Norwich bulletin., 1914-05-13
FAMOUS TRIALS
THE TRIAL OF JOHN BROWN.

Yearning for an opportunity to carry out his long cherished desire to lfberate the coiored slaves of the south and destroy the system of American slavery, Capt John Brown-or "Old' Osawatomie Brown as he was fa- mihariy called-had disclosed his plans to a few confiding sympathizers dur ing conference held by them in Can- Harper's Ferry. Va. as the most avail able strategic point to strike the first blow.
 At the time Brown was 60 years of ago. Shortly after this Canadian con- ference Brown, with two of his sons, appeared in the vicinity of Harper's Ferry, and under the assumed name of Smith rented a small farm in Mary land, a few miles from the ferry, for the purpose of making the necessary observations and maturing plans for the final movement. Here were grad-- arms and ammunition and a body of twenty-two men, of whom seventeen were whites and five colored.
 At about 10 o'clock on the evening of Oct. 16, 1859. the first act of the invasion was to be performed The seized and made prisoner. Almost simultaneously the government arm ory buildings, containing a large quan- t1ty Of arms, were quietly taken pos- session of. Shortly after midnight a small party of the invaders went to a farmer and owner of many slaves, aroused him from his bed, arrested him and told his slaves they were free similar visit was made to other prominent residents of the ferry. A number of shots were fired and sev- eral were mortaIly wounded.
 Intelligence of the affair was speed fly communicated by railroad and messenger to all the neighboring towns and military companies soon began to make their appearance. At about noon some CharleStOWn troops arrived and during the rest of the day sol- diers poured into Harper's Ferry from as far as Washington. The armory in which Brown and most of his party had taken refuge was attacked and soon they were all brought out and placed under arrest
 An indictment of treason and mur- der was immediately found against Brown by the Virginia authorities and until the time of his trial he was vigorously guarded.
 As the prisoners, demanded to be tried separately, the authorities elect ed to try Brown first. He asked for a delay on account of his severe wounds: but this was refused, and the case began Oct. 26, in Charlestown, Va. Brown was unable to sit and he lay
 
 three days. and Brown was found guilty upon all the charges and sen fenced to be executed on Dec. 2. As the jury came in with their ver- dict the dense crowd was moved and agitated with intense expectancy The | only calm and unruffled countenance there was that of the doomed man. It was late and the gas lights gave an almost deathly pallor to his face. On being asked why sentence should moi be passed upon him, said in voice singularly mild and gentle:
 Tn the first place, I deny every thing but what I have all along ad- mitted--the design on my part to free the slaves. I intended, certainly, to have made a clean thing of that mat ter. That was all intended. I never 1 did intend murder, or treason, or the destruction of property, or to excite or incite slaves to rebellion, or to make insurreetion
 T believe that to interfere as l have done. as have always. freely ad- but right. Now. if it is deemed nec- l essary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of jus- tice. and mingle my blood further with l the blood of my children, and with the blood of millions in that slave coun- 1 try, whose rights are disregarded. ] submit: so let 1t be done'
 The day appointed for the execution 1 Brown walked out of the tail with a radiant conference and the step oi 1 conqueror. With an unfalterins l step he mounted the wagon which was l to convey him to the scaffold He l seated himself besides Capt. Avis, the I jailer, and MT. Sadier. the under taker. Accompanying the wagon were
 several military companies most cav 1 airy.
 When he was asked if he was ready when he had aseended the scaffold, he replied;
 .I am ready at any tinae But dc not keep me needlessly waiting,' F Cook. CopPee. Copeland and Greene Browns companions, shared his fate i Dec. Is. and Stevens and Hazlitt or March ls.. The other survivors had managed to escape.