The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-06-06
STORY OF JOHN BROWN
Career of Man Who Tried to Free
Southern Slaves Is Recalled

Tree But now many know the de-
tails of the trial, conviction and hang
ing Of John Brown in Charles Town?
Sixty-three years ago the nation
was rent with discussion over slavery.
1t had become the greatest issue since
the Revolution. While Horace Gree
ley wrote stirring editorials to free
the slaves, John Brown took an even
more violent course. He tried to
free the slaves by force. 1t was
national issue.
George D. Moore, a former prose
cutting attorney in Charles Town, W.
Va, writing in a local paper, says IN
part:
During the early summer of 1859
a party of strangers arrived near
Harper's ferry, then part OF Virginia,
With them was an old man Of vener-
able appearance who called himself
Isaac Smith. They represented them
selves as prospecting for minerals,
and took long and frequent ranloles
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 fye miles
from Harper's Ferry, and established
Headquarters. They were anTable
people and soon made number OF
fiends. In the meantime large
quantity of arms and ammunition
was smuggled in 70 them.
Excitement Prevailed
Twenty men descended upon
Harper's Ferry on the night Of Sun
day, October 16, 1859. They shot
men in the streets and took posses
sion of the town. Nobody seemed to
know what it wss all about. Later
one of the attackers declared that
they had come to free tae Virginia
slaves. They said they had al the
means to accomplish this plan.
sNews of the attack on Harper's
Ferry was flashed across the nation.
The Virginia militia came, and Gov
ernor Wise of Virginia took personal
charge. After three-day fight the
little army was captured. Its leader
was recognized as John Brown.
Brown and his followers were
taken to Charles Town, where the
grand jury was, in session. Virginia
and what is now know as West Vir-
sinia were then one state.
"The old Virginia law required five
days lapse between the preliminary
examination and the submission Of
the case to the grand jury.
"a whole nation was wrought up
to the tensest pitch during those five
days of suspense. 1t was rumored
everywhere and particularly through
the South, that John Browns little
arny OF twenty men was but the fore
runner of mighty army from the
North to come down and free the
slaves and that powerful secret or
gan:zation was planning revolt by
riot and murder and the Brown gang
was to be released from jail.
Rumors Travelled Fast
"These rumors grew; they Travelled
fast. It was argued that John Brown
would not have dared attempt such
a bold thing as the capture of Har-
pers Ferry unless he knew he had
ample backing.
ION October 26 the preliminary
hearing opened, with the courthouse
heavily guarded by militia troops.
Everywhere the town was jammed
with Strangers. There was little ar
my Of newspaper men.
Brown, it is believed, fully realiz-
ed what was to come. The court
house was across the street from the
Jail. Brown was marched out from
the front door of the jail, grim and
determined. A double file of soldiers
guarded him. He presented a re-
markable picture.
Whether he was legally right or
not, he believed his cause just. He
was six feet tall, stoop-shouldered,
old, bareheaded and wore a long,
shaggy grey beard. But his piercing
old eyes showed no signs Of fear. His
condition is described as feeble, and
bystanders gasped ir silence as he
moved slowly along, manacled.
"The court room was jammed with
five or six hundred people. Eight
justices Of the peace conducted the
preliminary hearing. They constituted
the court of first resort; upon their
,,-baIbar Toby,