT
oL0C AAIAB ARO4A-ll Lug AlS-AAoAoS-u
ing the night. Col. SILVER, at my re-
quest, had some water sent to ns.-
During the night, Col. Sim brought
in DR.. VIM Tyler, Surgeon to his com
pany, to render medical aid to son of
Brown who was seriously wounded (of
which wounds he died next day. and
promised if in the excited condition of
the town he could procure the neces-
sary appliances he would again visit
the wounded man about daylight. l
suppose he was prevented by the ex-
cited condition of affairs which arose
before daylight. Captain Sim, whose
GOODNESS on every occasion of his visits
to US / cannot too highly recommend
came in the Engine House about day
light and said to Brown, the Armory
is entirely surrounded by soldiers and
Colonel Lee of the U. S. Armory is
here in command of the Marines, and
there is no possibility of your escape, l
advise you to surrender" To which
Brown replied, Il have no leniency to
expect if surrender, and choose to.
sell my life as dearly as possible"
Colonel Lee sent ]. E. B. Stuart who
said to Brown, s.Colonel. Lee demands
that you surrender, Brown declined
and Immediately commenced his final
preparations to receive the attack. In
less than three minutes after the de-
mand made by Lieut. Stuart the attack
was made by the Marines. The after
details are all known to the public.
Continued next week.