Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-11

! ness against the institution of slavery
/ increased. He had been an intensely
religious man. Various clergymen of
/ different denominations called at his
! cell to offer him spiritual consolation.
t His first question of these gentlemen
| invariably was, DO you believe in
/ slavery" They all answered in the
| affirmative. He then would refuse 10
/ talk with them. Some tried to argue
with him.
est. Paul himself sent back a flu
/ gitive slave to his master" one min
lister told him.
Then ST. Paul was no better than
you are" said Brown, with kindling
| eye.
Thus the fierce old gentleman
waited for death, asking no mans
pardon for what he had done.
Some of the property he had left at
the Kennedy farm was seized and sold
the proceeds to go toward recon-
pensinG some of the victims of the
raid. A list of claims was presented.
Brown looked them over alphabetically
until he came to one from the pro-
prietOr of Fouke's Hotel for the 20
breakfasts served his men the morn
| ing of the capture of the arsenal.
Here he protested. Il gave him back
ms BARTENDER III return IOT llOSe
breakfasts" he said grimly. 1T is
not honorable of him to break his con
tract"
Mr.. Brown. I thought you were op-
posed to trading in human flesh,
said Fouke's attorney. Now l find
YOU are as ready to do it as any one
else when it suits your convenience.
There may be something in that,
too" said the condemned man. Let
the claim GO
x 4 4 x
John BROWN at the time of the
raid was 50 years old, nearly feet
high, large honed and muscular His
gray beard hung to his breast, giving
his aquiline features a singularly wild
appearance. He was a native of
Connecticut, but had lived for many
years in New York and Ohio, where
he had known considerable success as
a wool grower. He went to Kansas
in the early days of that territory, and
first came into public notice in the
civil braWls between the Northern and
Southern settlers. One of his sons
was killed. which may have disoriented
his mind. Brown had been married
twice, and left large family of sons
and daughters. AT least two of his
sons were associated with him on the
Harpers Ferry raid.
Browns raid on Harpers Ferry now
appears to have been an isolated
event without ramifications elsewhere
Doubtless he had many sympathizers
some of whom may have known of his
plans, but there was no organization
among them. Rumors, however. grew
like mushrooms everywhere Public
officials throughout the slave-holdin-
States trembled in anticipation of
armed uprisings, Naturally. the ex-
element was greatest and the rumors
were most fantastic in the neighbour
hood of the town where Browns raid
had been staked. 1t hardly seemed
possible that the scant 20 men had
thrown down the glove to the Govern.
ment of the United States without as
surance of support somewhere. On
Wednesday night. after the recapture
of the arsenal by Lees Marines. a
farmer living on the Maryland side
of the Potomac, about miles above
Harpers Ferry, rode wildly through =,
the town with the news that a great
band of Abolitionists and armed !
negroes was butchering everybody up
the river. The Marines were turned |
out and their presence added to the |
confusion, but not a single armed en- |
envy was encountered.
During the next few days the scene