Year: 1879

Cincinnati Ensaitet


Ry the kindness OF the gentleman 10
whom ] had letters, I was the only
newspaper man inside The guards tbat
surrounded the scafold. The newspaper
reporters were placed on a slight rise OF
ground, in perfect view, but where they
could hear nothing. The reason assign
ed for this was that Brown had deter
mined to make speech Of al ineendlary
character. r. prevent this they deter
mined. if spaech be mAao, it would be
to the military and to TIE officials VINO
would be within hearing distance. 1t
vas thought beat that some one OF the
northern residents IN the shape OF q
newspaper cGrrespondent should be
preFert, to TIE end that, if speech was
concocted for Brown, and published as II
he had epokeu it, there might be written
evidence OF IT, fa!si!y. | happened to
be the person rejected, ana stood within
few feet OF the gallows when the exc
cution took place. Brown was brought
to the place OF execution-an open field
near the town-in a wagon, seated on
his ccfin. He was neatly dressed in his
every day apparel. His long white
beard and bis fine fsce-for he had hne
one-cave him a truly patrlarchial ap~
pearance. No cne seeing him at that
nome Mt could suppose him to be bound
malefactor on his way to the galloWs'
without hope Of reprieve. Noue OF
the early martyrs OF the Chrlstian
church ever met death with more OF
seeming sto;cal Indifference. Brought
up with fixed and firm belief that he
had heen doing Gods work, he believed
the course he pursued, the shedding OF
innocent blood, the taking the property
of his enemies, and that the death he
would die had been traced by an
Almighty hand in the beginning, and
nought could change that decree and
hence he wotld pass from earth to
heaven as one that God had selected for
this particular work and the change
from earth to bliss immortal would
more than conlp6nsst2 him for the
pain of strangulation. The gallo1s was
surrounded in front by the cadets of the
military institute, the West Point of
Virginia. They were fine looking youths
OF from sixteen to twenty years of age,
dressed in blue pants and red flannel
shirts. Behind them WIRE picked COM
panies OF volunteer infantry, other COM
panies forming the sides and rear of the
hollow >square in the centre of which
was the gallows, At proper points
the artillery was placed in position, the
guns loaded ard pointed st portion
of the field occupied exclusively by
strangers and those suspected OF not
being true to the Old Dominion, In
case an emeute o. hostile disturbance,
the cadets had orders to shoot Brown, 80
as to prevent rescue, while the cannon.
GERS and infantry were to fire on the sus
pected crowd. TIE outlying pickets
and the reserve guard, stationed within
proper distance, were to flank the
rescure7, and the cavalry to charge up
on them, and to finish those that the
cannon and musketry failed to send to
kingdom come.


If Brown anticipated a1escue: glance
at the field was sufficient TO convince him
it would be folly 10 attempt it. That
he intended to make Freech I think is
more that probable. When the eyes of
the doomed man took in the iull situs,
ton shade OF disappointment seemed to
cross his face but it was but for mo.
ment. The shade passed from his brow
and be was himself sgain. He stood on
the gaIlows gazing with unblanched cheek
upon the preparations. He was asked by
the sheriff if he wished handkerchief to
drop when he was ready. His reply, in
8 loud and firm voice was: No-keep
me no longer than is necessary" The
cap was drawn over his face, the rope cut
and John Brown Wss left dangling in the
air. His neck was broke by the fall
He suffered but little, and soon hung
i'eless corpse. The sensation was great;
no voice spoke and no sound WAS heard
while the awful scene from life to death
was enacted.