The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-05-03
Vest Virginia Miners Being Tried Ln
 County Where y0Itn Br0lUn Wds Hnnged

for my fate. I beg no insult, noth- ing but that which conscience gives or cowardice drives you to practice. again ask to be excused the mockery of a tria1I'
 Then John Brown sat down. He, in that short speech not only ad- dressed the court but he flung a chal- 1enge at the pride of old Virginia. Auditors Amazed. His auditors were thrilled and amazed. They even respected the daring old man.
 .'When the second days court open ed an attorney for Brown informed the court that he had received a teIe- gram from an Akron, Ohio, man which declared that there was a gooo deal of insanity in Browns faml!y, and he desired time to investigate the statement.
 While the defense counsel was making this plea John Brown inter rupted him. The old man struggled forward, his eyes blazing with wrath and his voice shaking with emotion In unmistakable language he repudl- ated his attorneys plea ana den!ed there was any insanity in his tath- CTS family, though some Of his moth CTS people had been mentally af- flicted. He refused any such suoter- fUge of defense in his 1 peha1lc ne was out in the open; he had noth1ng to hide, nothing to excuse ana no apologies to make. The court ruleo that as there was no testimony sup porting the statement, the insanity end would be disregarded, ana the trial proceeded.
 Several witnesses described now the armed band came across the bridge at midnight and took posses sion of the United States arsenal at Hampers Ferry They descrIDeu Ill detail the stirring events or OcIoDer 16, IT. and IS.
 ..The raiders took possession of some of the nearby plantations ana made the slaves and plantation own CTS prisoners of war. The hlsht sA- press train was held up on the orldse and the porter shot. Men were snoI down in the streets, the witnesses sa1d' and the Mayor killed Militia co1n- panies were hastily summoned rom Martlnsburg, ShepherdstoWn d Il u Charles Town.
 Fort is Established.
 Finally the remnants of the Brown party barTicaded themseIVes III Lhe municipal fire engine house Of liar pers Ferry. It later was known as john Browns Fort
 There they were surroundeq 1esqoI py troops and escape cut off E1Iorts truce bearers from Browns barricade were shot down or captured. on the night of the second day after ne en- tered the town a company or U. S- Marines from Washington arrived. They were under command of CoIonel Robert E. Lee and Lieutenant J. E.
 
 great generals of the Confederacy.
 Brown refused to surrender anu the next morning his fort was carfied by storm. Brown and his sOl-ylv1ng companions were captured Brown was badly wounded in several places So were some of his companions.
 Among the towns citizens who were taken prisoner by Brown was Colonel Lewis W. Washington, grand nephew of George Washington.
 "The casualties of John Browns Hampers Ferry raid were twelve Kill ed, two wounded, one escaped. Two attackers five were killed ana nine wounded. troduced as evidence at the Brown trial were copies of the Constitution l and ordinances drawn up by BroWn | for the reconstruction of the Consu- tuition of the United States through | amendment and repeal. Letters from Joshua R. Giddings, member or Congress from Ohio and Abolitionist' were a part of the evidence.
 Arguments Begrdi.
 "On the sixth day of the trial ar gument was begun; the Court deEV- cred its charge and the jury ret1r- ed. Soon a verdict of guilty was re- ton in the courtroom.
 "The next day Brown was brought into court for sentence He was ask. why sentence should not be imposed His reply to the Court was another in this country's history. He said:
 .'I have, may it please the Court, few words to say. In the first place deny everything but what I have | already admitted-the design on my part to free the slaves. That was all | I intended Now, G it is necessary that forfeit my life for the further ance of the ends of justice and min rle my blood with the blood of the millions in this slave country whose rights and disregarded by wicked cruel and unjust enactments, I sub init; let it be done! Let me say one word further. I feel entirely satis- fed with the treatment have re- ceived on my trial Considering all the circumstances it has been more | generous than I expected. But l feel no consciousness of guilt. Now T have done.'
 Sentence Imposed
 Then the court imposed the sen tance, which was that he should be | taken to a place of execution on De 0ember 9. 1859, and there be hanged by the neck by the sheriff until dead.
 Then, on December 2, John l Brown was taken five blocks away to 1 a field, where a, scanold had been | arected. He was unpertubed and l looked with interest upon the many about He walked upon the allows. the black cap was adjusted,