The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-05-07


CHAltLESTOWN, W. Va.--Onc,
more, after ~sixty-throo peaceful
Years, this historic old West Nir-
Slhlh county scat is the scene of a
tllai or nation -widc interest
Ihe underlying issues of more
than halt a century ago and today
are not greatly dissimiar i'm prin
Ciplo.
In 1859 John Brown and his fol-
lowers faced trial here for treason
Tho issue was slavery.
IN 1922 Il hundred or more mon,
mostly union workers, are being
tiled Tor alleged treason msurrcc-
tlon, melting To- riot. murder, and
scores Of othcr serious charges.
Freedom. Liberty, Those Npre
the Watchwords In lNjg; they are
involved in the issue now on trial
here
John Brown and his followers
sought to free the slaves in his day.
ana ne seized "A United States arsenal
at llarpers Ferry ". Va, 10 accom-
pllsh his ends. Slavery was legal
then. John Brown used Illegal
methods to destroy slavery, and they
hanged Brown and his followers for
attempting TO make the slaves free.
In the fall OF 1921 union men
sought TO march upon some non
union coal fields and make them
union. An army OF 5000 or more
men began an armed march through
West Virginia. The men of the non
union fields and the authorities of
several counties opposed this march
Pitched Battle Fought.
y pitched battle was fodght, and
some were killed The non-union
~
In their field. Those who particI-
pated in the march now are being
tried for alleged treason against the
state or lesser crimes. II the men
now on trial are convicted on the.
treason charges the death penalty
may be imposed.
John Brown and his folluw srs
were tried here in the quaint lfttfe
old courthouse and hanged in tho
courthouse yard ~ ~
Phe school kids sing Abett "They
Hung John Brown on "a Soul, Apple
Tree.f But how many knew the
details of tho trial, conv nviction and.
lansing IL of John Brown in Charles
Sixty-three years ago the nation
was rent with dissension over
slavery. 1t had become tho greatest
issue since the revolution. While
Horace Greeley wrote stirring edi-
torials to free the slaves John Brown
took an even more violent course.
He tried to free tie slaves by foIce.
II was "a national issue.
George d. Moore, former nros-
ecuting attorney in this coui ",
writing in a local newspaper, says
in part;
During the early summer of
"a nf CT
near Harpcrs Ferry. then a pars OF
Virginia. With them was an old
man of venerable appearance, who
called himself Isaac Smith. They
represented themselves as procpect-
ing for minerals and took long and
frequent rambles over various parts
of the Blue Ridge Mountains near
by, After a few weeks they removed
To what is known as the Kennedy
farm, about five miles from Harpers
Ferry, on the Maryland side of the
Potomac river, and established
headquarters. They were amiable
people and soon made number of
friends In the meantime a large
quantity of arms and ammunition
was smuggled in to them.
Excitement Prevailed.
Twenty men descended upon
Harpers Ferry on the night of sun
day, october 10, 1853. They shot
men in. the streets and took posses
sion of the town. Some of the
townspeople were made prisoners.
The greatest excitement prevailed In
the town. Nobody seemed to know
what IL was all about. Later one
of the attackers declared they had
come to free the Virginia slaves.
They said they had the means to ac-
complish this plan.
News of the attack on Harpers
Ferry was flashed throughout the
nation. The Virginia militia came,
and Governor Wise of Virginia took
personal charge After a three day
fight the little ..rmy was captured.
Its leader was recognized as John
Brown.
Brown and his followers were
taken to Charles Town, whore the
grand Jury was in session. Virginia
and what is now West Virginia were
then one state
The old Virginia law required
five days iarse between the prelim-
mary examination and the submits
sion of thes case 10 the grand jury
"A whole nation was wrought up
to the tensest pitch during those
five days of suspense. IL was ru-
-, L..