South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-05-07

some Of the nearsy plantations and
made the slaves and plantation own
ers prisoners OF war The night eye
press train was held up on the bridge
and the porter shot. Men were sho.
down in the streets. the witnesses
said and the mayor killed Militia
companies were hastily summoned
from Martinsburs. Shepherdstown
and Charles Town.
Fort Is Established.
Finally the remnants Of the
Brown party barricaded themselves
IN the municipal FIRE engine house OF
Harpers Ferry Il later was known
as John Browns Fort.
There they We're surrounded by
troops and escape cut of. Efforts TO
negotiate were futile Flag OF truce
bearers from Brown barricade were
shot down or captured ON the night
OF the second day after he entered
the town a company OF T.. s. marines
from Washington arrived They were
under command OF Col Robert f.
Lee and Lieut.. J. r 3 stuart who
later became the two great generals
Of the Confederacy.
Brown refused 70 surrender and
the next morning his fort was car
ried by storm. Brown and his sur
viving companions were cantured
Brown was badly wounded fin sew
eral places. So We're some Of his
companions.
Among the towns citizens who
We're taken prisoner by Brown was
Col Lewis W Washington. grand
nephew Of Georse washington.
The casualties OF John Browns
Harpers Ferry raid were u killed
two wounded. one escaped. Two OF
Browns sons were killed. OF the
attackers five were killed and nine
wounded.
"SO-called damaging literature in
troduced as evidence az the Brown
trial were copies Of the constitu-
ton and ordinances drawn up by
Brown for the reconstruction Of the
constitution OF the United states
through amendment and repeal Let
ters from Joshua r. Giddings. mem
Der Of congress from Ohio and abo-
litiOnist, were a part Of the evidence.
Arguments Begun.
"On the sixth day OF the trial ar
gument was begun; the court deliv-
cred its charge. and the jury retired
Soon a verdict Of guilty was re-
turned. There was no demonstra-
ton in the courtroom.
The next day Brown was brought
into court for sentence. He was
asked If he had anything to say as
10 why sentence should not be i'm
posed. His reply to the court was
another landmark in this country s
history. He said:
I have. may il please the court.
a few words 10 say. In the fist place
deny everything but what I have
already admitted-the design on my
part 10 free the slaves. That was
all I intended Now. if il is neces-
sary that I forfeit my life for the
furtherance of the ends of justice
and mingle my blood with the blood
of the millions in this slave country
whose rights are disregarded by
wicked. cruel and unjust enactments.
submit; let it be done, Let me
say one word further. I feel en-
tirely satisfied with the treatment ]
have received on my trial Consid
ering all the circumstances il has
been more generous than 1 expected.
But I feel no consciousness of guilt
Now 1 have done.
Sentence Imposed.
~l,o .I,-~+ 5r,,---aI th-
tence, which was that ne should be
taken to a place Of execution on
Dec. ?. 1859. and there be hanged
by the neck by the sheriff until dead.
Then. on Dec 2 John Brown
was taken five blocks away 70 a
field. where a scaffoid had been
erected. He was unperturbed and
looked with interest upon the many
soldiers about He walked upon the
gallows. the black cap was adjusted.
and soon he began the great adven-
ture.
"On Dec. 16 four Brown follow
ers named Cooke. Green, Coppee and
Copeland were executed in Charles
Town
But what of Charles Town? II
has figured in history since colonial
days. Il was the scene Of hot fight
/ ing in early Indian warfare and In
the Civil war. 1t knew well the ac-
Invites of Gen. Stonewa1l Jackson OF
the Confederacy and phil Sheridan
Of the United States army. The town
was named i'm honor of Charles
Washington. brother of George
Washington. Many descendants OF
the Washington family still live here