Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-05-04

left OF the little attacking party barri-
caded themselves in the municipal fire
engine house, afterwards called John
Browns fort. They were there sur
rounded by troops and cut on from all
hope OF escape. Brown repeatedly at
tempted to negotiate with his assail-
ants under flag Of truce; his negotia-
lions were disregarded and the men who
bore the flags shot down or captured
! Thirty-six hours after he entered the
town, and on the night of the second
day, company OF marines from Wash
ington, ID. c., under the command OF
Colonel Robert E. Lee and Lieutenant
]. Z. B. Stuart, arrived on the scene
The next morning, Brown having re-
fused to surrender, the engine house
was carried by storm and John Brown
and his surviving confederates cap
tured. During the attack Brown him
self was badly wounded in several
places and some OF his men likewise ;
but strangely enough, none OF the cap
tured citizens whom he had taken pris-
oners were touched in the assault
Among the prisoners was Colonel
Lewis W. Washington, a grand nephew
of George Washington. He had been
taken prisoner on the first night of the
raid and along with him they carried
a number Of costly and valuable relics
that General Washington had present
ed to him. Among them was sword
that had been presented to General
Washington by Frederick the Great Of
Prussia. In all, from the beginning,
IL of Browns men had been killed, two
wounded and one escaped Two of his
own sons were among the dead or
the attacking party, five had been kill
ed and nine wounded. Such was in
the main testimony of eye-witnesses.
There was also introduced in evidence
by the State copy Of the curious con-
sttution and ordinances which had
been drawn UP by Brown for the re-
construction Of the Constitution Of the
United States Through amendment
and repeal" Several hundred OF the
printed copies had been found at the
headquarters Of the band over on the
mountain. 1t was proved also that
Brownhad signed himself "John Brown,
COMMANDMENT Chief" Letters from
Joshua r. Giddings, abolitionist men,
Der OF Congress from Ohio, which had
been seized in the raid on the head
quarters, were also introduced.
John Brown had rather unusual no
tons about how his case ought to be
conducted. He utterly rejected every
plan of defense suggested by his coun-
sci. 1t has been said that the most
plausible defense suggested was that,
as the crime was committed on govern
ment property principally, but not
altogether), the case should be turned
over to the federal court for that
district.
The prisoner had given his coun-
sci list of witnesses to be summoned :;
some of them answered, some did not
He said that he wanted to show by
these witnesses that he treated them
kindly at Harper's Ferry, shielded them
and endeayored to prevent bloodshed.
Some OF the witnesses for the common
wealth had already testified that his
orders were solely to act on the de-
fensive. This line Of defense was at
tempted, but it was ruled out by the
court, and properly so. Yet through
the persistence Of the counsel, John
Browns consideration for his captives
and his efforts to prevent bloodshed
were fairly established. 1t was further
shown, in his behalf, the harsh treat
ment accorded his truce bearer; that
treatment certainly smacked of mob
violence
Brown became angered as various
witnesses he had summoned did not
answer to their names and, struggling
up, he burst into torrent of abuse and
appeal. He said he had been promised
fair trial and that the promise had
been broken; he had directed that wit
nesses be summoned and very few Of
them came; that he had no lawyers up
on whom he could rely and requested
an adjournment until the next day so
that he could obtain other attorneys
who would at least enforce the attend
ance Of his witnesses. And as a mat
ter Of common decency, one day should
be allowed him, and if the court re-
fused TO grant an adjournment of one